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Fume hoods at UBC consume up to 10 per cent of campus energy due to the large volume of air that needs to be heated or cooled and moved through them. Help save energy and Shut the Sash.
Shut the Sash
Did you know that an open fume hood uses as much energy as 3.5 homes!
Did you know that an open fume hood uses as much energy as 3.5 homes!
Well, it’s not the fume hood itself, it’s the air being sucked through it.
For health and safety reasons, labs use 100% outside air. That entire volume of air first has to be heated or cooled to make it a comfortable temperature before it is brought into the lab. A lot of electricity is also required to run large supply and exhaust fans that move the air through the building and through the fume hoods.
saving energy by shutting the sash
Fume hoods in newer or recently renovated labs generally have variable air volume (VAV) fume hoods. For these hoods, vented air volume is controlled by the sash height. This means the lower the sash, the lower the amount of conditioned air exhausted. This means that shutting the sash reduces the total amount of conditioned air for the building and fans don’t have to work as hard to move that air – both of these result in big energy savings.
WISE Fume hood practices
The sash is an important safety barrier between you and your work, so sashes should only be opened to set up or modify an experiment. When the sash is shut there is still air flow through the hood to remove fumes.
Never use a fume hood just for storing chemicals – they belong in a safety cabinet, which don’t use huge volumes of air.
If your group is no longer using a fume hood, consider having it locked and hibernated so air no longer flows through it. Email green.labs@ubc.ca to find out how.
Get Involved
Do you have a fume hood in your workspace? Competition or not, you can help your lab save energy by shutting the sash.
- Finished an experiment? Shut the Sash!
- Taking a break? Shut the Sash!
- Leaving for the day? Shut the Sash!
Learn more about the Shut the Sash Competition below. Interested in organizing a competition in your department? Contact us at green.labs@ubc.ca.
Does your lab have standby switches on fume hoods? Let us know – there may be additional energy conservation measures we can support you with.
Learn about other energy conservation opportunities in labs.
Shut the Sash Competition
SHUT THE SASH competition RESULTS
Shut the Sash 2024
This past fall, Chemistry labs at UBC’s Point Grey campus took part in the Shut the Sash competition. Their efforts have led to an estimated annual energy savings of 73,319 kWh! Replicating these practices across all variable air volume (VAV) fume hoods at UBC Vancouver would mean an estimated $24,200 in annual savings!
Thank you to the Chemistry Sustainability Committee for hosting this competition, and to all who participated. A big congratulations to the Borduas-Dedekind (NBD) and Gates labs for winning the prizes in the categories of Time Open and Most Improved for shutting the sash.
Shut the Sash 2022
Six labs in Chemistry D and E buildings competed over six weeks to determine who could save the most energy by shutting fume hood sashes when not in use. The competition was held from November 7 – December 18, 2021, where the energy used by fume hoods was monitored for two categories: 1) lowest time open overall and 2) most improved.
Over the competition, an estimated 47,100 kWh of energy was saved across 43 participating fume hoods. Replicating these practices across all variable air volume (VAV) fume hoods at UBC Vancouver, would result in an estimated $19,700 in annual savings.
Two lucky labs were the winners of the 2022 competition. Congratulations to the MacLachlan and Wolf Labs for winning the prizes in the categories of Time Open and Most Improved for shutting the sash.
Shut the Sash 2021
Seven labs in Chemistry D and E buildings competed over six weeks to determine who could save the most energy by shutting fume hood sashes when not in use. The competition was held from November 8 – December 19, 2021, and energy used by fume hoods was monitored throughout the competition.
“Labs are some of the most resource-intensive spaces in any industry due to their energy-intensive equipment, often around-the-clock operations, and high airflow rates,” Bud Fraser, Senior Planning and Sustainability Engineer explains. “The Shut the Sash competition saves energy and advances the university’s sustainability and Climate Action Plan goals by engaging researchers in safe and sustainable fume hood practices.”
Over the competition, an estimated 98,000 kWh of energy was saved across participating labs. Replicating these practices across all variable air volume (VAV) fume hoods at UBC Vancouver, would result in an estimated $29,800 in annual savings.
Two lucky lab teams were the winners of the 2021 competition. Congratulations to the Borduas-Dedekind and Mehr Labs for winning the prizes in the categories of Time Open and Most Improved for shutting the sash.
Shut the Sash 2020
Shut the Sash 2020 took place from November 3 to December 13 in Chemistry Buildings D and E. We saw an approximate 7 percent reduction in volume of air flow relative to pre-campaign data, translating into annual energy cost savings of approximately $5200 in Chemistry D and E alone. If these practices were replicated across all variable air volume (VAV) fume hoods at UBCV, this would result in an estimated $44,000 in annual savings. A huge thank you and congratulations to the folks in Chemistry D and E buildings for your efforts to conserve energy and shut the sash! A special congratulations to our two winning groups, Orvig and Fryzuk.