Dedicated to advancing sustainable laboratories globally.
E1 Decarbonization | Electrification of Labs
Wired for the Future: How All-Electric Labs Make Cents
All-electric laboratory design is often championed for its sustainability benefits, yet justifying its true value lies in a rigorous economic case that addresses commonly held misconceptions and challenges conventional cost assumptions. This presentation integrates historical energy pricing, engineered performance data, and climate-tailored load profiles to reveal that, under the right conditions, advanced heat pump technologies can deliver efficiencies that effectively neutralize, or even reverse, the premium traditionally associated with electricity over natural gas. Drawing on detailed case studies including insights from a University of California San Diego vision research center, this presents a comprehensive framework for evaluating the total cost of ownership for lab electrification. Attendees will learn how factors such as local utility rates, ambient climate, and specific operational demands converge to create financially compelling scenarios. This session offers lab owners, architects, and developers a data-driven roadmap to re-frame electrification from a mere environmental obligation into a strategic, economically advantageous investment.
"You need how much power?" The Impacts of Electrification of a New Biomedical Research Tower
While building owners may often choose to consider the complete electrification of a new research facility, sometimes that decision is made for them by the local municipality, requiring owners, designers, contractors, and local utilities to adapt to the resulting impacts to the design and operation of the building and its infrastructure, selection of research equipment, and project schedule. This presentation will provide an in-depth analysis of the impacts of electrification on the design and performance of a new 10-story biomedical research tower and core labs on a major hospital campus in Los Angeles. It will discuss how recent code changes have impacted the design of the project across key areas, including energy sources, energy efficiency, water use reduction, equipment selection, embodied carbon, resilience, spare capacity, and adaptability. This presentation will compare the anticipated energy use and operational performance of this all-electric building with the same building, had it been designed under the previous code, and it will also compare the anticipated performance of the new building with other all-electric laboratory buildings in the I2SL database.
A Developer's Dilemma: How Best to Plan, Design, and Operate an All-Electric Life Science Lab Facility
The new 326,000 square foot, seven-story Life Sciences Technology Engineering (LSTE) building at Aggie Square, a new innovation district developed by Wexford Science + Technology on the University of California Davis Medical Center campus includes new laboratory, specialized research, office, support, and retail areas. The project goals included LEED Gold certification and an all-electric building for core and shell (C&S) and tenant (TI) systems, which includes not only the building heating, but also the domestic hot water, process steam equipment, humidification, and onsite cooking. The project team leveraged an array of load reduction, energy recovery, and electrified heating strategies to achieve a predicted energy use of less than 100 kBtu/SF/year and to balance performance and complexity for this developer-led project that includes a mix of system solutions for both C&S and anchor tenant areas. The speakers will share perspectives on the drivers on the considerations for all-electric design of a large lab building in an urban setting, centralized vs. decentralized thermal utilities, process load electrification, and space planning for mechanical and electrical equipment, along with explorations for fossil fuel-free backup power. Lessons learned from the design and startup of the different heat pumps employed on the project (water-to-water, air source, and CO2) will also be shared.
E2 Sustainable Science | Sharing Equipment, Saving Space
Reuse, Reuse, and More Reuse: The Launch of a Lab Swap Shop
The Laboratory Swap Shop is a model developed by the Office of Campus Sustainability (OCS) and the College of Literature, Science, and Arts (LSA) Sustainability to reduce waste, greenhouse gas emissions, and engage research labs in the University of Michigan's culture of sustainability. The shop serves as an in-person opportunity for labs to find free, gently used supplies and was born out of OCS' existing laboratory reuse programs that were reaching the capacity of what they could rehome. Beyond waste reduction, the Laboratory Swap Shop model functions as a hub for sustainability, engaging visitors with green purchasing, non-single stream recycling programs, energy efficiency projects, cold storage initiatives, and water reduction. Outside of "traditional research," this space is utilized by individuals of all disciplines, including the arts, reaching multiple areas of focus for the University of Michigan. This presentation will cover the history of lab reuse programs at U-M, the factors allowing for the swap to come to fruition, how the shop operates, the success seen from the program thus far, and the future direction of the Lab Reuse Program as a whole.
Creating an Online Lab Equipment and Instrument Rehoming and Sharing Platform
At many U.S. universities, current funding and operational structures do not typically incentivize researchers to rehome or share lab equipment and instruments, leading to over-purchasing and inefficient space use. To help mediate this issue, the University of Texas at Austin (UT) is piloting an online platform that streamlines and facilitates the rehoming and sharing of lab equipment and instruments among UT researchers. This session will present the results of the pilot thus far, including pre-pilot surveys that gauge the initial interest and receptiveness of researchers and program metrics including the number of researchers served, number of items rehomed, estimated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with equipment and instrument rehoming, cost savings, and staff time required. We will also discuss the barriers faced in creating the platform, limitations to calculating the associated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, additional lessons learned, and plans for implementing the online platform across UT.
De-Cluttering Lab Spaces With LabSavers: A Lab Clean-Up Pilot in Three CU Boulder Lab Buildings
Lab space is one of the most energy-intensive space types on a university campus due to ventilation needs and one of the most expensive spaces to construct. As a result, optimized use of this space is important for research and climate action. Aligning with the I2SL LabSavers effort, the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder Green Labs Programs in partnership with campus Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), Property Services, three laboratory departments (including property managers and building managers), and Infrastructure and Resilience have joined forces to offer lab members a streamlined process to surplus or dispose of excess supplies, equipment, and chemicals that are taking up space in their labs and that they no longer need. Lab members are given instructions on rules to follow to prepare their items for surplus/disposal and provided a three-week window when they can drop off their items at a staffed, centralized location within their building. Efforts to redistribute useful items is part of the pilot. The intention is to take successes and lesson learned from this pilot to improve the lab clean-up effort and then bring it to other lab buildings on campus. In this presentation, processes used and metrics from the pilot will be shared, as well as resources developed in hopes that they are helpful to other research institutions who would like to implement a similar effort on their campuses.
E3 Sustainable Design | Embodied Carbon in Design
Regional Approaches to Lowering Embodied Carbon in the S+T Construction Sector
While the embodied carbon of science and technology (S+T) construction projects varies based on the design and function of the facility, it is also heavily dependent on the region in which the building is located. Material availability, delivery methods, and logistical measures during construction are tremendously influenced by a particular project's location. The optimal low carbon building structure in California may be very different from the best option in Texas. Join us as we engage in discussions of local trade skills, shipping, waste streams and weather concerns. We will delve into a cross-country exploration of regional successes and challenges in delivering highly efficient research and development facilities. How do we achieve embodied carbon goals that are often desired by the owners of these buildings? We will provide recent case studies to share best practices and proven results.
Carbon Reduction Design Strategies in Laboratories: A Case Study
Laboratories are among the most energy-intensive buildings, requiring innovative strategies to reduce their carbon footprint. Unlike conventional buildings, where insulation significantly affects energy performance, lab buildings are driven by equipment loads and ventilation. This case study examines two key design choices in a laboratory building in North Carolina, wall insulation strategies and structural material selection, through the lens of energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and embodied carbon. First, it compares insulation strategies: cavity insulation and exterior insulation. Findings show exterior insulation is the better option, balancing cost and lower embodied carbon. While cavity insulation improves U-value, its impact is minimal due to dominant equipment and ventilation loads in labs. Conductivity of wall framing and installation challenges further support exterior insulation in this climate. Beyond insulation, an embodied carbon study compared steel and concrete structures. Concrete has a lower embodied carbon footprint, making it the more sustainable choice. Its extra mass reduces vibrations which is crucial for labs with sensitive equipment. While steel offers flexibility, concrete lowers emissions and improves stiffness. A cost analysis confirmed concrete is also the more affordable option.This study provides insights into designing sustainable lab buildings, guiding designers to balance cost, carbon footprint, and functionality for laboratories.
Mass Timber for Bold Climate Solutions: A Deep Dive Into the Caltech Resnick Sustainability Center
The recently opened Resnick Sustainability Center (RSC) at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a cutting-edge research hub designed to push the boundaries of sustainable science. Targeting LEED Platinum certification, the 80,000-square-foot facility integrates innovative green building strategies, reducing its environmental impact while fostering breakthrough research in climate and sustainability. A standout feature is the use of mass timber construction, cutting embodied carbon by 15 to 17 percent compared to traditional steel and concrete. The building maximizes energy efficiency with solar panels, optimized daylighting, and an advanced mechanical system that minimizes energy waste. Smart water systems reduce consumption, and sustainable materials throughout the interior further lower the facility's ecological footprint. Specialized lab spaces, including the Ecology and Biosphere Engineering Facility and the Solar Science and Catalysis Center, are designed for high-efficiency experimentation and support scalable sustainability solutions. The RSC also serves as an educational space, ensuring that future scientists engage with sustainability from day one.
E4 System Optimization | Improving EUI in Existing Labs
The AIM Report in Action: How to Get the Most From the AIM Tool
The Actionable Insights and Measures (AIM) Report, an automated lab building energy audit tool, is this year’s major new release from I2SL’s flagship Labs2Zero program. This presentation showcases examples of the AIM Report in action, to illustrate some of the best ways to use AIM to drive energy reduction projects in existing lab buildings.
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The AIM Report can be used by facilities teams, engineering consultants, utility companies, product manufacturers, and others interested in lab building improvements. The results of the AIM Report can stand alone as a high-level initial scoping assessment for energy-saving opportunities or can be incorporated in energy studies or portfolio-wide assessment programs. The presentation will also cover the free demo version of AIM, which includes a reduced number of energy efficiency measures.
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By way of examples, speakers will show how AIM can support the project development process and will explain the most appropriate ways to use the results obtained using the AIM Report tool. The presentation will also include tips on how to get the most out of the AIM Report and on the types of lab buildings best served by the current version of AIM.
Don't Stop the Research: Energy Retrofits in Active Lab Spaces
Renovations to existing labs are often thought of to be intrusive, time-consuming and can lead to long delays or interruptions of research. This doesn't have to be the case! With proper planning, execution and commissioning labs can be fully renovated in as little as a long weekend. This presentation will describe GreenerU's approach to renovating existing laboratories with a tight timeline for turnaround and completion. The first phase of the presentation will describe the planning, communication and collaboration with lab stakeholders that is essential for successful renovations. The second phase of the presentation will review two successful lab renovations that GreenerU managed. The first renovation involved a complete replacement of the mechanical systems in all the labs in a research building while minimizing downtime for research. Each lab was shut down on a Thursday and the renovation was completed over the weekend. By Monday morning the lab was operational and operating in a safe and efficient fashion. The second renovation involved an upgrade of a 20-year-old control system while leaving the labs active and occupied. This project completely replaced the controllers and communication system in a floor of a lab building, while implementing air change reductions in the labs. At the conclusion of each project, the labs were operating in a safe efficient manor while minimizing the impact to the research.
A Study of Laboratory Energy Efficiency Measures
The presentation will have two main components. First, a review of laboratory energy efficiency measures from energy audits performed over the past 20 years. Second, a review of the findings through the lens of ASHRAE research project RP-1836 describing a standardized process for naming of energy efficiency measures that was applied after the fact to the body of measures resulting in a more useful database when considering future laboratory energy audits.
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