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A $1.27 million grant from the U.S. Commerce Department will pay for the purchase of about 175 new high efficiency chemical fume hoods for labs at Portland State University‘s science facility.

The hoods are used to safely remove gasses from science projects in labs.

The university hopes to get matching funds of another $1.27 million from the state through bonds in the upcoming legislature. Those funds would be used to install the hoods, said David Santen, a PSU spokesman.

“This is part of an ongoing renovation project at Science Building 2,” Santen said. “It’s a huge amount of money at the right time.”

The new equipment will replace 40-year-old existing hoods that are less energy efficient and basically just suck everything – including heat – out of the building, Santen said.

“The new ones are a little smarter and a little more energy efficient,” he said.

University officials expect the new hoods will translate into about $300,000 in annual energy savings.

Hoffman Construction, the general contractor on the larger renovation project at the facility, will handle the subcontractor bids for the fume hood work, Santen said.

IDC Architects is the project designer.