The university’s Resource Management Department hosted a presentation by a manufacturer of ultra-low temperature lab freezers that highlighted information about it’s newer, energy efficient model that has been designed to be environmentally-friendly. The presentation highlighted sustainability features of the process to manufacture it, the materials it is constructed from and the energy it takes to operate it over time. Other benefits that the manufacturer discussed were: quieter operation, smaller footprint for equal sample storage, and reliable operation with good warranty terms.
Representatives from WUSM Capital Projects, WUSM Operations and Facilities Management Department and WU Sustainability attended the presentation. In a follow-up with the manufacturer, we learned that several of these newer model freezers are already in operation on the WUSM campus. For more information on purchasing laboratory equipment and other supplies, contact Greg Mosley, Director Purchasing Services in WU Resource Management Department at 314-935-5927.
If your lab is looking for new ideas for improving cold storage practices or would like to retire and upgrade equipment, consider participating in the first annual North American Laboratory Freezer Challenge, presented by The International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) and My Green Lab. Benefit of good cold storage management include:
- Removal of unneeded or unviable samples from refrigeration units.
- Reduced costs associated with maintaining refrigeration units.
- Improved researcher access to laboratory samples and reagents.
- Development of ongoing cold storage management practices that support efficiency and maximize space utility.