THE GREEN TEAM

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Is your fridge running?

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We have been trying to reach you about your freezer’s extended warranty

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We have a way to save YOU money

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Problem Overview

• Labs account for 70% of JHU’s carbon footprint¹
• Majority freezers
• $2 mil/year
• 3% extra energy/year in old freezers¹
• 15+ year old freezers used
• Lack of maintenance
• Frost buildup decreases efficiency

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Needs Statement

What should change in our University?

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Johns Hopkins University needs effective freezer management in order to minimize energy usage, thus lowering its overall carbon footprint and providing a sustainable research experience.

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THE GREEN TEAM

JHU’s first student-led lab appliance management team

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Solution Basics

• Students trained in cleaning, defrosting, and inventory management
• Paid for through work-study program
• Three scalable teams:
• Operations
• Marketing
• Administration
• Timeline: 3 years roll-out
• Impact within 1 semester

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Green Team Goals

1. REDUCE

Preliminary energy consumption decreased by lowering freezer settings from -80℃ to -70℃².

• Saves ~40% energy
• Improves longevity

2) IDENTIFY

Compile records of contents, available space, and interior condition in a school-wide database, which will be:

• Accessible
• Easy to Use
• Decentralized

3) CLEAN

Provide maintenance services, optimizing freezer function:

• Defrost
• Clean
• Throw out old specimens

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Phase 1 (Semester 1): Pilot + Reducing -80’s to -70’s

“Chilling up”

Reach out to PIs to set -80℃ freezers to -70℃. PIs would often be manually contacted.

• 50% conversion goal³

Validate

Determine Green Team’s efficiency

• First semester of planning, execution, and results analysis

Clean/Sort

Create and manage database of freezers. Schedule ground team with PIs

• Records should be easily accessible

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Phase 2 (Years 1-3): Expanding Green Team Responsibilities

Replace

Match PIs with other researchers that wish to share costs for energy-efficient freezers. Reach out to JHU admin for additional financial support.

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Expand

Expand Green Team and workflows

• Other high-energy lab appliances, such as incubators or centrifuges.
• Analyze Green Team efficiency

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Rollout

Green Team assists PIs with annual maintenance and freezer replacements

• Train students
• Utilize PI feedback to optimize process
• Remove old freezers

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Outdated Machines Cost More Than Incentives⁴

• JHU has 74 freezers over 20 years old!
• Incentive program to replace old freezers:
• $1,000-$2,500 incentive for purchasing energy efficient machines
• $1,500 when purchasing a shared freezer with another lab

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PI Response

Interviewed 5 professors with positive responses from all for our idea!

Areas covered:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Biology
• Nutritional Science/Microbiology
• Plant Science

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Cost-Benefit Analysis

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Cost-Benefit Explanation

• Costs are accounted for in short and long term
• Short term: JHU cost after FWS to convert a target of 50% of freezers to -70℃ and hours interrupted of work to the PI
• Long term: JHU cost after FWS to maintain freezers with “Green Team” and hours of interrupted work to the PI along with rebate costs to replace all freezers over 15 years old
• Benefits accounted for in short and long term
• Short term: 40% more energy efficient when converting 50% of freezers to -70℃ and benefits from reduced carbon emissions/social costs of energy
• Long term: 18.5% more energy efficient with well-maintained freezers and reduced carbon emissions/social costs of energy

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Future Steps

• Outreach
• Facilities and Maintenance
• Administration
• Financial Aid
• Recruitment as soon as plan is approved

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References

1. Hack-Homewood 2021: The Laboratory Sustainability Challenge. (2021, September 13). Cobalt Consulting Group. https://05d691e5-cc33-45b7-8e33-78b28c166233.filesusr.com/ugd/bddbc3_10bd53d65b5142049ff13b521fb20e4f.pdf
2. Beresini, J., Delaney, P., Zeng, K. (2016). Ultra-Low Temperature Freezers: Opening the Door to Energy Savings in Laboratories. The Center for Energy Efficient Laboratories (CEEL). https://www.etcc-ca.com/reports/ultra-low-temperature-freezers-opening-door-energy-savings-laboratories
3. CU Boulder. (2020). -70 ⁰C efforts. Environmental Center. Retrieved September 18, 2021, from https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/greenlabs/lab-energy-efforts/freezers/70-0c-efforts.
4. University of Pennsylvania. (2019). Ultra-Low temperature Freezer Program. Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer Program | Penn Sustainability. Retrieved September 18, 2021, from https://www.sustainability.upenn.edu/participate/staff-and-faculty/ultra-low-temp-freezer-program.

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Green Team Saves Energy and Maintains Freezers

• We have been trying to reach you about your freezer’s extended warranty
• Labs are massive energy consumers
• Student led Green team, establish energy saving habits and trained to maintain freezers
• Pilot Green Team for immediate results, expansion for further impact

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