Rethinking Laboratory Sustainability: The Better Way to Build Green
How smart design and early collaboration are transforming lab efficiency without compromising research excellence.
The Real Cost of Science
Here's what most people don't know about laboratories: they're environmental heavyweights.
A lab building uses 10 times more energy than a typical office.
Scientists use 10 times more water than office workers.
Researchers generate 10 times more waste and are required to use specific chemicals for scientific methods.
These aren't inefficiencies, they're necessities. Labs need controlled environments, specialised ventilation, utilities and equipment, validated systems and processes, chemical treatment plants and safety systems that keep people safe and research reliable. But that doesn't mean we can't do it smarter and more sustainably.
Where Energy Goes
The biggest energy drain is not just equipment, it's also moving air, especially in clean rooms or containment lab settings. Building and regulatory codes require significant fresh air make-up for staff safety, environmental control and to prevent cross-contamination. Add fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, and containment labs, and you're looking at five to 10 times more airflow than office buildings need.
"All that air must be moved, filtered, heated, cooled, and controlled for humidity, temperature range and pressure" explains Jacob Werner from Ellenzweig. "Anything we can do to reduce ventilation has a major impact on reducing energy."
Specialised facilities like animal research centres and cleanrooms push these numbers even higher. The challenge isn't just technical; it's rethinking how we approach the whole system.
Simple Changes, Big Impact
The best sustainability wins don't require major renovations. They need better habits and smarter thinking.
Start with the Sash
Harvard's Chemistry Department proved this with their "shut the sash" campaign. Close fume hood sashes when not in use. Simple training, immediate results. Energy savings and improved safety in one move.
Spring Clean with Purpose
I2SL's LabSavers campaigns turn decluttering into energy savings. Clear out unused equipment, free up space, reduce ventilation loads and prevent dead-air zones. Sometimes the best technology upgrade is getting rid of what you don't need.
Think Like You're at Home
Pam Greenley, a Certified Industrial Hygienist with 20 years of lab experience, puts it simply: "Treat your lab like your home. Shut the sash on your hoods, turn out the lights, and turn off or turn down lab equipment."
Apply the same logic to waste: "Generate as little hazardous waste as possible. Learn the waste rules and don't label waste as hazardous if it's not."
Technology That Actually Works
Smart technology can amplify these efforts, but only when it's implemented thoughtfully. For example, using sensor lighting solutions ensures that lights are only illuminated when a space is occupied by operators. A similar approach could be applied to ventilation systems and services which can be run using timers.
Building-scale improvements focus on systems integration. Converting from gas heating to electric heat pumps sets up facilities for renewable energy. Advanced building automation and energy recovery systems optimise performance across entire facilities.
The key is matching the solution to the scale of the problem.
Getting Everyone Connected
The biggest barrier to lab sustainability isn't technical, it's organisational. Most green lab initiatives fail because they treat sustainability as an add-on rather than building it into how teams work together.
Bring EHS to the Table Early
"Each lab needs to have a representative at each design meeting. EHS needs to be included from the start on lab design projects," Greenley emphasises. When safety and sustainability teams collaborate from the beginning, solutions emerge that serve both goals.
Break Down the Silos
Researchers often work in isolation, missing opportunities to learn from neighbouring labs or leverage institutional sustainability programs. "Researchers are frequently isolated from neighbouring labs and welcome learning about their neighbours' research and green lab efforts," Greenley notes. What may be waste to one lab, could be re-usable to another. In addition, efficient processes mean lean operational times which can reduce the overall environmental impact.
Make Safety and Sustainability Allies
The best sustainability strategies strengthen safety rather than compromise it. "Many times, all it takes is asking EHS if a change in how PPE or waste is handled still meets safety requirements. EHS guidance can be more specific and therefore can loosen requirements or make more sustainable choices when specific cases are addressed."
Learn from the Leaders
Smart institutions don't reinvent solutions; they adapt proven approaches.
MIT's Green Labs Program demonstrates how institutional commitment translates to measurable results. The Smart Labs Toolkit and I2SL Best Practices guides provide technical frameworks tested in real-world conditions. Certification programs from My Green Lab and Lab ReNew offer structured pathways for continuous improvement.
The pattern is clear: successful programs combine technical solutions with cultural change, supported by leadership commitment and clear measurement.
Building Your Program
The most effective green lab programs start small and scale smart:
Assess honestly. Understand current energy use, waste generation, and operational patterns before designing solutions.
Educate practically. Connect sustainability practices directly to safety benefits and research quality improvements.
Collaborate early. Include researchers, EHS teams, facilities staff, and leadership in planning from the start.
Implement strategically. Begin with no-cost behavioural changes before investing in technology upgrades.
Measure consistently. Track results to build confidence and guide future improvements.
Why This Matters Now
Laboratory sustainability isn't about choosing between environmental responsibility and research excellence; it's about achieving both through smarter design and better collaboration.
The institutions that understand this are already moving ahead. They're reducing operating costs, improving safety outcomes, and creating better working environments for researchers. Most importantly, they're proving that sustainability and scientific rigor strengthen each other when approached thoughtfully.
The upcoming Eagleson Institute course "Building Your Green Labs Program" (October 6-7, 2025) offers hands-on training for teams ready to implement these strategies. But you don't need to wait for formal training to start thinking differently about how labs work.
The Better Way Forward
Sustainable laboratories aren't just better for the environment, they're better for research, better for budgets, and better for the people who work in them. The question isn't whether your institution can afford to go green.
It's whether you can afford to keep doing things the old way.
Complex challenges, smart solutions. This is the better way to build laboratories that work for everyone.
Ready to rethink your laboratory's environmental impact? Start with what you have, collaborate early, and focus on solutions that serve multiple goals.
The best time to build better is now.