The Biotechnology Industry
The biotechnology industry spends nearly $1 billion annually on energy in the U.S. Managing thermal energy, ventilation of harmful gases, and providing process chilling are all vital processes that consume a great deal of energy. To mitigate rising energy costs, the biotechnology industry must find ways to continue providing a safe and effective lab environment to keep products and services competitive while also keeping operating costs down.
Expertise and Experience in Biotechnology
Since 1998, Prism Energy Services has been providing the biotechnology industry with cost- and energy-saving solutions, including research and development facilities, pharmaceutical companies, and other laboratories. Prism’s in-house team of experienced engineers, auditors, and technical experts possess an intimate knowledge of the complex mechanical and electrical building systems commonly found in biotechnology operations, as well as the optimization of their energy performance, while also maintaining rigorous ventilation and air quality parameters.
Cost-Effective Solutions
Prism Energy Services leverages its extensive experience and expertise in the biotechnology sector to identify comprehensive energy efficiency solutions. Our goal is to implement the most cost-effective and technically sound solutions, while solving existing equipment and system problems, if they exist. Prism’s engineers can produce strategies by which energy can be saved without adversely impacting the precise environment that must be maintained for state-of-the-art experiments and manufacturing processes conducted in laboratories. Some of the energy efficiency solutions we routinely identify for the biotechnology industry includes:
- LED lighting, interior and exterior
- Simple and advanced lighting controls
- High-efficiency HVAC equipment
- Specialized HVAC controls
- Energy management systems
- Fume hood controls
- Automatic sash door controls
- Variable frequency drives (VFDs)
- Demand controlled ventilation (DCV)
- Boiler reset controls
- Refrigeration and freezer motors and controls
- Building envelope improvements
Biotechnology facilities typically cannot close for energy efficiency upgrades. Lighting, controls, and mechanical energy efficiency projects, therefore, must be implemented with little to no disruption of manufacturing, testing or experiments. Prism Energy Services coordinates closely with facility and operation managers to implement a customized project schedule to ensure a professionally designed and organized workflow while adhering to all project milestones and deadlines. Our comprehensive understanding of all types of buildings allows for a safe and comfortable environment throughout the project, from site analysis through construction.
Financial Analysis
Prism Energy Services has extensive experience and expertise in the biotechnology sector identifying and delivering comprehensive energy efficiency solutions. Prism develops and presents its recommendations in a simple and transparent proposal, which includes the following:
- Executive summary
- Project cost
- Utility incentive
- Energy savings
- Cost savings
- Out-of-pocket cost
- Payback and ROI
- Tax benefits
- Detailed written scope and cost breakdown
Unique Energy Considerations
The biotechnology industry is a unique market sector that often requires a customized approach to energy efficiency. Working in clean rooms, for example, presents its own unique challenge: the need for a pristine, sterile environment. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has set standards for both commercial and industrial sectors, ranging from ISO 1 through ISO 9, ISO 1 being the cleanest by particles per cubic meter. To handle such specialized needs, Prism works with hand-picked subcontractors that possess the knowledge and experience to perform work accurately and efficiently in these precise environments.
Our Projects & LEED Experience
The majority of biotechnology firms require state-of-the-art laboratories and often move to high-tech industrial parks, catered for the biotechnology industry. Many of these buildings were developed in the past decade and designed for LEED certification. Even LEED certified buildings, however, have excellent money- and energy-saving opportunities. Prism has experience working with companies who are already LEED certified as well as those who are working to become LEED certified, including LEED Platinum.
Prism has a proven track record of evaluating, designing, and implementing energy efficiency measures for the food industry. Prism has helped many different biotechnology companies with energy- and cost-saving solutions. Some of the companies we have worked with in this specialized business sector include:
- MIT campus-wide laboratories
- UCONN’s science buildings
- MRA Laboratories
- Metabolix
- Ischemix
- Nano Terra
- Protonix