International Fume Hood Challenge

I2SL is planning a friendly competition among organizations that own and operate laboratories to improve safety and reduce energy use in fume hoods (or fume cupboards, as they are also known). By encouraging participation from public, private, and academic labs in the United States and internationally, the Challenge will:

Promote safe and energy-efficient behaviors and improvements in the lab environment
Encourage collaboration on lab efficiency among researchers, facility managers, safety staff, green labs professionals, manufacturers, and service providers
Gather data and develop best practices on energy-saving technologies and behavior change initiatives for fume hoods and related lab systems
Ensure better, safer fume hood operation in research facilities to enhance sustainable science, energy efficiency, and cost savings

Sign Up to Volunteer for a Technical Advisory Group Here!

Currently under development, the I2SL International Fume Hood Challenge will bring together

green labs professionals, researchers, facility managers, safety officers, manufacturers, and service

providers with a goal of saving energy and ensuring the safe and effective operation of fume

hoods in laboratories. The Challenge will score labs on variety of activities to ensure safe and

efficient use of fume hoods, including sash closure, monitoring, proper operation, testing, and

hibernation when not in use. Activities will also focus on the lab HVAC systems that support fume

hoods to ensure effective operation.

I2SL hopes to open the Challenge in late 2026 or early 2027; Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) are

currently working on various aspects of the program, and I2SL is accepting volunteers to work on

those groups. Participants can join for free and will enter data about each of their participating lab

buildings into the I2SL Lab Benchmarking Tool (LBT). Participating organizations will be scored

based on how effectively they prepare for, execute, and report results of a shut-the-sash competition

among their lab buildings, among other Challenge requirements.

I2SL will provide best practice guides on fume hood system testing, shut-the-sash competition ideas, and tips for success free to any Challenge participants. An I2SL Challenge Leadership Council will oversee program development and the work of the TAGs, as described here. A Program Structure TAG (focused on checklists, questionnaires, and scoring) and a Program Documentation TAG (lending subject matter expertise on program support materials, FAQs, and best practice guides) are beginning work in 2026. User Interface and LBT Integration (providing input on dashboard development, building management system data, and beta testing the LBT interface) and Marketing and Promotion (helping determine ways to recruit and recognize participants) TAGs will begin work in 2027. To join a TAG and get involved in developing program criteria or writing best practice guides, fill out an application form here.

I2SL is seeking sponsors interested in supporting development of the challenge; contact Gordon Sharp at president@i2sl.org to learn more about sponsor levels and benefits.