As laboratories face increasing pressure to reduce energy use, reduce emissions and prepare for stricter global refrigerant regulations, Hamilton Storage, a leader in automated refrigerant storage and sample management, today announced that all automated storage systems are now available with 100% natural, green refrigerants.
The full transition reinforces Hamilton’s commitment to sustainable innovation and helps customers reduce energy consumption, support ESG goals and future operations without sacrificing sample integrity or system performance.
To support this announcement, Hamilton launched a new awareness initiative, Select Green. Select Hamiltonemphasizing the role customers can play in making environmentally responsible technology choices.
Enabling customers to achieve sustainability goals
Labs can be resource-intensive spaces. A typical lab can use up to 10 times more energy per square foot than a typical office building, mainly due to specialized equipment and strict temperature control requirements. Cold storage and ultra-low temperature systems are key to this challenge.
Hamilton’s complete transition to green refrigerants—including natural hydrocarbons such as propane (R-290), ethane (R-170) and carbon dioxide (R-744)—addresses this issue head-on. These refrigerants have zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and negligible global warming potential (GWP), providing measurable environmental benefits compared to traditional hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants. Natural refrigerants are widely recognized for their safety and effectiveness in scientific applications.
Most importantly, the change enables Hamilton’s customers to make tangible progress against their own sustainability commitments.
“Our customers are under increasing pressure – from regulators, investors and their own organizations – to reduce emissions and energy use.” said Matt Hamilton, CEO of Hamilton Storage. “By transitioning our entire automated storage portfolio to green refrigerants, we are enabling laboratories and biobanks to choose technology that supports scientific discovery and environmental responsibility at the same time. This initiative reflects Hamilton’s commitment to shaping a sustainable future for the life science industry.”
Proven impact at scale
Hamilton’s automated BiOS® The system demonstrates the real impact of combining automation with green cooling. Today, BiOS installations worldwide have replaced approximately 3,000 manual ultra-low temperature freezers. In doing so, these BiOS systems have enabled biorepositories to use up to 75% less energy compared to traditional manual freezing environments, dramatically reducing energy consumption and laboratory footprints.
This level of performance allows customers to reduce operating costs, improve reliability and future-proof their facilities while maintaining full confidence in sample integrity and system performance.
Designed to make a difference
The entire Verso of Hamilton® The range now uses natural refrigerants. With this major achievement, the systems now offer up to 20% energy savings and offer CO2 equivalent emission savings thousands of times lower compared to those operating with traditional refrigerants.
Users benefit from noticeably quieter operation, improved temperature stability and simplified maintenance – along with many additional improvements. “We have invested in the most advanced technology and this complete transition to green refrigerants within our entire product line is a milestone achievement in the history of automated storage systems.” said Dieter Neuschütz, Vice President of Hamilton Storage in Switzerland.
Leadership today, readiness for tomorrow
Global regulations are accelerating the phase-out of high-GWP refrigerants, including mandates under the US AIM Act and the revised European Union F-Gas Regulation. Hamilton’s full transition to green refrigerants puts customers ahead of these changes, helping them avoid future compliance risks and potential cost increases associated with servicing legacy systems.
With Select Green. Select Hamiltonwe are setting a new standard in sustainable automated cold storage, We are committed to designing technologies that protect samples and the world they come from.”
John Genereux, Vice President and General Manager, Hamilton Storage USA
