An eco-friendly lab sterilizer can save you money on your facilities
Whether you're building a new lab or renovating an existing space - it's time to start thinking "green". Laboratories, universities and research institutions are installing eco-friendly autoclaves with water-saving systems to reduce their environmental impact and realize cost savings.
Rising water costs
Over the past 20 years, the world has experienced increasing scarcity of natural water resources. Nearly 10 percent of U.S. watersheds are "stressed" and demand for water exceeds natural supplies. This increased demand, exacerbated by the degradation of current water systems, is creating the need for maintenance and infrastructure improvements that will ultimately raise the price of water.
In order to implement these infrastructure improvements, the burden of higher rates will be borne by those residents and businesses that consume more water. Specifically, studies by the EPA and American Water Works Association estimate that between $500 billion and $1 trillion in improvements will be needed to maintain our drinking water and wastewater infrastructure over the next 20 years.
This is a major issue for facilities operating only a conventional constant flow steam autoclave, which use over 1 million gallons/year-10 times more than green autoclaves. In response to short term and upcoming long term water use increases, laboratories are turning to green alternatives.
How Green Autoclaves Reduce Facility Operating Costs
Based on today's average utility costs, a single green autoclave can save 900,000 gallons of water per year. That's the equivalent of $100,000 over ten years! For laboratories supporting large networks of autoclaves, this increase is rapid. Laboratories with traditional constant pressure steam sterilizers bear the risk of significantly higher costs throughout the life of the equipment.
In addition to financial motivation, laboratories and research institutions utilize green solutions to meet regulatory requirements. For example, all federal buildings in the U.S. must reduce their water density (gallons used per square foot) by 2 percent annually, for a total reduction of 26 percent by 2020. Many states and municipalities have passed laws requiring or referencing energy and environmental design certification* guidelines for new government building projects.
The typical return on investment for the cost of combining green autoclave features is only 12**24 months. Considering the urgent need to reduce water use and the financial impact of reduced utility bills, the solution is clear: invest in green technology today to realize the cost savings of tomorrow.
CSS for Green Solutions
At Integrated Sterilizer Systems, we offer a variety of water-saving products to reduce utility consumption, such as steam sterilizer water-saving systems.