Addressing the Carbon Impact of the Life Sciences Laboratory

Andrea Ingersoll Totte, LPA Design Studios
Patrick Murphy, Vanderweil Engineers

Biotech and pharma are among the world's largest carbon-emitting industries, and thus must be active in the development of global climate solutions. The commitments each company makes must be backed up by tangible and measurable progress which has been acted upon to be credible. To meet the IPCC's 1.5° Low Energy Demand Scenario by 2030, the industry must achieve an annual carbon reduction of 7.03% per year beginning now. Policy remedies and strategic partnerships between pharmaceutical manufacturers, regulatory agencies and the public may begin to address the issue and the full value chains of these industries are in need of holistic approach to this complex challenge.

The design and construction industry continues to refine safe, sustainable solutions for laboratories and their buildings. The level of operational complexity in these spaces makes implementing energy reduction measures challenging but can be impacted significantly through shifts in design thinking:

• How the design team can assist in effective evaluation and consideration of long-term needs to offer more operational efficiency and flexibility which address conservation concerns.
• How effective building design can facilitate greener waste reduction and resource management within the laboratory.
• What steps can be taken to manage hazardous waste and its impact on surrounding environments and communities.
• How life-cost analysis can promote sustainable and cost-effective design decisions.

Learning Objectives

• Learn how the design team can assist in effective evaluation and consideration of long-term needs to offer more operational efficiency and flexibility for conservation concerns;
• Learn how effective building design can facilitate greener waste reduction and resource management within the biotech/pharma laboratory;
• Understand what steps can be taken to manage hazardous waste and its impact on surrounding environments and communities; and
• Learn how life-cost analysis can promote sustainable and cost-effective design decisions.

Biography:

Andrea's professional experience includes a wide-range of market sectors including corporate office, R&D laboratories, government and public facilities, and others. She is specifically interested in the design challenges presented by high voltage testing facilities, chemistry labs, and those testing facilities integral to Life Science.

As Director of Sustainable Design for Vanderweil Engineers, Patrick is leveraging his background as an architectural engineer and experience in sustainable, integrated, and innovative building design to inform lab designs through rigorous energy and water analysis.

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