3 February 2025
Doing experiments in a lab setting has many advantages. It allows you to focus on a single aspect without the interference of outside influences. Creating these artificial conditions relies on a range of equipment, from computers to incubators and cooling devices. In addition, biologists, chemists and physicists have learned to hijack biological processes such as DNA amplification (using PCR) and DNA modifications (changing the genetic code using CRISPR). These methods rely on sterile conditions, precise temperature control and pure reagents to work well. Thus, modern research allows for groundbreaking discoveries, but it also requires high-end energy intensive equipment.
Since most equipment is electrically operated, energy efficiency and good maintenance are key. In addition, investing in a greener electricity mix can significantly lower the lab’s environmental footprint and set a clear example. If combining the often more expensive green electricity with efficiency measures, the financial impact can be limited.
The high-end equipment in the lab is made to be durable and clear rules should exist to maximise its lifetime. Sharing and handovers when labs cease to exist also need to be in place to reduce their footprint. In addition, a greater number of leasing models exist for lab equipment that should be considered because they include a strong incentive for the manufacturer to make durable tools. The current environmental footprint of high-end equipment is usually calculated based on greenhouse gas emissions, but the equipment itself is also built using a vast amount of materials, including rare metals. We should keep the mining and use of rare metals as low as possible and we can do so by maximising the usage of our equipment. For example, researchers can extend the usage of computers and laptops by 6 months without compromising the quality of their work. This can decrease demand, putting pressure on the supplier to produce models that are more easily serviceable while saving materials and production costs.
To increase sustainability, walk through your lab and focus on the equipment that is always on, such as freezers, incubators and heating blocks. When acquiring new equipment, check its energy consumption and find out how it is serviced, what its expected lifetime is and how expensive repairs are. Secondly, optimise the running conditions so the equipment uses the minimum amount of energy possible and check if it can be switched off for certain periods of time. Finally, make clear and simple running protocols for all equipment in the lab using categories such as: always shut off, only shut off in the evening and never shut off. Many simple technological tools exist that can help you with this. For example, time controls can be triggered remotely in case you forget to turn something off.
In the next post, I will summarise how procurement in labs can be done more sustainably. In my previous post, I discuss how to focus on sustainability regarding energy use in labs.