Laboratories - Energy consumption
- Lab buildings consume 5-10x more energy than office spaces, 22% caused by plugloads
- Energy causes highest CO2 emissions of research laboratories, after purchases
- In life science laboratories the main drivers of energy consumption are plugloads, ventilation and lighting
Sources:
ULT-Freezer - Energy consumption
- One new large upright ULT freezer consumes between 3,500 and 8,000 kWh per year
- In Germany, this corresponds to up to twice the electricity consumption of a four-person household and to a yearly expense approx. EUR 677 – 1,546
Sources:
University of Copenhagen, Statistisches Bundesamt (2025), Stromspiegel 2025
Potential savings
When increasing the temperature of an ULT freezer from -80°C to -70°C:
- Annual cost reduction per ULT freezer: EUR 340
- Annual consumption reduction per ULT freezer: 1,760 kWh (22%)
- There is a collection of empirical values for safely storing biological samples at -70°C
Sources:
University of Copenhagen, Statistisches Bundesamt (2025), CU Boulder, UC Davis etc., ETH & UZH