Ultra Low Freezers

Allen Doyle, University of California

Research Freezers hold precious samples, are expensive and use one or two homes worth of electricity each, yet their management may be very hap hazard. Facilities, safety and researchers have combined interests that could lead to funding sample databases for increased access, sample reduction and energy savings, or integrated freezer monitoring for risk management and energy savings, or aggressive retirement programs, also for risk management and energy savings, for example.

Learning Objectives

  • Learn why ultra low freezers are a key piece of equipment that is taking-up floor space in the in the laboratory.
  • Learn how they are a major energy consumer and strategies to minimize their impact on the energy bill.
  • Hear about management programs and equipment choices that can be considered and who the stakeholders are in equipment management.

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.

 

Note: I2SL did not edit or revise abstract or biography text. Abstracts and biographies are displayed as submitted by the author(s).