Innovative energy-saving efforts reflect an ongoing commitment to sustainability
SOURCE: RI-MUHC
November 14, 2024
The International Laboratory Freezer Challenge is a global competition that encourages labs to improve energy efficiency in cold storage management, helping to reduce energy use and carbon emissions. In 2024, the competition saw record-breaking results, with participants worldwide saving 31.8 million kWh of electricity—reducing carbon emissions by 22,000 metric tons, a 50% improvement from the previous year. These labs collectively saved enough electricity to power 18 homes for an entire year, reducing annual energy costs by $14,000 across 429 freezers. At McGill University, the challenge’s local competition grew significantly, with 86 lab entries in 2024, up from just 14 the previous year.
Sustainability efforts at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) continue to drive strong performance and impressive results in the International Freezer Challenge. With 66 research labs actively participating in this year’s group competition and a significant win in the individual lab category, our community’s commitment to sustainability is clearly underscored.
Second consecutive win in the individual Freezer Challenge competition
The Specimen Processing Laboratory at the Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM) secured first place among all individual McGill lab entries for the second consecutive year. The improvements made in this lab are projected to save 45.9 kWh of electricity per day.
“The improvements in energy efficiency we were able to achieve are exciting. It’s the result of effective teamwork," says Edna Milbrandt de Paz, supervisor of the Specimen Processing Laboratory. "Our CIM team worked really hard, but we could not have done it without the RI-MUHC’s Technical Services team. They supported us in optimizing our cold storage efficiency through effective product selection and regular preventative maintenance.”
Tarek Simon, manager of Biomedical Engineering and Equipment Planning at the RI-MUHC, explains, “Our team’s efforts in coordinating maintenance, performing certifications, and supporting labs with freezer monitoring directly contributed to our success in this year’s Freezer Challenge. By ensuring that freezers run efficiently and effectively, we help labs meet the competition's rigorous requirements. These actions reduce energy consumption, lower emissions, and align with our commitment to sustainability.”
RI-MUHC Sustainability team engages research programs in the group competition
The International Laboratory Freezer Challenge welcomes submissions from groups of laboratories as well as from individual labs. The RI-MUHC Sustainability team seized this opportunity to develop a friendly competition among the RI-MUHC’s eight research programs. They encouraged participation from an impressive total of 66 research labs in 2024, up from only three labs last year. The top-performing research programs were:
- First place – Translational Research in Respiratory Diseases Program (RESP): 147.85 kWh of electricity saved per day.
- Second place – Cancer Research Program: 106.65 kWh of electricity saved per day.
- Third place – Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program: 71.45 kWh of electricity saved per day.
Collectively, the participating labs saved 203,129 kWh of electricity over the past two years, equivalent to the energy consumption of 17.7 homes.
Trainees from the RESP Program shared their excitement about the impact of the challenge. “The Freezer Challenge is not just about reducing emissions—it’s about embracing innovation and teamwork to create a sustainable future for our research and our planet,” says doctoral student Jana Abi Rafeh. Diana Toscano-Rivero, also a doctoral student, adds, “It highlights how small actions – like clearing old samples – can make a big difference. It is a step toward a more sustainable, energy-efficient lab, and I am proud to contribute to a greener future for science and the environment.”
Through sustained commitment to energy efficiency and innovation, and meaningful initiatives like the Freezer Challenge, the RI-MUHC continues to set a powerful example of how research institutions can lead the charge in creating a greener, more sustainable future.
“We still have much work ahead, but we can take pride in the increasing number of sustainability initiatives at the RI-MUHC,” says Rami Tohme, Director of Technical Services at the RI-MUHC and member of the MUHC Sustainability Working Group. “Our focus is to improve energy efficiency, safeguard the natural environment, and manage resources more sustainably.”
The continued support of the Biomedical Engineering team, who shared their expertise in freezer maintenance, monitoring, and optimization, played a crucial role in helping all labs achieve these results. Their contributions are key to the ongoing success of our sustainability efforts.
Anyone with ideas or interest in these projects is encouraged to contact the Sustainability Working Group at info.rits@muhc.mcgill.ca.
About the International Freezer Challenge
The International Freezer Challenge is an annual competition that promotes energy-efficient cold storage management by encouraging labs to defrost and clean fridges and freezers. Launched globally in 2017 and organized by My Green Lab and the International Institute for Sustainable
Laboratories (I2SL), the International Laboratory Freezer Challenge has saved 44.7 million kWh worth of energy to date, reducing CO2 emissions by 31,678 metric tons. Since 2023, the McGill Office of Sustainability coordinated the International Freezer Challenge at McGill, organizing an internal competition for McGill labs and affiliated research institutes.
Is your lab up for the Challenge? Learn more about the International Freezer Challenge.
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