GREEN LABS – PROGRESS AND AWARENESS UPDATE:
ENERGY SAVINGS
June 2016
Griffith University is actively pursuing reduction of its carbon emissions through increased
efficiencies. Laboratory operation is one of the higher electricity consumption areas within the
University.
Energy Consumption Significantly Reduced!
The Green Labs Program Pilot has now been running for 3 months and has facilitated the
identification of unrealized and significant energy losses which have now been corrected.
When measurements initially began the N44_Level 4 laboratories were almost continuously using
chilled water at about 6 litres a second, this is the equivalent of an Olympic swimming pool being
circulated through the system every week for the cooling of one laboratory.
The chart below of litres per second versus time shows a very obvious change from early May as CLF
continued to work on the control of chilled water supply to the space. NB Monitoring was offline for
a few days in May as indicated by the small gap in the x axis.
In the near future a number of the supply air grilles will be changed in the ceiling to improve the
mixing of conditioned air within the space, this is expected to remedy some of the hot and cold
zones currently experienced by occupants of the space.
The learning from this will be applied to future reviews of space control regime for all spaces as well
as potentially informing changes to the GU guidelines for design of new space.
GREEN LABS – PROGRESS AND AWARENESS UPDATE:
ENERGY SAVINGS
June 2016
Feedback Received
Some users have observed condensation occurring in laboratories where fume cupboard operation
has been reduced. An unexpected consequence has been the occurrence of condensation. CLF are
investigating legacy use of fume cupboards to contribute to the inward air flow required for PC2
laboratories, as this has potential to significantly impact on the proposed energy reduction practices
for fume cupboards.
New Short Term Waste Storage Facility – Gold Coast Campus
Laboratory users at the Gold Coast campus will benefit from the addition of a new chemical waste
storage facility at the campus. The facility, for waste only, will allow safer and more effective
management of waste on the campus. This will improve the reduction of ‘in-lab’ storage (particularly
in fume cupboards!) with consequential reduction in ventilation and space required for storage.
Feedback on the Green Labs Pilot Program
The Green Labs pilot program eagerly seeks feedback from laboratory users in ways the pilot can be
improved on, or for additional energy efficiency initiatives.
• Griffith Sciences:
o Stephen Boyd Email: s.boyd@griffith.edu.au
o Perry Plummer Email: p.plummer@griffith.edu.au
o Ian Hayward Email: i.hayward@griffith.edu.au
• Griffith Health:
o Susie Head Email: s.head@griffith.edu.au
o Katrina Hegarty Email: k.hegarty@griffith.edu.au
o Marc Huxley Email: m.huxley@griffith.edu.au
FOR MORE INFORMATION…
Click here for more information on the Green Labs Program and Green Guide for Griffith
Laboratories.