Ultra Low Temperature Freezer Study

Laboratories are one of the next major frontiers in energy efficiency. After data centers, laboratories are widely recognized as consuming more energy per square foot than any other sector due to their energy-intensive equipment, around-the-clock operations, 100% outside air requirements, and high airflow rates. Although California houses the highest density of laboratories in the country, its total number of laboratories has never been estimated, nor has their geographic distribution, size, type, energy consumption, plug loads, and other key attributes. An estimated inventory of laboratory equipment in California also does not exist, although narrow studies have been conducted for a few equipment types. This report, prepared by the Center for Energy Efficient Laboratories (CEEL), constitutes a significant step forward in addressing these unknowns and demonstrates that the size of energy savings opportunities in labs warrants further study and investment. A combination of market research, online surveys, in-person interviews, and a broad literature review of previous industry reports was used to estimate the potential for energy efficiency in laboratory facilities, with particular focus on the equipment plug loads. The scope of this market assessment study was limited to the laboratories contained in academic, life science research (LSR), hospital, and non-profit research facilities, and for the purposes of this study, a laboratory was defined as any space equipped to conduct experiments, tests, and investigations, or to manufacture chemicals, medicines, or the like. Total net lab square footage in California was estimated for these market segments, and this information was used to estimate the density of 32 different types of lab equipment across 7 product categories. Scientists surveyed across California and the wider United States contributed valuable information about the type and usage of their equipment to help estimate laboratory plug loads. Key statistics from the 3-month study include: -Laboratory square footage was calculated for 171 academic institutions, 1,351 LSR organizations, and 532 hospitals in California. -1,199 scientists throughout the US were surveyed online, including 269 from California. An additional 366 US scientists were surveyed in person; 39 were from California. -78 facility and energy managers were surveyed online, of which 19 were from California. -An additional 14 facility managers in California were interviewed in person. Simply put, there are a significant number of laboratories in California and they consume a significant amount of energy. Over 116 million square feet of lab space was identified in just the four market segments studied. Moreover, the market is growing. Federal funding for academic research increased by 2.5% in 2014, and academic enrollment is projected to climb 15% annually through 2021. California’s LSR industry has been growing steadily at 5% for the past 5 years, and this rate is expected to rise. Private funding for hospital research continues to increase, and new construction of healthcare facilities grew by nearly 5% in 2014. The survey results corroborated these trends: 25% of respondents indicated that their lab space would increase in the next 3 years.