From task lighting to zone systems, solutions abound for improving your lab's energy usage

Berkeley Lab research finds utility customer-funded energy efficiency programs expanding across the United States; Midwest and South on the rise.

Here in my neck of the woods in Northwestern New Jersey, spring arrived weeks ago, which the early and abundant forsythia flowers outside my office window testify to. No guarantee, however, that we won’t see snow on Easter.

Many companies have made the decision to improve the sustainability of their operations, facilities, and products. They are doing so in response to a variety of pressures, including shareholder demand, employee interest, the potential for cost savings, and customer inquiries.

In 2002, when Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, California, decided to build the Molecular Foundry laboratory, they employed the help of Steve Greenberg, an in-house energy management engineer.

The annual energy usage in a typical U.S. life science laboratory has recently been estimated at 4.54 GJ/m2/year,1 almost three times the energy usage of a medium intensity commercial building (1.79 GJ/m2/year).

Most laboratory managers recognize that they can improve the energy efficiency of their labs by implementing commonsense tactics such as turning off equipment that’s not in use, installing lighting sensors that dim lights automatically, etc.

Film-based, multicavity insulating glass offers superior insulating performance, reduces noise and increases occupant comfort more effectively than low-e glass alone.

An energy savings of 15 percent or more is available through the use of VAV laboratory exhaust ventilation systems. When properly designed, a VAV system can provide these savings without adversely impacting the air quality at downwind air intake locations or sensitive locations.