Energy efficiency analysis and life cycle assessment of a biosafety level 4 laboratory

Abstract

In recent years, the global threat of infectious diseases has prompted countries to increase the construction of high-level biosafety laboratories (BSLs). However, the high energy consumption in the operation of biosafety laboratories leads to their low utilization rate. In this study, a biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) laboratory in Southwest China was used for energy optimization while ensuring safety. It was found that the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in a BSL-4 laboratory consumes 4.3 times more energy than in a standard office. Energy savings of 36 % and 35 % could be achieved by reducing the number of air changes and performing heat recovery of exhaust gases, respectively. In addition, a complete Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model was developed and it was found that the operational stage had the highest environmental impact of 48 %. As a result, it was proposed to perform a high-low interaction strategy that saves 25 %–28 % of energy and reduces carbon emissions by 24–27 tons per year; after optimizing renewable energy sources, the energy payback time and greenhouse gas payback time of the BSL-4 laboratory are 9.2 and 6.1 years, respectively. The study’s life cycle assessment modeling and recommended energy savings scenarios contribute to efficient energy design and operation at BSL.