Laboratories for the 21st Century
Laboratories for the 21st Century (Labs21) is a voluntary partnership program dedicated to improving the environmental performance of U.S. laboratories. The program is a joint initiative between the Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Typical U.S. laboratories use far more energy and water per square foot than average office buildings and other facilities. This is due to the energy-intensive nature of laboratory missions and projects as well as intensive ventilation requirements and other applications addressing health and safety concerns.
Based on EPA experience, the potential for reducing energy consumption at Federal laboratories is as high as 60%, creating an opportunity to reduce energy costs of $200 million to $800 million annually.
Federal Requirements
Executive Order 13423 requires Federal agencies to reduce energy intensity by 3% annually through the end of fiscal year 2015, or 30% by the end of fiscal year 2015, relative to a fiscal year 2003 baseline. This requirement includes laboratories and industrial facilities.
Guiding Principle
The guiding principle for Labs21 is that improving laboratory energy efficiency and environmental performance requires a "whole building" approach. Adopting this approach allows laboratories to improve efficiency for the entire facility instead of focusing on specific laboratory components.
Labs21 participants understand that improving individual component efficiency without examining their relation to the entire system can eliminate opportunities for larger, more significant improvements.
Resources
Visit the Labs21 Web site for additional information and resources.
Prospective Federal partners should contact Will Lintner at 202-586-3120 or william.lintner@ee.doe.gov. Interested private sector organizations should contact EPA at labs21@erg.com.