Funding available to replace old energy-inefficient equipment, including ULT Freezers

The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) is currently offering a $4,000 rebate to labs that are willing to recycle their 10-year-old+ ULT freezer to buy a new ENERGY STAR model. An additional $2,500 rebate is available for FY 2025/2026 from Fisher Scientific for new Energy STAR ULT Freezers. You can receive a total rebate of up to $6,500 ($4,000 TGIF and $2,500 from Fisher Scientific), while funds last.

To visualize your energy usage and possible savings of your ULT freezer, check out UCSF’s interactive calculators below:

• Energy savings from performing recommended ULT freezer cleaning
• Energy savings from procuring a new EnergyStar ULT freezer

Funding is also available for WaterSense and ENERGY STAR equipment. For more information on the rebate program and other important considerations when selecting a new unit, visit:

• http://www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/tgif-equipment-rebate-program/
• https://bfs.ucsb.edu/procurement/sustainable-procurement/your-lab

Increase the life and energy efficiency of your existing freezers by following these best practices:

• Defrost and clean refrigerator/freezer coils: Establishing a preventative maintenance schedule can extend the lives of your ULTs as well as increase their efficiency! Investigations at the National Institutes of Health have indicated that for every year of a ULT freezer's life, its energy consumption increases by 3%.
• Maintain an inventory of samples: By maintaining an inventory and discarding unneeded samples, you will save space and reduce the need for more units.
• Clean external coils and filters: Dirty coils and filters increase energy consumption by preventing effective airflow.
• Maintain door seals: A tight seal is important to keep warm air out of the unit; it increases energy efficiency and performance.

If you have questions about the rebate program, please contact Jewel Persad at jewelpersad@ucsb.edu.