Laboratory equipment accounts for over 4 percent of campus energy costs. There are over 2,500 fume hoods in the campus research buildings consuming over $8 million dollars in energy costs. Depending on the level of hazardous activities in a laboratory, 6–12 air changes per hours are required. Air entering a laboratory space must be 100 percent exhausted and cannot be recirculated.

What can you do?

• Close the sash on laboratory fume hoods
• Eliminate non-essential lab equipment
• Consolidate underused lab equipment
• Set power-save mode or install timers on lab equipment when appropriate
• Consider energy consumption factors when making new equipment purchases
• Buy equipment with an ENERGY STAR label