Energy consumption in the lab

People working in the lab with fume hoods know the sticker saying "Keep closed", for those who don't work in the lab: Fume hoods are the spaces where we keep the chemicals that come with hazardous fumes. These boxes transport and filter the air to keep us safe. But they also need an incredible amount of energy. According to the recent issue of "Laborjournal" (read it here) fume hoods consume about the energy a family household needs in one year within one hour when they're kept open and have not been closed. That is just incredible and potentially one of the major spots where energy is wasted in the lab. I'll have an eye on them being closed more often, promised!