The Lab Energy Challenge is a year-long competition to lower utility costs at NC State University comparing building-level energy reductions across four lab buildings. It is part of a larger effort to look at ways to reduce energy consumption across campus.

Project Overview

Team: Facilities Division, Student Research

Duration: January – December 2026

Status: In Progress

Focus: Energy

Primary Contact: Allen Boyette

Summary

Research labs are the most energy-intensive spaces on university campuses, sometimes requiring up to 10 times more energy than standard office environments and accounting for up to 45 percent of the university’s total energy footprint. Major contributors to this high energy consumption include high ventilation rates and specialized process needs and equipment. For example, a single opened fume hood sash in a lab can cost roughly $6,000 in energy costs annually.

In connection to a student research project, NC State Energy Management launched the Lab Energy Challenge, a year-long pilot initiative running throughout 2026. The program targets four major campus lab buildings with similar HVAC systems: Riddick Hall, Fitts-Woolard Hall, the Plant Sciences Building, and the CVM Research Building. By comparing real-time energy usage against a four-year historical baseline for each building, the challenge tracks percentage reductions on a monthly basis.

Monthly results are communicated to building occupants, as well as education about ways to reduce energy use such as closing fume hood sashes, shutting off lights, unplugging non-essential equipment, running autoclaves only when full, and reporting maintenance issues promptly. The communication is supported by engagement tools from the Sustain Our Pack energy awareness campaign toolkit.

Findings

During the initial months of the program, energy usage fluctuated substantially, with weather patterns playing a significant role. For example, February experienced an increase in energy consumption across all four buildings, primarily driven by extra seasonal heating demands. However, over the spring and summer months, participating buildings showed consistent decreases in energy usage relative to their four-year historical baselines. Monthly performance will continue to be monitored through the end of 2026.

Looking Ahead

Though the project is still in progress, initial results show energy reductions, particularly in summer months. A survey of building occupants is planned for Fall 2026 to gather additional data. Once all the data is collected, a detailed analysis to include controlling for weather will be conducted to further learn from the results and determine ways to apply to other labs across campus.