This policy ensures NIH is responding with energy conservation measures throughout its facilities. Improving the reliability and energy efficiency of ULTF, LGF, and LGR at NIH facilities will make a significant contribution.

This policy will promote freezers and refrigerator reliability and energy conservation by providing direction and guidance to ensure that ULTF, LGF, and LGR are managed effectively, thereby increasing freezer and refrigerator reliability, decreasing energy consumption, reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, reducing the cost of NIH cold storage, and preserving federal dollars for important medical research.

This Manual Chapter is applicable to all NIH owned or leased facilities.

Federal laws including the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the Energy Act of 2020, and Executive Orders, require all Federal agencies to promote energy efficiency and achieve targeted reductions in energy use.

Ultra-Low Temperature Freezers (ULTF), Laboratory Grade Freezers (LGF), and Laboratory Grade Refrigerators (LGR) are essential to support NIH mission-critical activities, providing cold storage to preserve materials related to research. When operated and maintained properly, with reliability and energy conservation in mind, ULTF, LGF, and LGR can play a significant role in reducing NIH energy use. Optimizing energy conservation begins with selecting Energy Star Certified freezers and refrigerators during acquisition. Other factors help too, including performing biannual cleaning and maintenance and placing freezers and refrigerators in well-ventilated and temperature-controlled areas without excessive foot traffic.

The NIH will preserve and protect the viability of research materials in cold storage in a reliable and energy efficient manner. This policy requires: (1)  selection of energy-efficient ULTF, LGF, and LGR, with an Energy Star Certification, when acquiring new units consistent with Federal Acquisition Regulation 23.103; (2) Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) to list all ULTF, LGF, and LGR in the NIH Property System, and when no longer needed, disposed of according to property disposal requirements; (3)  regular maintenance to be performed on all ULTF, LGF, and LGR; and (4) To the maximum extent practicable in coordination with the Office of Research Facilities Development and Operations (ORFDO), ULTFs, LGFs, and LGRs should be placed in areas that are adequately ventilated, temperature controlled, and away from excessive foot-traffic. This policy also requires each ICO to designate a Cold Storage Coordinator as the Point of Contact (POC) for all information related to the ULTF, LGF, and LGR and to establish procedures for the inspection of NIH facilities to ensure compliance with this policy; to note deficiencies; and to remedy non-compliant occurrences.

1. The Office of Research Facilities Development and Operations (ORFDO), Office of Management (OM), Office of the Director (OD), NIH has overall responsibility for design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and decommissioning of NIH facilities.
   1. The Division of Environmental Protection (DEP), ORFDO will:
      1. Coordinate with Cold Storage Coordinators to schedule inspections, correct deficiencies, and relocate equipment.
      2. Conduct inspections of ULTF, LGF, and LGR for compliance with this policy.
      3. Develop and distribute reports which summarize the data collected during inspections and note non-compliance locations.
      4. Recommend mitigation to bring NIH facilities into compliance, including the assessment of non-compliance fees, and the removal of non-compliant ULTF, LGF, and LGR.
      5. Map the location of ULTF, LGF, and LGR throughout the NIH, collaborate with the freezer owners and IC cold storage coordinator to identify those that are recommended for relocation and develop a plan to relocate these ULT freezers to more suitable locations, when it is possible to do so, without causing significant hardship.
      6. Maintain a link to the list of Energy Star Certified ULTF, LGF, and LGR available on the NIH Environmental Management System (NEMS) website. Energy Star Certification will be required in the acquisition of all new ULTF, LGF, and LGR.
      7. Inspect ULTF, LGF, and LGR within NIH facilities and alert owners of deficiencies identified and provide a timeline for corrections.  ULTF, LGF, and LGR, with reported deficiencies, are subject to removal if not corrected.
   2. The Division of Technical Resources, ORFDO will review the NIH Design Requirements Manual and make revisions as needed to support the provisions of this policy.
2. The NIH Institutes and Centers (ICOs):
   1. Scientific Directors will assign the responsibilities of the IC Cold Storage Coordinator to a person within their IC.
   2. IC Cold Storage Coordinator will:
      1. Communicate the requirements of this policy to IC personnel.
      2. Maintain accurate electronic records of ULTF, LGF, LGR, and LN2 freezers including the inventory, acquisitions, disposals, relocations, and maintenance records.
      3. Provide ULTF, LGF, LGR, and LN2 freezer records for the IC from the prior fiscal year to DEP, ORFDO during the month of October each year.
      4. Ensure all ULTF, LGF, LGR front sides of the unit have the “person of contact” affixed for an inspection or in the event of an emergency.
      5. Collaborate with DEP, ORFDO on the location and scheduling of inspections, to support proper utilization of ULTFs, LGFs, and LGRs.
      6. Collaborate with DEP, ORFDO and freezer owners to correct ULTF, LGF, and LGR deficiencies identified during inspections.
   3. IC staff, who operate freezers, will follow the provisions of this policy in the selection, inventory, placement, maintenance, and disposal of ULTFs, LGFs and LGRs.
   4. IC PCOs will:
      1. Maintain an inventory of the ICs ULTF, LGF, and LGR to include the freezer make, model, NIH Business System (NBS) Property ID, freezer location; and identify if the freezer is a backup freezer. The freezer location will include a data field that states whether the freezer is in a freezer room, lab, hallway, equipment room or alcove.

1. The ORFDO:
   1. Coordinate with Cold Storage Coordinators to schedule and conduct inspections of ULTF, LGF, and LGR for compliance with this policy using the three (3) stage escalation procedure shown below to report findings to IC leadership:
      1. Notify the IC Cold Storage Coordinator and freezer owner requesting deficiencies to be rectified within fourteen (14) days.
      2. If the deficiencies are not rectified within fourteen (14) days, the IC Cold Storage Coordinator and Principal Investigator will be contacted and requested to correct deficiencies within fourteen (14) days.
      3. If this is unsuccessful, the ORFDO Director will be contacted to request the IC Scientific Director to resolve the deficiencies.
   2. Maintain accurate maps of the location of ULTFs, LGFs, and LGRs in NIH facilities.
   3. Maintain the NEMS website to ensure all newly acquired ULTFs, LGFs, and LGRs are Energy Star Certified.
2. The NIH Institutes, Centers and Offices (ICOs):
   1. Scientific Directors will assign the responsibilities of the IC cold storage coordinator to a person within their IC within three (3) months of the effective date of this policy revision.
   2. IC Cold Storage Coordinator will:
      1. Ensure all personnel are familiar with the requirements of this policy revision.
      2. Keep accurate electronic records of the total life cycle of ULTFs, LGFs, LGRs, and LN2 freezers within the IC.
      3. Provide DEP, ORFDO a prior fiscal year summary of the ULTFs, LGFs, LGRs, and LN2 freezers within the inventory, the number of new acquisitions, those that were disposed of or relocated, and the maintenance records.
      4. Collaborate with DEP, ORFDO to schedule and correct ULTF, LGF, and LGR deficiencies cited during inspections in the timeframes prescribed herein.
      5. Ensure ULTFs, LGFs, and LGRs are in program areas such as labs and freezer rooms, and not in corridors, lobbies, mechanical rooms, alcoves, elevator rooms, and other common spaces.
      6. At the Research Triangle Park (RTP) campus, the preference is to place ULTF in established designated hallway alcoves.
      7. Collaborate with DEP, ORFDO to identify ULTF, LGF, and LGR located in common spaces and to develop and implement plans to relocate these freezers to more suitable locations.
   3. IC staff who operate freezers will:
      1. Ensure they are familiar with and comply with the provisions of this policy in the acquisition, utilization, operations, and disposal of ULTFs, LGFs, and LGRs.
      2. Support increased freezer and refrigerator reliability, reduction in energy consumption,  Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, and operating costs by performing semiannual preventative maintenance on all ULTF and LGF located within NIH facilities, two (2) times each year, at intervals of approximately six (6) months. In general, this will include cleaning condenser filters, condenser fins and removing ice from the gasket and doors. Conducting regular preventative maintenance on LGR is recommended. See Appendix 3 for the ULTF, LGF, and LGR maintenance checklist.
      3. When storing chemicals in refrigerators and freezers, ICs must follow the NIH Office of Research Services (ORS), Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) requirements, including the NIH Chemical Safety Guide.
   4. IC PCOs will:
      1. Enter data for all ULTF, LGF, and LGR into NBS within ten (10) working days of receipt of equipment.
      2. Ensure that a barcode decal is affixed on the front of the accountable property so that it is visible to be scanned for inventory.

This policy was developed in accordance with current Executive Orders and the following Acts:

1. ENERGY STAR Lab Grade Refrigerators and Freezers Final Specification:
2. FAR SUBPART 23-Sustainable Acquisition Policy:
3. Energy Policy Act of 2005:
4. Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007:
5. Energy Act of 2020
6. NIH Policy Manual, Chapter 26101-25-2 – Personal Property Management Guide:
7. NIH Environmental Management System (NEMS):
8. The NIH Chemical Safety Guide