The Laboratories for the 21st Century (Labs21) effort is a joint EPA/DOE initiative to improve the environmental performance of U.S. laboratories. Based on EPA's experience, the potential for reducing energy use at federal laboratories can be as high as 60%, and energy cost savings of $200 million to $800 million annually may be possible. The typical laboratory uses far more energy and water per square foot than the typical office building due to intensive ventilation requirements and other health and safety concerns. Because the requirements of laboratory facilities differ so dramatically from those of other buildings, a clear need exists for an initiative exclusively targeting these facilities.
The primary guiding principle of the Labs21 program is that improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of a laboratory requires examining the entire facility from a "whole building" perspective. Adopting this perspective allows laboratory owners to improve the efficiency of the entire facility, rather than focusing on specific laboratory components. As Labs21 participants understand, improving the efficiency of individual components without examining their relation to the entire system can eliminate opportunities to make other more significant efficiency improvements.
Laboratories and industrial facilities formerly were covered as energy-intensive facilities under EO 13123. Now under EO 13423, Federal agencies are required to reduce energy intensity by 3% annually through the end of FY 2015 or 30% by the end of FY 2015, relative to the FY 2003 baseline. This new requirement includes laboratories and industrial facilities.
For more information on Labs21, visit the Labs21 Web site. Prospective Federal partners should contact:
Will Lintner
Departmental Energy Management, Labs21
202-586-3120
william.lintner@ee.doe.gov
Interested private sector organizations should contact EPA at labs21@erg.com.