Leapfrogging Energy Star: Benchmarks adopted by energy managers

Allen Doyle, University of California

Can energy managers shape purchasing decisions by researchers? Purchasing efficient lab equipment is promoted by manufacturers and strategized by procurement officers, but researchers often do not get the message. Energy Star may be five years, if ever, from designating efficient ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers, incubators and environmental rooms. Can energy and utility managers experiment with benchmarks unique for their campuses, and incentivize energy efficiency while giving researchers full choice? Some energy managers may create their own rebate calculators with a small pool of funds ($2-5,000) to incentivize purchasing of the most efficient freezers, and then re-assess and share with colleagues nationally. The units of efficiency could be Watts/Cubic Foot (W/CF), thus promoting volumetric efficiency. This unit provides a simple signal to manufacturers, buyers, and utility companies. A value of 35-40 W/CF is suggested, and a calculator each participant can customize to their site will be provided. It includes cost per kWh, years of rebate duration, and portion of savings rebated. A ceiling of about 60 W/CF for ULT freezers is suggested, above which buyers might pay a surcharge. Similar benchmarks could be adopted for incubators and environmental rooms. Participants will share the administrative and financial latitudes they have at their sites, and how they might collaborate with procurement to motivate energy efficiency.

Biography:

After 20 years of ocean chemistry, soil and permafrost research, the urgency of climate disruption and environmental degradation compelled Allen to leave the lab and work with scientists on conservation in their workplace. He brings an occupant focus to lab energy conservation: Co-founder LabRATS; developing a nine-module green lab program; moderator of Labs21 appliance WiKi; organizer of 100+ member national network; reducing plug load through cold storage management and the Freezer Challenge contest; and HVAC optimization through temperature relaxation and control banding. As sustainability manager at UC Davis he interacts at all levels of campus and hopes that research labs and their stakeholders will reach ambitious standards of quality with dramatic improvements in resource consumption. He collaborates with laboratory trade groups (NELAC, APHL) and federal agencies (DOE, NIH, CDC) and private sector laboratories.

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