Smart Labs Accelerator

I2SL China

Otto Van Geet, PE

Principal Engineer

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

July 30, 2018

NREL/PR-7A40-71926
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Labs21, I2SL, UCI, Smart Labs

• Labs21 was started in the late 1990s, developed many tools such as best 

practice guides for labs, case studies, training, annual conferences 

(http://www.i2sl.org/resources/toolkit.html)

• Labs21 transitioned to I2SL (http://www.i2sl.org)

• University of California Irvine (UCI) incorporated all best practices into the 

UCI Smart Lab program (https://www.ehs.uci.edu/programs/energy/)

• U.S. Department of Energy began the Better Buildings Smart Labs 

Accelerator in September 2016 

(https://betterbuildingsinitiative.energy.gov/accelerators/smart-labs)
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Labs21 Toolkit: http://www.i2sl.org/resources/toolkit.html 

• Core Information 

Resources

– Design Guide

– Best Practice Guides

– Technical Bulletins 

– Case Studies

– Energy Benchmarking

• Design Process Tools

– Labs21 Process Manual

– Design Intent Tool

– Environmental 

Performance Criteria
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Labs are Specially Designed to Provide Safe and Controlled 

Environments That Promote Science 

• Hazards

– Chemical 

– Biological

– Radiological

– Physical

Courtesy of ECT
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Laboratories are Expensive and Complicated

As much as 50% of HVAC energy is wasted by excess airflow,

inefficient fume hoods, and improper modulation of flow.

• Average lab size ≈ 100,000 ft2

• Construction(USA) ≈ $45 million to $100 million

• Energy cost ≈ $700,000/year (avg. $7 per ft2)

• Lab HVAC and fume hoods ≈ 30% of construction cost

• Fume hood installation ≈ $25,000–$50,000 each

• Fume hood annual cost ≈ $2,400–$5,000 per year

45% to 85% of the energy is consumed by

fume hoods and the lab HVAC systems.

Lab HVAC 

Energy Use

Courtesy of ECT
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UCI—Components of a Smart Lab

1. Fundamental platform of dynamic, digital control systems

2. Demand-based ventilation

3. Low power density, demand-based lighting 

4. Exhaust fan discharge velocity optimization

5. Pressure drop optimization

6. Fume hood flow optimization

7. Commissioning with automated cross-platform fault detection 
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Success of Smart LabsTM Implementation at UCI

Name Type* Estimated 

Avg. ACH

VAV or 

CV

Was more 

efficient than 

code?

kWh 

Savings

Therm 

Savings

Total 

Savings

Croul Hall P 6.6 VAV ~ 20% 41% 60% 55%

McGaugh Hall B 9.4 CV no 40% 66% 47%

Reines Hall P 11.3 CV no 70% 76% 72%

Natural Sciences II P, B 9.1 VAV ~ 20% 48% 62% 50%

Biological Sciences 3 B 9 VAV ~ 30% 45% 81% 60%

CALIT2 E 6 VAV ~ 20% 46% 78% 62%

Gillespie 

Neurosciences M 6.8 CV ~ 20% 58% 81% 61%

Sprague Hall M 7.2 VAV ~ 20% 58% 82% 71%

Hewitt Hall M 8.7 VAV ~ 20% 58% 77% 69%

Engineering 3 E 8 VAV ~ 30% 59% 78% 61%

Averages − 8.2 VAV ~ 20% 55% 76% 58%

Laboratory Building Before “Smart Lab” Retrofit After “Smart Lab” Retrofit

Even the most well-designed and wellmaintained buildings will degrade over time!
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DOE Better Buildings Smart Labs Accelerator Goals

• Establish a 10-year target of at least 20% energy reduction across laboratory building portfolio

– Implement no- and low-cost savings measures at one lab to achieve a 5% reduction by the end 

of three years

– Provide DOE with details on the measures taken and savings achieved

• Develop a detailed road map to achieving the 20% target

– Implement at least one capital investment project and/or establish a strategic energy 

management plan

• Collaborate with DOE/I2SL/partners to develop metering and energy performance measurement 

approaches

– By the end of year one, develop a metering plan, baseline, and metrics measuring whole 

building energy performance 

• Share results and lessons learned with DOE/I2SL/partners 

(https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/accelerators/smart-labs) 
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Key Elements of a Smart Lab

Key Element Approaches to Overcome Barriers

Optimized ventilation and exhaust 

systems

Partner with industrial hygiene to determine lowest safe 

ventilation rate for each lab space and exhaust stack discharge 

velocity 

Variable air volume Upgrade constant air volume systems to variable air volume

Minimized system fan energy Minimized system pressure drops and set duct static pressure to 

lowest adequate level 

Optimized fume hoods Partner with EHS/IH and lab staff to determine fume hood 

number, size, and containment requirements 

Continuous commissioning Use building control system and tools to optimize lab mechanical 

systems operations

Energy-efficient lighting Implement energy-efficiency lighting technologies and controls

Lab staff is engaged in sustainable 

practices

Provide sustainable best practices to lab staff

Consider Demand Based Ventilation 

Controls

Partner with EHS/IH to determine if DBVC would allow reduced 

ventilation rate, especially for non fume hood driven labs. 
RM 201 RM 202B RM 202A RM 203 RM 204

LFH3

LFH2 LFH1

Ex. 

Fan(s)

45

VFD% OABD% VFD%

45

 

Supply

Energy

Average

Min

Max

ER Coil

ECAV1 EVAV2 EVAV3 EVAV4 EVAV5 EVAV6

dP °T °T °T

SVAV2 SVAV3 SVAV4

OCC

SP DAQ

BAS Total Flow

DAQ

SVAV2

SP

SVAV1

DCV

Sensors

S

DCV

S

45

VFD%

∆T

r & Cooling 

Tower

Exhaust

Ventilation Drives Both Safety and Energy Use

Courtesy of ECT
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Follow the Smart Lab Roadmap to Success

Lab Building

Demand vs. Performance 

Assessment

Phase 2 

Assess

 

 

 

 

 

Construction / Renovation 

Project

Phase 3

Optimization

 

 

 

 

 

Phase 4

Management

Lifecycle Management & 

Maintenance Program

 

 

 

 

 

Multi-Building

Scoping Study

Phase 1

Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Identify Opportunities

• Establish Budgets & Schedules

• Prioritize Building Projects

• Risk and Performance Assessment

• System Operation & Energy Use

• Project Scope, Costs, and Payback

• High Performance Hoods

• Controls, Sensors, & Analytics

• TAB, CX, & Benchmarking

• Maintenance & Operations

• Monitoring & Diagnostics

• Change Management

Courtesy of ECT
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How Can China Develop a Smart Labs Program?

• Goals of China Smart Labs?

• Timeframe?

• Who will manage China Smart Labs?

• Role of I2SL?

• Role of Universities?

• Design Professionals?

• Government?

• Capturing China Smart Labs Best Practices

• Discussion
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Questions?

720 KW

1,156 KW

524 KW

449 KW

408 KW 94 KW

50 KW

Otto VanGeet, 303-384-7369, otto.vangeet@nrel.gov

NREL PV Systems – South 

Table Mesa Campus
NREL | 14

Notice

This research was performed using computational resources sponsored by the 

U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 

Energy and located at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory under Contract 

No. DE-AC36-08GO28308. Funding provided by the Federal Energy Management 

Program. The views expressed in the presentation do not necessarily represent 

the views of the DOE or the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government retains and 

the publisher, by accepting the presentation for publication, acknowledges that 

the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide 

license to publish or reproduce the published form of this work, or allow others 

to do so, for U.S. Government purposes.