The Implementation of a Smart Labs Pilot in a Multipurpose Laboratory

Sandia National Laboratories is a U.S Department of Energy federally funded laboratory exploring a vast range of research topics. With safety and efficiency being high priorities within the laboratories, a multidisciplinary team launched a Smart Labs pilot program at Sandia.

From reorganizing information within the institution to understanding the complex ventilation system of Building 897, the Sandia Smart Labs team was able to create a strong framework for future projects.

Smart Labs in Practice Today

In 2022, Sandia National Laboratories started work on their Smart Labs pilot program in Building 897 located on their Albuquerque, New Mexico, campus. This building is a multistory, multi-use research facility that has promoted several scientific research topics throughout its 30 years in operation.

Sandia's hope with this initial implementation of a Smart Labs program was to assess and optimize Building 897's operations while creating a framework for future projects. After much trial and error, Sandia's Smart Labs team completed their first round of assessments on four buildings across the New Mexico and California campuses in June 2023.

From the initial stages of the pilot program in Building 897 to the broader implementation of Smart Labs across the institution, the Sandia Smart Labs team worked through several challenges and gained multiple benefits using the program. By applying the Smart Labs framework in Building 897, the team was able to achieve significant benefits in terms of safety and efficiency, which are detailed below.

Benefits of the Smart Labs Pilot

One of the most important factors in the Smart Labs process is occupant safety. Using the Smart Labs framework, Sandia was able to perform a laboratory ventilation risk assessment (LVRA) adapted from the LVRA User Guide to identify hazards and risks in Building 897's laboratory spaces.

The LVRA not only helped Sandia identify focus areas within the building, but also highlighted areas for improvement in the institution's organizational structure.

The Smart Labs team faced challenges finding stakeholders and obtaining important documentation, such as original building construction details and modification records, due to difficulties in navigating where this information was stored.

Through the Smart Labs pilot, the Sandia Smart Labs team was able to consolidate the institution's information into one area. Risk control bands (RCBs) were evaluated using both the LVRA and a demand for ventilation assessment (DVA). Scores were given for each room and exposure control devices in Building 897.

The LVRA and DVA scored 372 exposure control devices, including 91 fume hoods and 99 laboratory locations. 50% of the laboratories scored an RCB-0 and RCB-1, meaning there was negligible to low risk, and 50% scored an RCB-2 and RCB-3, or a moderate to high risk. No laboratories scored an RCB-4, which is an extreme risk (Figure 1).

The RCBs evaluated proved beneficial to the Sandia Smart Labs team as they addressed gaps in assessing the safety of fume hoods and laboratory ventilation systems and provided the team with operating parameters to correct those issues. While the benefits from the Smart Labs pilot were significant for the Sandia Smart Labs team, challenges also occurred during Phase 1 of the program.

Challenges of the Smart Labs Pilot

The most significant challenge experienced by the Sandia Smart Labs team was the selection of buildings for the pilot program.

Building 897 is one of the largest research laboratories on the Albuquerque campus. The complex ventilation systems implemented during the initial construction of the building made Building 897 the most difficult to assess.

The building's ventilation system supplies air to individual laboratory spaces; however, the laboratories have a common return plenum. This was a major challenge the team needed to overcome to begin the next steps in the Smart Labs pilot program. A restructuring of the ventilation system adhering to ventilation code requirements was necessary to effectively ensure each laboratory in the building received adequate air supply while maintaining the safety of the laboratory occupants.

Another difficulty the team faced was reorganizing the institution's information structure. Smart Labs requires involvement from various parts of an organization, so the Sandia Smart Labs team needed to establish relationships between different groups within the institution.

Connecting with these various stakeholders was a major challenge for the team, but it ultimately benefited the institution and established lasting relationships that were previously absent.

Benefits of the Smart Labs Program in 897

By implementing recommended upgrades identified in the assessments, the Smart labs program in Building 897 yielded cost savings through the optimization of fume hoods and exhaust systems.

By identifying and removing eight unused fume hoods, the lab can significantly reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs associated with these high-demand systems. Additionally, retrofitting 15 old, inefficient fume hoods with updated technologies such as sliding panels/shields improved performance and reduce energy usage. These upgrades led to substantial savings on both energy bills and maintenance, as newer systems are typically more reliable and efficient. Additionally, capping 77 unused exhaust ducts contributed to further financial benefits by preventing the unnecessary energy expenditure required to condition and move air through these dormant systems.

Collectively, these strategies within the Smart Labs Program in 897 led to significant operational savings, enhanced the sustainability of the facility, and contributed to a more efficient and cost-effective research environment. In total, it is estimated $63,700 and 110,000 kWh of electricity were saved because of Smart Labs implementation in Building 897.

Another benefit Sandia received from the Smart Labs program implementation was increasing the amount of air volume that can be utilized within the building to accommodate additional fume hoods. By allowing for more fume hoods, laboratories can increase research activities and enhance safety, as proper airflow and ventilation are essential for handling chemicals in a laboratory space.

Due to the success of the program, Sandia National Laboratories is now expanding the program to four more new buildings at their New Mexico campus. LVRAs and DVAs were conducted for three buildings, and another research lab will be assessed to determine costs associated to retrofit spaces following Smart Labs guidelines.

Each challenge faced by the Sandia Smart Labs team ultimately provided significant benefits and insights for the organization to establish a framework for future projects, including those that began in 2023. The lessons learned from the pilot, such as optimizing ventilation systems and consolidating institutional knowledge, will guide future Smart Labs projects, ensuring continued improvements in laboratory safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

For insights into similar Smart Labs frameworks, see the case study on Argonne National Laboratory's Smart Labs Program implementation.

Key Takeaways

• Develop and implement a structured stakeholder engagement plan to foster cross-departmental collaboration. This allowed Sandia National Laboratories to maintain relationships between different individuals established during the pilot program.
   
• Document the Smart Labs framework in a guide, like a laboratory ventilation management plan, that includes best practices and lessons learned. Apply this guide to new laboratory projects like those across Sandia National Laboratories and create a checklist to ensure best practices are followed in future implementations.
   
• Conduct regular LVRAs and DVAs for new and existing laboratory buildings.
   
• Use the Smart Labs principles to obtain greater ventilation capacity in a building by right-sizing spaces.