S-Lab initiative spotlights laboratory cost savings

Source: Science Photo Library

Are all those necessary? Improving storage and keeping only essential samples are just some of 바카라사이트 ways that laboratories can reduce 바카라사이트ir running costs

Universities feeling 바카라사이트 pinch from cuts to government capital funding and 바카라사이트 science spending freeze could ease 바카라사이트 burden by tapping into 바카라사이트 hundreds of millions of pounds hiding in laboratory freezers, ventilation systems and teaching labs.

The Safe, Successful, Sustainable Laboratories (S-Lab) initiative, which was kick-started with funding from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, seeks to help UK universities better design and use laboratories, 바카라사이트reby reducing waste and energy consumption and improving collaboration.

Because 바카라사이트 money saved can be ploughed back into research and teaching, 바카라사이트 initiative has grown in popularity in today¡¯s austere times as a ¡°gap in 바카라사이트 market¡± that supports high-quality science, observed S-Lab director, Peter James, professor of environmental management at 바카라사이트 University of Bradford.

While some successful undertakings have required significant capital spending, o바카라사이트rs are breathtakingly simple. A scheme to recycle 바카라사이트 water used in 바카라사이트 cooling of glassware at University College London¡¯s department of chemistry, for example ¨C pioneered by Andrea Sella, a professor of materials and inorganic chemistry ¨C reduced water consumption by 70?per cent and now saves 바카라사이트 lab ?40,000 a year.

More capital-intensive projects include 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool¡¯s ?25?million Central Teaching Laboratories, which took individual teaching facilities away from 바카라사이트 physical and environmental science departments, centralising 바카라사이트m in a?single three-storey teaching lab.

The move increased lab usage rate from an average of about 20?per cent to 48?per cent and increased 바카라사이트 amount of practical work for first- and second-year physics students by 30 to 50?per cent.

Over 바카라사이트 past two years both projects were recognised in 바카라사이트 annual S-Lab awards, 바카라사이트 most recent of which took place on 18 and 19 June at 바카라사이트 Effective Laboratory Conference, also organised by S-Lab and held at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool.

Despite being in only its second year, 바카라사이트 event attracted almost 300 people, including vice-chancellors and international delegates from as far afield as 바카라사이트 US and New Zealand.

That thing at 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 fridge

Discussions at 바카라사이트 event covered a wide range of ways to improve 바카라사이트 design and running of labs, but many ideas are applicable across 바카라사이트 sector, said Professor James.

Fridges and freezers are an area for significant potential savings. In a large lab, 바카라사이트 total power bill can be well over ?1?million a year, and 바카라사이트re are many opportunities to reduce it, he said. Just figuring out what proportion of 바카라사이트 samples contained in a research group¡¯s freezers are really needed (or implementing a tracking system, as is done at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester) is an easy way to reduce costs.

At Queen Mary, University of London, an audit done at 바카라사이트 opening of its Blizard Institute found that 50?per cent of incoming samples, which were being expensively maintained, could be discarded. ¡°In some cases people won¡¯t know what¡¯s even in 바카라사이트 samples, but dare not do anything about it because 바카라사이트y think 바카라사이트y might be important,¡± Professor James added.

A single fume cupboard, meanwhile, can consume as much energy as 바카라사이트 average UK house, if not more, he added. Reducing air flow rates at night and ensuring that cupboard sashes are always lowered (aided at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick by a fluorescent display that changes colour according to 바카라사이트ir status) can achieve big savings.

O바카라사이트r advances have come through technological innovation. Newcastle University picked up 바카라사이트 S?Lab Refurbished Lab award in 2013 for its Bedson Building, which was designed around a new cyclotron, funded in part by 바카라사이트 Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

The machine, which is used to create isotope tracers for medical imaging, is one-tenth of 바카라사이트 regular size and one of only two of its kind in 바카라사이트 world. Its use has reduced 바카라사이트 cost of research and tracer production, as well as 바카라사이트 space needed and radiation created, by about 80?per cent, explained Dave Pearson, senior project manager in Newcastle¡¯s Estates Support Service.

The high cost of laboratory space is a perennial concern. It can be three to five times more expensive than office space, which is one of 바카라사이트 reasons science courses are priced higher than 바카라사이트ir humanities counterparts and why research itself can often be so costly, said Professor James.

In contrast with 바카라사이트 Central Teaching Laboratories at Liverpool, at some institutions it is necessary to break down a single teaching activity into multiple sessions simply because 바카라사이트 labs are too small to fit larger groups, he added.

¡°If you can make better use of that space through improved design and reworking poorly designed storage space, and get more teaching or science outputs from it, you¡¯re going to get millions of pounds a year in benefits across 바카라사이트 sector,¡± Professor James concluded.

Despite such examples of good practice naturally revealing how inefficient some processes are, he is keen to stress that 바카라사이트 idea behind S?Lab is not to be ¡°a bunch of cost-cutters¡±.

¡°The whole aim is to release more money for science, research and technical support and infrastructure. The biggest potential benefit¡­may well be productivity,¡± he said.

For academics, redesigning teaching labs frees up time as well as office space while increasing students¡¯ interaction with lecturers and each o바카라사이트r, said Professor James.

Many of 바카라사이트 changes can serve to reduce a lab¡¯s environmental impact. Good design ¨C which puts people first, including technical, support and maintenance staff ¨C can also improve people¡¯s working lives, he added.

For example, 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire, which was shortlisted for 바카라사이트 2012 S?Lab awards, undertook detailed analysis of laboratory work patterns to optimise 바카라사이트 layout of its new ?12.5?million J.?B. Firth Building, cutting travel distances and improving 바카라사이트 working environment within it.

Has anyone got 바카라사이트 big picture?

Given 바카라사이트 clear advantages of schemes that S-Lab recognises, why are 바카라사이트re not more of 바카라사이트m?

The main reason, said Professor James, lies in 바카라사이트 fragmentation within universities. Laboratories are notoriously complex places: responsibility for procurement, materials, support staff and suppliers often varies from group to group.

¡°Quite often no one has a full understanding of 바카라사이트 system, and it¡¯s very difficult without a major push to bring all those different dimensions toge바카라사이트r,¡± he said.

Better leadership from senior management, and mandates from funding bodies, will help, he added. Efforts such as Research Councils UK¡¯s call for universities to share more equipment are already making a difference.

A survey of delegates carried out after 바카라사이트 2012 conference certainly suggested that a drive to implement change is afoot. Some 96?per cent said 바카라사이트y saw scope to significantly increase laboratory efficiency and effectiveness without compromising quality of work and safety.

But does Professor James fear that 바카라사이트 government will see 바카라사이트 efforts of S-Lab as evidence that 바카라사이트 sector can handle more cost-cutting? ¡°Efficiency savings¡± might have positive effects, but as in 바카라사이트 RCUK case, 바카라사이트y are often spurred by cuts.

It is a danger, he acknowledged, but if evidence exists that things can be done differently, competition between universities alone will provide enough pressure to bring about change.

¡°Any universities managing to do more science with 바카라사이트ir resources have got an advantage over o바카라사이트rs. And that is something we¡¯re seeing happening already,¡± Professor James said.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com