Project Clearinghouse

Replacement of Biology Teaching Lab’s old, energy-inefficient freezers and refrigerators

Sustainability Problem and Proposed Solution: 

Electricity use by inefficient laboratory equipment is a major contributor to UCSC’s carbon footprint. Our one-year action plan will replace highly inefficient domestic freezer/refrigerator combination units with benchtop manual defrost -20C freezers and single-door 4C deli-case style scientific refrigerators. We also have two 60s era, inefficient double-door 4C refrigerators that must be replaced. Greater energy efficiency for the Biology Teaching Laboratories at UCSC is our goal.

Jump to: Contact | Project Description | Funding Sources | How to Join | Metrics for Success | Results
Project Categories: 
Buildings & Facilities
Energy & Climate
Project Status: 
Completed
Project End Date: 
06/01/2019
Affiliated Department, Unit or College: 
Physical and Biological Sciences
Project Location: 
On campus

Thimann Laboratories

60s era, highly-inefficient double door 'deli-case' style refrigerator


Stakeholder Contacts: 
Contact NameEmail AddressContact NumberDepartment
Julio Harvey
jharvey@ucsc.edu
8314591657
PBSci, MCD
How to Join: 
Suggest ways to achieve more funding toward our ultimate goal of complete energy efficiency for the Biology Teaching Laboratories at UCSC.
Funding Sources: 
Strategic Energy Partnership Loan Program
UC Santa Cruz Campus Sustainability Plan Grant

Project Description: 

The Biology Teaching Laboratories at UCSC support laboratory classes offered by the MCD, EEB and METX departments, serving thousands of students annually. We propose to replace aging, energy-inefficient freezer and refrigeration units with modern equivalents to achieve significant reductions in electricity use associate with lab classes. This goal is in direct alignment with key aspect of the UCSC Climate and Energy Strategy Report. Our strategy is to continue to collaborate with Assistant Energy Manager Sara Gilchrist, Physical Planning Development & Operations - Physical Plant Services (PPDO), to determine the most cost-effective and energy-efficient replacement units, and reduce the number of inefficient units in service. This strategy will improve the performance and efficiency of our equipment. Our one-year action plan is to replace four, highly inefficient domestic freezer/refrigerator combination units with three benchtop manual defrost -20C freezers and three single-door 4C deli-case style scientific refrigerators. Additionally, we have two old, inefficient double-door 4C refrigerators that should be replaced. Over the next two years, our lab group is severely funding limited with respect to equipment purchases, due to a critical classroom remodel project. We are especially grateful to the Campus Sustainability Plan Grant Committee for considering our application.

Timeline for the current project:
11/1/2018–2/1/2019: Identify and order most efficient replacement units.
2/1/2019–3/1/2019: Units ship, allowing lead time for availability and manufacturing
3/1/2019–5/1/2019: Receive and install new units, remove old units from service and recycle

List of new equipment purchased by this project (2018 and 2019 Sustainability Grant Awards):
Two ultralow freezers
Six benchtop -20C freezers
Five single door deli-case refrigerators
One single door chemical refrigerator
Two double door deli-case refrigerators

Metrics for Success: 

Our partnership with Physical Planning Development & Operations - Physical Plant Services (PPDO) includes measurement of energy use by our aging equipment for comparison to energy use by the new equipment, quantifying the total reduction in energy use accomplished by this project. This is required under terms of the Strategic Energy Partnership Loan Program.

Next Steps: 
11/1/2018–2/1/2019: Identify and order most efficient replacement units. 2/1/2019–3/1/2019: Units ship, allowing lead time for availability and manufacturing 3/1/2019–5/1/2019: Receive and install new units, remove old units from service and recycle 26 April 2019—project nearly completed
Result Categories: 
Infrastructure/Built Environment
Technology
Results: 

This project will result in measurably greater energy efficiency for the Biology Teaching Laboratories at UCSC.

19 March 2019 Winter Progress Report:

So far we have purchased a number of replacement freezers and refrigerators with a combination of Sustainability Grant funds and Strategic Energy Partnership funding. Here is the breakdown of the new equipment we've purchased so far to replace old units:

Two ultra-low freezers—delivered and in service
Six benchtop -20C freezers—delivered and in service
One chemical 4C refrigerator—delivered and in service
Five single-door deli-case 4C refrigerators—delivered and in service
Two double-door deli-case 4C refrigerators—delivered and in service

Removal of old, inefficient equipment that has been replaced:

Two ultra-low freezers—removed and recycled
Three benchtop -20C freezers—removed and recycled
One refrigerator/incubator—removed and recycled
One chemical 4C refrigerator—removed and recycled
One single door deli-case 4C refrigerator—removed and recycled
Two double-door deli-case 4C refrigerators—will be removed and recycled by June 2019
4 domestic combination freezer/refrigerators—removed and awaiting recycling
2 domestic combination freezer/refrigerators—will be removed and recycled by June 2019

Our aim was to not only replace old, inefficient appliances with newer more efficient ones, but to also remove more old units than new ones being brought onboard. This represents an additional energy savings through more streamlined appliance use and lab course support practices.

It is important to note that the old, domestic combination freezer/refrigerator units we are replacing are very inefficient and do not hold temperature correctly for scientific applications. Non-defrosting freezers are required, for example. Accordingly, it is reasonable to replace each domestic combination unit with one non-defrosting benchtop -20C freezer and one single door deli-case refrigerator. Although we are doing this six times, we are giving up at least six domestic combination units, one chemical refrigerator, a combination refrigerator/incubator, a single door deli-case and three old, inefficient -20C benchtop -20C freezers. Therefore, we are reducing the number of units in Thimann Laboratories overall, in addition to bringing in more efficient replacements.

31 May 2019—The new units have been installed and old ones recycled, this project is now complete!