Env Aspects Of Labs
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Ventilation in laboratory buildings accounts for a large portion of campus energy usage, between 4-8 times more than other campus buildings. Laboratory ventilation rates are typically designed between 6-10 air changes per hour for safety reasons, but these high rates significantly increase energy costs. There are opportunities to reduce ventilation rates through better laboratory practices like keeping fume hood sashes low. Electricity usage is also high in laboratories due to numerous instruments and equipment. Regulations around waste disposal and air emissions further increase operating costs of laboratory buildings. However, safety and sustainability considerations do not have to compete - they can be aligned through coordinated efforts between safety, sustainability, and laboratory professionals and staff.
Env Aspects Of Labs
- 1. Laboratory Design and Operation for a Sustainable Planet:Building Gates and Removing FencesDivision of Chemical Health and Safety
- 2. Balancing Safety and Sustainability in Lab BuildingsRalph Stuart, CIHStephen Posner
- 3. Environmental Aspects and Impacts of LaboratoriesVentilation 35-50% of energy for 15% of campus floor spaceElectricity Use Probably similar to ventilationSolid and Hazardous Wastes Lower financial impact, high regulatory impact RegulationEPA’s Higher Education enforcement initiativeEmergency ResponseTeaching and Research
- 4. VentilationUVM Campus wide impact:
- 5. Between 4 and 8 times as much energy per sq foot relative to other campus spaces
- 6. Energy use associated with labs is high value – 10 times as much income as energy expense at UVM
- 8. Ventilation rates range from 6 to 10 air changes per hour; a wide range considering operational cost impact
- 9. Design rates are speculative and primarily based on control of fire hazard and odors
- 10. There are behavior change opportunities with regard to ventilation, but facility design is the driving force in the environmental footprint
- 11. EPA Labs-21 program for lab design http://www.labs21century.gov/The Safety and Sustainability “Dilemma”Ventilation design has a major impact on laboratory safety, but the best design can easily be overridden by poor use practicesExample 1: Fume hoodsContainment is provided by the glass sash rather than air flowKeeping the sash as low as possible is the best approach to safety (and can have energy benefits)Example 2: Chemical storageLab odors often result from poor handling, storage and disposal practices.
- 12. Electricity UseProliferation of instrumentation drives electrical demandElectrical equipment in the laboratory creates a lot of waste heat, which can drive ventilation rates even in non-hazardous areasExample: storage of biological samples at cold temperatures or in freezer farmsLabs are not part of the Energy Star universe (See the Labs-21 wiki at http://tinyurl.com/labs21wiki)
- 13. Solid and Hazardous WasteDisposal of trash from lab buildings creates the concern of potential contamination with chemical or biological materials.Community perception can drive choicesChemical wastes are regulated by the states and EPA very tightly, which creates significant practical challengesBiowaste regulations are less organized but have practical challenges as well
- 14. Environmental RegulationsRCRA and state variations for hazardous waste
- 15. CERCLA for emergency planning
- 16. CWA and local regulations for sewer disposal
- 17. CAA and local regulations for fume hood exhaust
- 18. HAZWOPER for spill clean up
- 19. Whatever carbon rules come down
- 20. Miscellaneous materials (asbestos, PCBs, Hg, pharmaceuticals, etc.)
- 21. Electronic virtual campushttp://www.c2e2.org/evc/Education and Research: Green ChemistryEPA / American Chemical Society chemical studies research and education linked to environmental issuesLaboratory operations are not thought of as part of this aspect yetMIT green alternatives web site:http://tinyurl.com/mitgcwiz
- 22. The Next Frontier: Labs and Climate ChangeThe ACUPCC requires the development of a greenhouse gas inventory and a Climate Action Plan that sets “carbon neutrality” as an institutional goal.Laboratory energy management will be a key component of this plan on research campusesRMI project on identifying institutional challenges to Climate Action PlanningEPA regulations on carbon emissions will reinforce this PCCOutreach to the UVM lab population began in January
- 24. ConclusionsThere is the potential that safety and sustainability considerations will compete with each other, both operationally and programmaticallyOur experience at UVM is that these can be important partners at both levels, but this partnership has to be consciously pursued and coordinatedSafety and sustainability professionals can provide coaching to facility and lab staff, but the people “on the ground” are the ones who make progress happen.