WIMR is taking on the Freezer Challenge!

The Freezer Challenge, organised by MyGreenLab and I2SL: International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories, motivates laboratories to optimise cold storage practices across refrigerators, freezers, and cold rooms. By improving storage methods and reducing energy consumption, labs can significantly lower their environmental impact while also saving on operational costs.

At The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, we’re proud to participate in this initiative, working together to make our research more sustainable without compromising scientific excellence. Small changes in how we manage cold storage can make a big difference for our labs and the planet.

We’re proud to participate in this initiative to make our research more sustainable without compromising scientific excellence. As part of the program, today, with the support of several research groups spanning many different areas, we adjusted seven -80C freezers to -70C. It is very exciting to kick off this program, and we believe that small changes in how we manage cold storage can make a big difference for our labs and the planet.

Over the past eight years, participants in the Freezer Challenge globally have saved more than 108.1 million kWh of energy, the equivalent of powering 15,135 homes for an entire year.

Over the next six months, we aim to enhance sample access, maintain sample integrity, and contribute to a more sustainable research community. Though this effort, we aim to enhance sample access, maintain sample integrity, and contribute to a more sustainable research community.

Let’s freeze smarter and build a more sustainable future for research.