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Section 4 of 6 · Open sections

Required section · Section 4 of 6

Work a core-laboratory case

A hospital core laboratory on a weekday day shift. Six archived-specimen ULT freezers use about 20 kWh/day each, or 120 kWh/day combined, from site metering. Before projected savings are considered, the laboratory director and biorepository must own the stability constraint, door-open events and defrost-cycle temperature excursions must be logged as balancing measures, and any specimen-integrity concern must trigger rollback. With validated −70°C stability approval, a pilot projects 36 to 48 kWh/day avoided, about $2,000 to $2,600 per year at this site; that range is a local estimate, not a universal savings rate.

The candidate has a clear guardrail. The director and biorepository must confirm stability data for each stored material, including material retained within its applicable CLIA window. During a 90-day pilot, log door-open events and defrost-cycle temperature excursions. Any specimen-integrity concern returns that unit to -80C.

Two other candidates show why the same format matters. A xylene substitute needs RAMP-based hazard and exposure comparison plus section-quality and turnaround-time validation. A CLRW sourcing change retains validated SRW for molecular assays and watches QC shifts for 90 days. Write the baseline, owner, target, guardrail, and follow-up check before the pilot begins.

Illustrative drawing — this picture was drawn rather than captured.

Chart showing 20 kWh per day at minus 80 Celsius and a projected 12 to 14 kWh per day at minus 70 Celsius, with six-freezer totals.
Figure 1Site-metered baseline and projected per-freezer energy range for a validated setpoint pilot.
ULT freezer pilot data.
MeasureBaselinePilot target or watchGuardrail
Energy, six freezers120 kWh/day36-48 kWh/day avoidedvalidated -70C stability approval
Cost at site rate$0.15/kWhabout $2,000-$2,600/yearlocal rate may change
Temperature eventsbaseline logdoor opens and defrost excursionsspecimen-integrity concern triggers rollback

Ordering exercise

Place the freezer setpoint pilot actions in the order that keeps approval and evidence ahead of the operational change.

  1. 1. Monitor 90 days

    Trend temperature excursions, door-open events, and integrity concerns.

  2. 2. Obtain approval

    Confirm validated stability and required director or biorepository sign-off.

  3. 3. Review and decide

    Scale only if the guardrail held; otherwise roll back the unit.

  4. 4. Record baseline

    Record site metering and relevant operational data before the change.

Knowledge checks

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Knowledge check 1

What is the six-freezer energy baseline in the case?

Choose one option.

Knowledge check 2

What should trigger rollback for an individual freezer during the pilot?

Choose one option.

Section status

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