The original Smart Labs principles are still critical to achieving maximum benefits
The Smart Labs Program was created in 2008 at the University of California, Irvine. Led by Wendell Brase, who at the time of its creation was Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Business Services, the UCI Energy Team that included Matthew Gudorf and Mark Gomez devised the renowned lab retrofit program. The program was designed to create deep reductions in energy use and carbon emissions, improve safety, and reduce capital and maintenance costs. The story of their success is captured in a video from the Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Initiative.
Thirteen years later, the UCI Smart labs vision remains the best practice for safe, sustainable labs. It is worth revisiting and reinforcing that original vision, as the term “Smart Labs” has become somewhat diluted over time, often attached to lab energy initiatives that do not follow the core principles of the original vision, and that fail to deliver the full range of potential benefits. It is time to remind ourselves what makes Smart Labs Smart!
