The International Freezer Challenge has been encouraging labs to perform routine maintenance on their freezers since 2017. These efforts have resulted in the saving of over 9.9 million kWh – or the equivalent emissions of driving a car 15 million miles!  

As part of the WashU Green Labs Program, WashU is joining the challenge for the first time (officially)! Beginning in January 2025, researchers across the university will have 6 months to earn points by completing actions designed to increase cold storage energy efficiency. View examples of actions to gain points below.

How to Get Involved 

Step 1: WashU labs who are interested in participating in the 2025 challenge can sign up to receive more information here. Don’t forget to sign up for the Green Labs newsletter while you’re at it!

Step 2: Keep an eye out for the official start to the challenge in January 2025. The January announcement will include registration details, scheduling needs, and how to record your actions and points. There is no rush to complete the actions all at once; the challenge runs through July.

Step 3: The Green Labs Team will keep a record of all WashU points and submit for award consideration when the challenge ends in July 2025. In addition to the official challenge awards, labs with the highest number of recorded points will receive special recognition and prizes from the WashU Sustainability team. 

Examples of Actions to Gain Freezer Challenge Points

• Defrosting freezers.
• Cleaning out freezers and fridges.
• Inventorying samples, disposing of those that are no longer needed or viable. 
• Storing samples at high density to reduce unused freezer space. 
• Adjusting the set point of ultra-low temperature freezers or “warming up” to -70C instead of -80C if your samples allow. 
• Storing samples at appropriate temperatures based on need, not on factory freezer settings. 
• Retiring old (>10 years) refrigeration/freezer units. 
• Replacing older refrigeration/freezer units with energy-efficient units per the WashU ULT Freezer Policy Guidelines.
• Sharing freezer space with a colleague.
• Barcoding samples to reduce time spent searching with the freezer doors open. 
• Trying/adopting room-temperature sample storage when applicable.

Questions?  

Contact the Green Labs team at greenlabs@wustl.edu. 

Contact Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) at ehs@wustl.edu.