Case Study: plant growth chamber for agriculture and food research
A public mission on the French sea coast
A publicly funded research institute located along the French sea coast has deployed a tailor-made KBF PRO 720 plant growth chamber from BINDER to support its expanding work in agri-food and biological research.
The institute is focused on agriculture and food research, developing technologies that straddle agriculture, biotech, and food production. As climate volatility grows and food systems strain, the lab’s role in helping adapt regional agricultural practices is becoming more visible and urgent.
That urgency translated into a specific technical wish list: the new chamber had to support both mono-plant trials and seed germination studies, operate without a direct water connection, and include programmable LED lighting and CO₂ modulation for photosynthetic experiments. Just as importantly, it had to comply with the EU’s F-GAS regulation, which bans refrigeration systems with high global warming potential (GWP).
Beyond the specs: finding the right fit
After weighing options scientists selected the BINDER constant climate chamber KBF PRO 720 in combination with the LED light system for plants.
What tipped the scales?
The KBF PRO 720 delivered on both fronts: its refrigeration system uses a climate-friendly coolant with a GWP 3, well under the EU’s limit of 150. And it could be shipped and installed in time to preserve the public funding timeline.
Inside, the setup includes:
LED light system for plants: including 16 LED light bars, that can be positioned individually, and a light control unit with program controller
CO₂ control module: CO2 concentration can be raised from atmospheric 0.04 Vol.% to up to 1 Vol.% to accelerate plant growth
100 mm access port for future add-ons or instrument probes
Pure Aqua Service water treatment system: to fully desalinate water for climate chamber’s humidification system, when direct water connection is not possible
Three chrome telescopic shelves for flexible staging of plants or trays
“It’s not just a box with lights,” said a senior technician. “It’s a tool that evolves with us.”
But BINDER didn’t just deliver hardware. The package included on-site commissioning, staff training, and integration support, ensuring that researchers could begin experiments without delay.
A model for public labs
This isn’t just a win for one lab. It’s a case study in how public institutions can make technically sound, regulation-compliant, and financially strategic equipment choices, without compromising timelines or scientific ambition.
As of today, the chamber is operational, supporting early-phase experiments in plant physiology and seedling viability. And for the broader scientific community – in France and beyond – it’s a quiet example of how to align innovation with accountability.
BINDER solution
KBF PRO 720 constant climate chamber
Temperature range: -20 to +100 degrees Celsius, humidity range: 10 to 98 percent RH
LED plant light module
Emission spectra: sun-like cool white (6.500 K), sun-like warm white (2.700 K) and dark red phytochrome control light (730 nm)
CO2 control module: CO2 control range 0…1 Vol.-%