Category: Wet Labs
Level: Gold
Author: Schell B., Hermuth-Kleinschmidt K., Scagliotti V., Weber P.,
The Impact: <p>Reduce excessive storage of materials, reduce embodied carbon, and improve sample access</p>
Details
Freezers, particularly ULTs, consume substantial amounts of energy. A major driver of unnecessary freezer use is poor sample management, leading to overfilled freezers, disorganised storage, and long-term accumulation of unused materials.
By establishing a clear sample management system, optimizing storage layouts, and regularly removing unneeded samples, research groups can significantly reduce freezer footprint, improve efficiency, and protect sample quality.
Key measures include storing samples at the correct (lowest justified) temperature, identifying the minimum storage time required, introducing standardized labelling with expiration information, and implementing regular sample audits to remove outdated or unnecessary material.
