Laboratory Ventilation & Greening of Cornell Labs

Mark J Howe, PE, CEM

Campus Energy Manager
Ellen Sweet, MS, CCHO
Laboratory Ventilation Specialist
Cornell University

Facilities Services
 Climate Action Plan

Making Climate Neutrality a Reality

• Actions to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, broaden
academic research, and enhance educational opportunities and
outreach efforts by the year 2050.
• Cornell’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) promotes the education
and research needed to generate solutions for the challenges of
global warming —and will demonstrate these solutions in
campus operations.

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Climate Action Plan

Four Tiered Strategy

1.Plan space to avoid new
buildings

2.Reduce energy demand

3.Use renewable
electricity and
renewable heat

4.Offset business travel

and commuting
3
Path to Carbon Neutrality

4
 Energy Conservation Initiative (ECI)
Phase I and II

• Phase I
• 2000-2008 $10 Million project cost
• Energy savings target of $1M annually

• Phase II
• 2010-2015 $33 Million project cost
• Energy savings target of $4M-$5M annually

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 Conservation Project Elements

• Updating of controls and control logic

• Lighting – fixtures and occupancy control

• Complete Cx and Re-Cx of systems

• Humidification systems

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 Steps of ECI

Maintenance
(Continuous Cx) Campus Life
Endowed
2003 – 2017 2011-2015
Study
(~5M GSF) (~3M GSF)
Design

CCF Professional
Project
2005 – 2017 Schools
(~4M GSF) Maintenance 2011-2013
(Continuous Cx) (~1M GSF)

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ECI Project Facts: Post ECI Project Billed Savings: $6.3
• Over 60 Facilities million
• Over 90 projects $35
Total Billed ,
$31.3
• Project Cost $33 million
$30
• Project Savings: $6.3 Chilled
Water, $5 Total Billed ,
million at billed rates with $25.0
5.3 year payback $25
Chilled

Millions
Electric, $9 Water, $4

$20
Electric, $7
% energy savings $15
ECI project savings from ECI project

Steam: $10
126,000 klbs 21% Steam, $18
Steam, $14
Chilled Water: $5
5,000,000 ton-hrs. 25%

Electric: $-
Pre_ECI Project Post_ECI Project
19,000,000 kwh 17%

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 Energy Use vs Building Space
CHW SALES_MMBTU ELECTRIC SALES_MMBTU
MMBTU/YR GSF
STEAM SALES_MMBTU CAMPUS GSF
2,500,000 15
~186 kBtu/Sf-Yr

Millions
~148 kBtu/Sf-Yr

Gates
2,000,000 Milstein
Klarman
14
Human
Ecology
Physical Sciences
1,500,000 & AHDC 13

Weill Hall

1,000,000 12

ECRF &
EHOB
500,000 11
North Duffield
Campus

0 10
FY_2000

FY_2001

FY_2002

FY_2003

FY_2004

FY_2005

FY_2006

FY_2007

FY_2008

FY_2009

FY_2010

FY_2011

FY_2012

FY_2013

FY_2014

FY_2015

FY_2016_Budget

FY_2017_Budget
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 Energy conservation in laboratories

• Laboratory ventilation is responsible for approximately half of

all energy use on campus ~ $30 million per year at billed rates
– How do we reduce this energy use?
• Re commissioning of laboratory spaces on campus from
their current airflows to generally 6/3 ACH occ/unocc
represents a very large potential savings - $
millions/year
• Work with EH&S to determine spaces that can have
their airflow reduced from 8/4 ACH to 6/3 ACH
occ/unocc
– CFD analysis
– Pilot testing
• Relax temperatures to reduce reheat

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 Case Study

Biotechnology Lab Airflow Re- Design

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Biotechnology Existing Ductwork Design

Five foot VAV

fume hood

Existing 8” round
perforated supply

Existing general
exhaust grille
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 6 ACH Smoke Test – Existing Design

Smoke hangs low in lab

as predicted
with the CFD modeling

Smoke permeates adjacent

computer room – floor to
ceiling as predicted with
CFD modeling

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6 ACH Smoke Test – Existing Design

No visible
smoke

tttt=
t=t= =20
17
==t15
=13
710
11min
min
0min
min
min
min
min
min
6 ACH or 1 Air Change
Every 10 minutes
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Biotechnology New Ductwork Design

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6 ACH Smoke Test - Redesign
No visible Smoke

tt t=t=t==
t9==7
t10=01min
12
min
11 min
4min
min
min
min
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6 ACH Smoke Test - Redesign

Smoke does not permeate into other lab room and

adjacent computer room as predicted with the
CFD modeling

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 Vertex Average Parts Per Million of Acetone at 0.5ft. above Floor

3500
Evaporation ends

3000

2500
PPM Acetone

2000

Existing Design (8ACH)

Redesign (6ACH)
1500

1000

500

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Time (seconds) 18
 Biotechnology Lab Ductwork Modification

• Pilot installation determined per zone cost @ ~ $2,000

– Radial diffusers require careful selection
• Velocity, throw, direction, noise, price
• 90 fume hood zones = $180,000
• Savings $100,000/yr, less than a 2 year simple payback!
• 3 month installation

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 Lessons learned
• Further reduction in lab ventilation rates from 8/4 to 6/3 ACH
minimum is possible
• It is not as simple as “just do it” because other have
• Ventilation effectiveness must be evaluated, and CFD is a cost
effective tool to evaluate current and proposed design
• CFD should also be a part of new/major renovation design
• Turndown of max cooling to min ventilation is very challenging – can’t
easily go from 12 to 3 ACH
• Pilot installs are very helpful in checking retrofits
• Working closely with EH&S can change paradigms and save significant
energy in laboratory spaces

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 The Lab Ventilation Management System

Energy

Plan

Safety Do Safety
Review

Check
Energy
 Our LVMP

The Laboratory Ventilation Management Plan oversees lab

ventilation systems with:
Multiple priorities (safety and sustainability)
Various ages and designs
Based on Continuous Improvement - it’s a systems process!

Z10

Z9.5
Three Systems Working Together
 Control Banding Lab
General Ventilation Rates

• Control banding is a generic protection strategy that

groups similar hazards into “control bands”
• Collaboration between EHS and Energy Mgmt.
– 8/4 air exchanges per hour (ACH)
– 6/3 air exchanges per hour (ACH)
 Non- Chemical Drivers of Ventilation Rates

Higher than 8/4 ACH Lower than 6/3 ACH

• Exhaust driven- many • Low hazard/low volumes-
exhaust points or a small Electronics labs with few
space with a fume hood chemical sources
• High heat or humidity load • Local exhaust available to
capture point sources- 3D
• High human or animal
printers
occupancy
• Human occupancy or odor
• Specific environmental
control is main driver
conditions required- Clean
room • Fan coil unit handles heat
load and ventilation is not
• Frequent changes in lab
needed to control chemical
operations
emissions 26
Banding Assignment Process

8/4 ACH

6/3 ACH
 Banding Chemicals Using
Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
Design-to 8/4 ACH

Hazard Code Hazard Statement

H224 Extremely flammable liquid and vapor
H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapor
H226 Flammable liquid and vapor
H304 May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways

H330 Fatal if inhaled

H331 Toxic if inhaled
H332 Harmful if inhaled
 Banding Chemicals Using
Globally Harmonized System (GHS)

6/3 ACH

Hazard Code Hazard Statement

H334 May cause allergy or asthma
symptoms or breathing difficulties
inhaled
H335 May cause respiratory irritation
 Risk Assessment Process- Chemical Risks

• Concentration- impacts toxicity, sensitization, and

odor concerns
• Location of use- in the fume hood or on the bench
• Quantity- small quantities (100ml of volatile
chemical) or large volumes (several liters on the
bench)
• Availability and proper use of local exhaust
 Risk Assessment Process- Ventilation Effectiveness
2 Tools We’ve Used
1. Computational Fluid Dynamic models:
about $10,000/lab, usually used for new labs, where
there is a project budget and easily available room
dimensions.
2. Use CO2 fire extinguishers to measure gas decay
patterns within an existing laboratory:
less than $100 per test (not counting our time).

Fire extinguisher
 The Importance of Ventilation Effectiveness

• Ventilation controls chemical contaminants

by promoting exponential decay of the
concentration of those contaminants.
• The decay rate for a specific chemical
release depends on the location of the
source relative to the ventilation system, as
this impacts the ventilation rate there.
• One measurement for the room does not
describe the general ventilation rate for a
particular place in the lab or a particular
event in the lab.
 Typical Results

The goal is get a uniform

concentration of CO2 in the
space. The success of this is
indicated by the shape of the
curve.

Parameters of interest:
• Peak CO2 level suggests
how strong the source was
• Decay rate (expressed as
ACH or half-life)
• r-squared of the decay curve
(typically > 0.9)
• Time to peak CO2
Risk Assessment Process- Housekeeping
 RCx Ventilation Systems

apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/.../pdfs/.../sustainable_guide_ch9.pdf3
 Recent RCx

Mann Library,
Plant Science,
Kinzelberg,
Morrison

Total projected
savings-
$111,500/ Yr

http://instep-ebs.fs.cornell.edu/default.aspx
 Closer look at HEB

• Corrected fume hood

minimum exhaust flows
= 4725 cfm savings 24/7
• Recalibrated sash position sensors
= Airflows ramp up faster providing better user
protection
• Control Banding = 15,731 cfm
• Other issues identified were space temperature controls
that, when remedied, provide more stability in the
mechanical systems
 Closer look at HEB

Air handler allowed to ramp up and down as it should

 Triggers for Reviews

• Energy projects
• Space changes as managed by
facility managers
• Complaints from the occupants
• Revisit frequencies during
reviews and inspections
 What is a Green Lab?

• Includes environmental impacts as well as health and safety in

its operational decisions
• Acts as a community leader by sharing more sustainable
practices with their peers

January 12, 2015-

“I applaud the initiative that the GPSA
has taken in Resolution 5 (“Creation of Beyond Compliance
an Ad Hoc Sustainability Committee”)
to advance Cornell’s sustainability Compliance
outcomes.”
Former President Skorton Conformance
 How the Cornell Green Labs Program can
help…

• Recognize current Greening work

happening in Cornell labs
• Provide resources to educate community
about energy conservation and waste
reduction opportunities in laboratories
• Identifying laboratory greening
opportunities from national peers

www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/initiatives/green-your-lab
 The Program- Areas of Focus

• Chemical Management
• Green Chemistry
• Solid Waste Management
• Laboratory Energy Conservation
• Water & Steam
• Community Wellbeing
• Research
• Innovative Practices
 The Program Goals

• Support general ventilation rate reduction

- Consider Green Chemistry Principles
- Maintain chemical inventory
- Minimize chemicals on-hand
- Store and use chemicals appropriately
• Reduce plug load and heat
- Sample inventory, consolidation and long-
term cryogen storage for “historic” samples
 Recent Developments

• CU Design Standard that includes 80 fpm hoods

including “high performance” hoods
• Update of Green lab Resource Guides
• Developing ULT freezer guidance and awareness
• Developing campus wide hazardous gas standards
• Fume hood hibernation and Green Lab becoming
more commonplace
 Additional information

www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu/initiatives/green-your-lab

http://instep-ebs.fs.cornell.edu/default.aspx

sp.ehs.cornell.edu/lab-research-
safety/chemical-safety/lab-
ventilation/Pages/default.aspx

http://buildingdashboard.net/cornell/#/cornell
Questions?

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