International Laboratory Freezer Challenge
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  • The Challenge
    • Good Management Practices
    • Temperature Tuning
    • Retirements and Upgrades
    • Cutting Edge Practices
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    • Award Winners 2020
    • Award Winners 2019
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TEMPERATURE TUNING

Simply being mindful of sample storage conditions can have a huge impact on energy use in the lab.  One ultra-low temperature freezer can consume as much energy as a single-family home every day, so anything you can do in this category will help to significantly reduce energy consumption.
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Adjusting ULT Set Points
Ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers set to -70°C instead of -80°C use up to 40% less energy.  Check to make sure your samples can be safely stored at this temperature. You can find resources about what and why you should "chill up" to -70°C on our Resources Page.

Storage at Appropriate Temperatures
Many reagents and samples do not require storage at ultra-low temperatures (-70 C or -80 C).  For example, consider storing DNA in a standard -20°C freezer - these freezers consume 80% less energy than ULT freezers.
The Freezer Challenge is a program coordinated by the non-profit organizations
​My Green Lab and the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories, and sponsored by various companies with an interest in promoting the most energy efficient cold storage options.
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  • About
    • Contact
  • The Challenge
    • Good Management Practices
    • Temperature Tuning
    • Retirements and Upgrades
    • Cutting Edge Practices
  • REGISTER
  • Sponsors
  • Resources
    • FAQs
    • Blog
    • Partners
  • Awards
    • Award Winners 2020
    • Award Winners 2019
    • Award Winners 2018
    • Award Winners 2017