tackling the costs and carbon impact of university laboratories


Universities facing intense financial pressure may be overlooking one of their biggest opportunities to cut costs – their science laboratories, says Ian Thomas, product manager – LabControls at TROX UK


U


niversities UK, the collective voice of 141 universities, estimates a £1.4 billion reduction in funding to higher education providers in England in 2025–26. This does not


include factors such as the £1.1 billion loss from international student fee income to the UK-sector over the past two years (internal UUKi analysis). Whilst the recent decision to allow universities to increase tuition fees is a positive development, the financial challenges still remain, and reduction of unnecessary overheads is of critical importance for university leadership teams and campus estates managers. When looking to make significant reductions in energy costs, the science blocks of universities may hold the key. The energy consumption of laboratories is often more than three or four times that of offices on a square metre basis. This can mean that laboratory buildings are responsible for between 50% and 80% of the total energy- related (non-residential) carbon emissions of research-intensive universities. Government research facilities, hospitals and private sector laboratories are similarly affected, with energy consumption presenting significant financial and environmental challenges. Reduction of energy usage in laboratory spaces requires extremely careful consideration. It is essential that health and safety is not compromised by inadequate air management. The integrity of testing and research outcomes also relies on the correct environmental conditions being maintained. So what measures can universities and


research labs take? And how can their suppliers in the HVAC sector assist them?


Fume cupboard energy efficiency


The first place to look for energy savings is the laboratory’s fume cupboards. These involve high energy costs and carbon emissions due to their air supply and extraction requirements. A 900mm wide cupboard with a maximum sash height of 500mm and face velocity of 0.5 m/s, for example, would extract approximately 225 l/s of conditioned air from the room. This is far higher than for the typical office area or general teaching space. These are essential pieces of hardware, but


there are numerous ways of minimising their consumption without impacting teaching or research.


EFFICIENCY IN MEDICAL & EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS Addressing funding shortfalls by


1. Ensure each fume cupboard has VAV (variable air volume) operation. For the example above, the air requirement would drop from 225 l/s to just 55 l/s when the sash of the fume cupboard is down, reducing the conditioned air requirement by 170 l/s.


2.


Prevent energy wastage through best practice. Sashes are often left open unnecessarily when individuals are away from the fume cupboards. Changes in work practices, or visual reminders in the laboratory can reduce energy consumption by reminding lab occupants to close sashes when they are busy elsewhere. In addition, PIR (passive infrared) sensors can be installed to identify times when fume cupboards are unattended. After a set time a visual or audible alarm is triggered to indicate that the sash has been left up. An auto sash closer can then work in conjunction with the sensor to close the sash automatically, preventing unnecessary extraction of conditioned air.


3. Review control technology. Does the fume cupboard have resident technology that is currently unused? Specific control features are often left unconfigured when the fume cupboard is installed. Investigate whether additional energy saving features on existing hardware can be brought into operation. It might also be possible to retrofit advanced control to existing lab hardware, to maximise return on capital investment whilst providing new energy efficiency and safety capabilities.


4. Room air management systems. The most significant energy reductions can be achieved by integrating fume cupboard air supply and extraction with the wider air management systems to prevent wastage. Installing a room air management system (such as the TROX EASYLAB system) makes it possible for all input and extract air for the laboratory to be controlled automatically to ensure that the required ventilation strategy and levels of safety are maintained. Supply and extraction of


14 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER DECEMBER 2025


the fume cupboards (or other technical air management devices) is automatically balanced and offset in line with changing requirements, reducing the total supply and extract volumes. For example, if the fume cupboards are open and extracting air, there is not the same requirement for the room system to carry out this process. By scaling down room exhaust air extraction in line with fume cupboard extraction, the room air management system is able to prevent wastage associated with over-supply of conditioned air, improving energy efficiency significantly (see Figures 1 and 2).


Central air conditioning/ ventilation system energy savings


Greater efficiency can be achieved by reconsidering air change rates, hours of operation and zoning of the site’s central HVAC system. A typical office space requires four air changes per hour but, in lab spaces the number of air changes is typically set considerably higher to err on the side of caution. Consider setting the BMS to reduce air change rates at times when the laboratories are unoccupied. Local overrides can ensure that, if personnel should be working out of usual work hours, the air changes can be re-established at times when the BMS has put the building into reduced mode. It also pays to double-check the settings of different zones across the site, to ensure that the air change rates suit the activities carried out in each space. Finally, is it possible to reduce the load on the central air conditioning/ventilation system by removing heat at source? Equipment such as ventilated down flow tables, canopy hoods or fume exhaust ‘snorkels’ are particularly helpful for cooling demand generated by intensive usage of IT equipment on laboratory benches. Peter James and Lisa Hopkinson, ‘Carbon,


Energy and Environmental Issues Affecting Laboratories in Higher Education - A Supplement to the HEEPI Report on General Regulations and Schemes on the Topic’, August 2011.


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