{"id":60653,"date":"2025-07-30T07:02:44","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T14:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mygreenlab.org\/?p=60653"},"modified":"2025-08-14T07:26:31","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T14:26:31","slug":"bigger-than-ever-freezer-challenge-grows-by-23-as-labs-worldwide-unite-for-sustainability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mygreenlab.org\/the-beaker-blog\/bigger-than-ever-freezer-challenge-grows-by-23-as-labs-worldwide-unite-for-sustainability\/","title":{"rendered":"Bigger than ever: Freezer Challenge grows by 23% as labs worldwide unite for sustainability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n \n \n<\/sc-container>\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \t \"2025<\/picture>\n \n In 2025, participants achieved an incredible 31.6 million kWh in energy savings, reflecting impactful cold storage optimization efforts globally.\n <\/sc-rich-text>\n <\/sc-image>\n<\/sc-container>\n\n\n\n \n \n

Enter rich text here. This year\u2019s International Freezer Challenge brought together a record number of laboratories from around the world, amplifying the collective impact of sustainable cold storage practices. A total of\u00a03,724 laboratories<\/strong>\u00a0from\u00a036 countries<\/strong>\u00a0participated in this year\u2019s challenge, representing a\u00a023% increase<\/strong>\u00a0in lab involvement compared to 2024.<\/p>\n

Organized by\u00a0My Green Lab<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL)<\/strong>, the\u00a0Freezer Challenge<\/a>\u00a0continues to unite the scientific community around a shared goal: reducing the environmental impact of research through smarter, more sustainable cold storage practices.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s collective efforts translated into\u00a031.6 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy saved<\/strong>, avoiding approximately\u00a021,214 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent<\/strong>, the same as removing\u00a05,000 gas-powered cars<\/strong>\u00a0from the road for one year. Since 2017, the Freezer Challenge has saved an impressive\u00a0108.1 million kWh<\/strong>\u00a0of energy, reinforcing its impact as a catalyst for sustainable change in labs worldwide. With this year\u2019s expanded reach, the 2025 Freezer Challenge showcased momentum, innovation, and the power of collective action.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe continued growth of the Freezer Challenge reflects the scientific community\u2019s deepening commitment to sustainability,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0said James Connelly, My Green Lab\u2019s CEO.\u00a0\u201cEach participating lab, whether large or small, contributes to something much larger, creating a culture of sustainability in science that\u2019s growing stronger every year.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

A record\u00a0286 research organizations<\/strong>\u00a0joined the program, supported by\u00a0314 organization admins<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a01,934 lab leads<\/strong>\u00a0who championed sustainability within their institutions. Labs reported on more than\u00a037,000 cold storage units<\/strong>, from ultra-low temperature freezers to refrigerators, each one a critical contributor to the overall impact.<\/p>\n

Behind the scenes, the Freezer Challenge underwent a major transformation with the launch of a new software platform. Built to be more user-friendly and scalable, the tool offers improved functionality and will support the program\u2019s evolution in the years ahead. This year also introduced a new feature: for the first time, labs and organizations were able to compare their performance against peers by their Challenge Score and estimated energy savings, adding a layer of transparency and friendly competition to the experience.<\/p>\n

With more labs and organizations engaged than ever before, this year\u2019s Freezer Challenge reflects a growing global movement to make scientific research more sustainable. And as participation continues to rise, so too does the potential for lasting, large-scale impact. If you\u2019d like to hear when registration opens for the 2026 Freezer Challenge, please complete the\u00a0interest form<\/a>\u00a0on the landing page of the Freezer Challenge platform.<\/p>\n\n <\/sc-rich-text>\n <\/sc-container>\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \t \"Number<\/picture>\n \n Number of Participating Labs by Country for 2025.\n <\/sc-rich-text>\n <\/sc-image>\n<\/sc-container>\n\n\n\n \n \n

2025 Freezer Challenge winners<\/h2>\n

Each participating lab contributed to the collective success of this year\u2019s Freezer Challenge, and we\u2019re thrilled to spotlight those whose efforts stood out. This year\u2019s Top Lab and Top Organization winners were determined based on the highest\u00a0Challenge Score<\/a>\u00a0for each\u00a0Award Category<\/a>. Winners of Honorable Mentions were selected either by standout energy savings estimates or a combination of that and impressive Challenge Score. Top Organization Winners will be recognized at the\u00a0I2SL Annual Conference<\/strong>, taking place October 19\u201322 in Dallas, Texas. Top Lab Winners will be celebrated during a virtual awards ceremony that will take place in early October.<\/p>\n

Congratulations to the winners and to all who took part in making this year\u2019s Freezer Challenge a success! For those interested, final Challenge Scores and energy savings estimates can be viewed on the Leaderboards within the Freezer Challenge platform (you must log in again to view).<\/p>\n

List of our 2025 winners<\/h2>\n

Note:\u00a0<\/strong>Winning Streak Awards are<\/em>\u00a0given to the previous year’s Top Organizations and Labs who would have won a second year in a row for 2025.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Biotech\/pharmaceutical sector winners<\/h3>\n