Dedicated to advancing sustainable laboratories globally.
2026 I2SL Sustainable Laboratory Award
Winners
The I2SL Sustainable Laboratory Awards Program recognizes outstanding projects, programs, and people exhibiting innovative and exemplary achievements in lab sustainability, energy efficiency, decarbonization, and waste reduction. There are three distinct categories of recognition: Lab Buildings and Projects Award, Lab Programs and Initiatives Award, and Phil Wirdzek Leadership Award.
The competition recognizes laboratory design innovation and leadership by leveraging I2SL’s reputation as the leading organization for sustainable, safe, and efficient laboratories. An I2SL Sustainable Laboratory Award provides global recognition and credibility to awardees. Award winners are publicized internationally through the I2SL Annual Conference, website, webinars, and communications and social media channels.
I2SL recognized 17 organizations and one individual at the 2026 Annual Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, September 15, 2026. Read more about the accomplishments of each award winner below.
Lab Buildings and Projects Awards
New Construction
Virginia Commonwealth University's STEM Building
Ballinger and Quinn Evans
Richmond
A student-focused hub for instruction, mentoring, and collaboration, the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) STEM Building is a six-floor facility that creates an academic environment to educate the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators. Designed by Ballinger in collaboration with Quinn Evans, the building’s sustainability and resiliency were a top priority, resulting in Labs2Zero Scores of 84 and 83 for energy efficiency and operational emissions, respectively. Located at VCU’s Monroe Park Campus in Richmond, Virginia, and completed in 2023, the 169,000 gross-square-foot building achieved LEED Gold while helping the university move towards its ambitious goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.
With laboratories on floors 3, 4, and 5 driving the buildings energy use, the team selected an HVAC system that delivers neutral-temperature ventilation air to maximize energy recovery and minimize or eliminate the need to reheat. To serve both lab and non-lab spaces, two nearly identical systems were installed, both using 100 percent outdoor air delivered at 68 degrees to chilled beams. The energy recovery system includes both enthalpy and sensible wheels for non-lab spaces and a wrap-style glycol runaround system for laboratories. During the design process, the team used energy modeling to test and evaluate dozens of options, helping the building achieve an energy use intensity (EUI) of 101 kBtu per square foot, 71 percent below the American Institute of Architect (AIA) 2030 benchmark and 27 percent below the ASHRAE 90.1-2010 baseline. The building envelope scored a thermal energy demand intensity of 18 kBtu per square foot.
To achieve ventilation efficiencies, the building utilizes advanced controls that reset exhaust and supply based on fume hood utilization and occupancy, while maintaining minimum lab airflow exchange rates of 6 air exchanges per hour (ACH) while occupied and 3 ACH while unoccupied. When labs are out of use for a significant period of time, lab managers can turn off all supply and exhaust air to the lab via a wall-mounted panel, resulting in significant energy savings. Ventilation to non-lab spaces was optimized using a variable air volume chilled beam sequence based on occupancy sensors and CO2.
To improve water quality and reduce discharges into the aging local combined sewer system, the VCU STEM Building was designed to minimize impervious area and include landscape plantings. Water use is minimized with low-flow fixtures, vacuums in lieu of aspirators, and an HVAC system that saves over 1.5 million gallons of water annually by using air-cooled equipment. During construction, more than 86 percent of waste materials were diverted from the landfill through recycling efforts. The building prioritizes occupant comfort by connecting students to the outdoors, offering daylit interiors, and providing a dynamic open environment for collaboration. As a result, student and faculty feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and Science Hub visits increased more than 100 percent compared to the previous location.
Adaptive Reuse
United Therapeutics Organ Manufacturing Group
EwingCole
Manchester, New Hampshire
Located in a historic Manchester, New Hampshire mill yard, the four-story United Therapeutics Organ Manufacturing Group facility is a former tannery that has been transformed into a research and development hub for 3D-printed lungs and other transplantable organs. By placing sustainability at the forefront of the building’s redesign, EwingCole helped it achieve a Labs2Zero Energy Score of 85 and Operational Emissions Score of 71, with an energy use intensity (EUI) of 223 kBtu per square foot.
To support a cutting-edge research environment while optimizing energy efficiency, the building’s HVAC system uses variable-air-volume valves, modulating boilers, and variable-speed compressors, allowing adjustments to be made based on environmental conditions and occupancy patterns. Three rooftop air handling units provide 100 percent outside air ventilation to the building’s laboratory floors, while energy recovery systems capture heat and humidity from exhaust air streams to reduce heating and cooling loads by pre-conditioning outside air. Non-lab areas use variable refrigerant flow systems with heat recovery and variable speed compressors to reduce energy consumption.
By repurposing an existing building, the project also significantly reduced embodied carbon emissions associated with demolition and construction of a new facility. The design team carefully analyzed existing building elements to determine which required reinforcement, creating a targeted approach that saved additional embodied carbon. When new materials were required, the project minimized use of carbon-intensive products, such as concrete, in favor of engineered wood and other lower-carbon options. Durable materials and long-life systems were selected to support decades of operation, including custom rooftop air handling units with an expected service life 10+ years longer than standard units. Flexible lab spaces minimize the need for future renovations, with utilities distributed through ceiling-mounted service panels, allowing lab benches and equipment to be easily repositioned to support evolving needs.
To support a healthier environment for lab staff and researchers, the team selected low-volatile organic compound (VOC) products that met third-party indoor air quality standards, such as UL GREENGUARD-certified acoustical ceiling clouds, fabric-wrapped panels, and indoor paint. Large windows provide ample daylight and scenic views of the Merrimack River. The building features preserved plant installations, living greenery, and materials and colors inspired by the riverfront landscape.
An onsite generator protects critical lab infrastructure from flooding or power disruptions, helping prevent the release of hazardous materials or biological waste during emergency events. Additionally, lab wastewater is treated for biological waste before it enters the municipal system. Bicycle commuting is supported by locker rooms and showers, and public transit is located within a short walk, reducing reliance on privately owned vehicles.
Excellence in Decarbonization
15 Necco Street
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
Boston
Completed in 2024, 15 Necco Street is a 13-story LEED Platinum facility designed and developed by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Located in the Seaport Innovation District Megacampus in Boston, the building has an energy use intensity (EUI) of 125 kBtu per square foot and earned a Labs2Zero Energy Score of 87 and an Operational Emissions Score of 89. It has exceeded energy code requirements and reduced fossil fuel use through a ground-source heat pump exchange system, advanced wrap-around heat recovery system, Green Steam, and 100 percent combined onsite and off-site renewable electricity, resulting in an estimated 97 percent emissions reduction compared to existing lab buildings in Boston and Cambridge.
The building was designed to integrate geothermal and heat recovery systems in a complex, large-scale laboratory environment. Energy efficiency measures include a high-efficiency lighting design, fan coil units for space heating and cooling loads, and optimized airflow controls. The design team reduced embodied carbon by four percent through careful material selection and design decisions that minimized overall material use, resulting in a 15 percent decrease in global warming potential (GWP). This former Brownfield site has also achieved Fitwel Life Sciences certification and is targeting LEED Zero Energy.
Excellence in Retro-Commissioning
Genentech Building 43
EcoCosm and 3Flow
South San Francisco
The Building Energy Refresh (BER) program, a cornerstone of Genentech's commitment to improving operational efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its research campus, systematically identifies and captures energy savings in the company’s laboratory buildings. The program implemented a standardized methodology that integrates deep retro-commissioning, lab ventilation risk assessments (LVRA), comprehensive variable air volume (VAV) box management, and advanced automation improvements.
As a direct result of these BER initiatives, Genentech significantly enhanced the performance of Building 43 in South San Francisco, raising its Energy Score from 2 to 68 and achieving a 14 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The B43 project, supported by the collaborative technical expertise of partners such as EcoCosm and 3Flow, identified a number of energy-saving measures, including: net airflow reductions in 79 percent of assessed labs; lowering exhaust to safely reduce duct static pressure; zone calibration, after-hours setbacks, airflow balancing, controls optimization, and more. The project demonstrated the impact of combining technical rigor with innovative technology; following the implementation of LVRA-driven airflow reductions and system-wide engineering updates, the building now generates 90 percent of its electricity via existing onsite fuel cells. This 95 percent reduction in purchased electricity has translated into significant utility cost savings. These results demonstrated the BER program's scalability as a model for achieving Genentech’s long-term sustainability goals campus-wide.
Excellence in Energy Efficiency
University of Mississippi’s Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation
Ellenzweig and McCarty Architects
Oxford, Mississippi
Located in Oxford, the University of Mississippi Duff Center for Science Technology and Innovation (CSTI) houses more than 50 STEM teaching labs. The building and labs were designed by Ellenzweig and McCarty Associates (Architect of Record). The facility integrates sensor technology that monitors laboratory air quality, 36 filtering fume hoods, and energy recovery in both the heating and cooling systems to achieve an energy use intensity (EUI) of 83 kBtu per square foot and a Labs2Zero Energy Score of 89.
Mechanical energy efficiency measures include variable-flow, high-efficiency fume hoods with reduced face velocity, total energy recovery on general lab exhaust air, and Aircuity-activated reduced lab airflow when the space is unoccupied. The facility uses an energy recovery wheel with bypass enthalpy control, as well as ducted fume hoods that are exhausted separately from the rest of the building. The building is oriented along an East-West axis and features a daylight-harvesting atrium at its center, significantly reducing lighting and HVAC needs. Three North-facing light monitors run the entire length of the space, each with an adjacent angled wall that reflects light, as well as a curved “light scoop” reflector to disperse daylight without glare. Terracotta solar shading baguettes and projecting louvers allow for excellent views without introducing glare and solar heat gain.
Excellence in Electrification and Renovation
LabsCanada Advanced Materials Research Facility
HOK, A49, and WSP
Mississauga, Ontario
The Labs Canada Advanced Materials Research Facility (AMRF), in Mississauga, Ontario, is the first completed facility under the Laboratories Canada initiative for investing in a national network of future-focused, IT-enabled laboratories. Supported by HOK, A49, and WSP, the building integrates AI‑ and robotics‑enabled Material Acceleration Platforms (MAPs) with high‑efficiency building systems. The project transformed a recently constructed, conventionally planned lab into a flexible, electrified research facility that has reduced energy use intensity 59 percent, lowered greenhouse gas emissions 54 percent below code requirements, and achieved LEED® Gold certification.
The team upgraded the existing building shell with a third floor, new penthouse, and an electrified energy plant, all while keeping the ground floor fully operational. By adopting deep angular drilling for geothermal boreholes, the project team unlocked an onsite renewable energy source despite severe site constraints. Rooftop and carport photovoltaic arrays offset operational loads, contributing to long-term carbon reduction, and ground-source heat pumps deliver heating and cooling. Heat pipes, particulate sensing, and demand-controlled ventilation strategies minimize energy waste in high-ventilation zones while maintaining rigorous safety requirements. As a result of these measures, the site is more than 90 percent electrified, reducing energy costs by 42 percent.
Excellence in Water Conservation
Kite Santa Monica
California
Kite Santa Monica is a four-building research, development, and clinical manufacturing site located in water-stressed Southern California. By implementing of variety of water conservation measures that reduce demand and reclaim water, the facility has achieved more than 4.6 million gallons in annual water savings—a 48 percent reduction in demand since 2022. Many of these water-saving projects also lowered energy use by reducing use of fans and thermal conditioning; the building achieved a Labs2Zero Energy Score of 99 and an Operational Emissions Score of 95.
Kite Facilities & Engineering conducted comprehensive metering and system‑level analysis and after identifying the largest end use as cooling tower makeup water, prioritized initiatives reduce cooling loads. Now, a new chemical‑free cooling tower treatment system allows for higher cycles of mineral concentration, requiring less makeup water, extending the life of the equipment, and saving nearly 1.7 million gallons of water per year. Increasing the HVAC system’s post‑cooling coil dewpoint control reduced cooling load and corresponding water demand from the cooling towers, saving another 308,000 gallons per year. These projects resulted in significant water and energy cost savings, netting a simple payback period of less than one year.
Lab Programs and Initiatives Awards
Sustainable Lab Program
University of Virginia
Charlottesville
The University of Virginia's (UVA’s) Sustainable Labs Program utilizes a collaborative approach to achieve significant energy and emissions improvements in the university’s laboratories. As an R-1 research institution, UVA has 2.8 million square feet of research-intensive lab buildings. These 18 buildings account for 14 percent of UVA’s physical space but use about one-third of the university’s energy consumption. UVA also has a goal to be carbon-neutral by 2030, along with ambitious energy, water, and waste reduction goals.
UVA started its sustainable labs journey with a Green Labs Working Group launched in 2014 to engage researchers, building managers, safety professionals, and sustainability proponents in monthly meetings and green labs initiatives. This group advocated for a full-time Green Labs Coordinator in the Office for Sustainability to support UVA’s Freezer Challenge participation, a “Shut the Sash” competition for fume hoods, a Green Labs Resource Fair, and a Green Labs Certification program developed by the university to address waste, chemicals, cold storage, procurement, and other aspects of lab management. UVA’s Green Labs Program has engaged 214 labs; 72 labs have achieved Green Labs Certification.
While the Green Labs Program takes a more “bottom-up” approach, the Smart Labs approach has been used since 2018 by the Office for Sustainability team to initiate top-down, building-level energy efficiency projects through retro-commissioning and ventilation optimization. The two work together to reinforce safety, efficiency, and sustainability in UVA’s research enterprise through the Sustainable Labs Program.
The Sustainable Labs Program utilizes a Building Efficiency Program (BEP) revolving fund model to support energy upgrades across campus. While there was initially concern about applying BEP principles in sensitive lab areas, the trust and collaboration established under the Green Labs Program has allowed the Sustainable Labs team, Environmental Health and Safety, Facilities Management (FM), building managers, and other staff to work together to leverage BEP revolving funds to reduce labs; energy and environmental footprint, and ultimately avoid more than $5 million in utility costs for lab buildings since the Sustainable Labs Program launched.
The Sustainable Labs team coordinates closely with the FM Deferred Maintenance Program to maximize utility savings. In UVA’s Medical Research 4 (MR4) building, for example, while Deferred Maintenance funded an upgrade from pneumatic HVAC controls to digital controls, the Sustainable Labs Program used BEP funds to support commissioning, optimize HVAC controls, provide airflow setpoints, upgrade lighting fixtures, and find and fix malfunctioning equipment. The $1.9 million project, funded by the BEP revolving fund, was paid back through utility savings. Researchers appreciate the improvements to lighting and comfort, which builds trust with the FM team and support for Green Labs initiatives. MR4 achieved a 30 percent energy reduction, saving $1.1 million annually in utility costs.
By combining retro-commissioning and Smart Labs with engagement through Green Labs, UVA has improved building performance and reduced operating costs with a replicable framework for other research institutions.
Award for Equipment Sharing Innovation
University of Cambridge
UK
The University of Cambridge has developed an innovative equipment sharing program and portal that has increased the visibility of available equipment and services across local and national networks in England, as well as globally. The university’s strategy for reducing environmental impact includes eliminating unnecessary duplication of equipment purchases, encouraging greater utilization of existing assets, and ensures alignment with their funders’ expectations around equipment management, lifecycle planning, and responsible disposal. Since the program’s inception, the portal has been accessed by over 22,000 members with over 4,600 individual lab equipment items.
When writing grant applications, researchers are encouraged to log into the equipment sharing database and enter the names and terms of equipment they need; the database will identify any existing equipment available to share, as well as who is managing the equipment to discuss using it, explore areas of collaboration, and avoid purchasing duplication. Equipment end-of-life is integrated into the sharing program, which provides guidance on disposal, rehoming, and recycling. The university uses an online resource redistribution network called WARPit to rehome materials locally and donates usable equipment to recipients in Africa. The institutional WARPit account has helped generate nearly £418,000 in financial savings for the university, equivalent to 46.2 metric tonnes of waste diverted and a reduction of 227 tonnes of carbon.
Award for Grassroots Green Labs Program
University of Texas at Austin
Despite facing a variety of funding, logistical, and staffing challenges over the past 15 years, the University of Texas (UT) at Austin’s Green Labs program has grown from a volunteer effort to a campus-wide program housed under the department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) with support from the Office of Sustainability at UT Austin. The program was student-run from 2011 until 2019; during that time, Green Labs worked with over 115 participants to recycle over 4,400 pounds of expanded polystyrene, 8,800 pounds of nitrile gloves, and 6,300 pounds of alkaline batteries. In 2019, the Office of Sustainability and EHS worked to secure funding to expand and institutionalize the program and hire a full-time Green Labs Coordinator. In addition to the Green Labs Coordinator, the program is supported by one to three green labs student interns and part-time by an EHS safety specialist.
Since 2020, Green Labs has rehomed over 3,100 pounds of lab items during lab supply swaps, saving researchers about $167,000. UT Austin has reused or recycled 11,867 pounds of lab materials, including expanded polystyrene, plastic film, alkaline batteries, and cold packs. When funding for the Green Labs coordinator was suspended for a year during Covid, interns stepped up to support lab recycling collections and hold a Lab Supply Swap. The Green Labs program has continued to grow from this grassroots effort.
Award for Innovation in Sustainable Clinical Labs
Hospices Civils de Lyon Centre Hospitalier
Lyon-Sud
France
The Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon-Sud in France has implemented an eco-responsible and rational protocol for interval debulking surgery (ECO-IDS) for high-grade ovarian carcinomas (HGOCs). After the surgical treatment of advanced HGOCs, paraffin blocks and slides prepared in the pathology department can account for more than half of the total carbon footprint of the analyses. This new approach minimized environmental impact while maintaining quality, safety, and relevance of care and cutting costs and lab supplies. The new protocol has resulted in a reduction of more than half of the jars sent to the surgical pathology department and the paraffin blocks/slides prepared, as well as reducing the carbon footprint of the procedures.
The median carbon footprint of pathological procedures per patient was an estimated 8.6 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent after the implementation of the protocol (in the post-ECO-IDS group), versus 24.1 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent before its implementation (in the pre-ECO-IDS group), a 64 percent reduction. The median financial cost of specimen processing was €25.5 in post-ECO-IDS group, versus €57.9 in the pre-ECO-IDS group. If the protocol were applied to all the debulking surgeries performed in 2024 at the institution, it would have resulted in a median decrease per year of 3,380 jars sent to the pathology department, 8,619 paraffin blocks prepared, 5,239 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted, and €10,951 spent.
Award for Innovative Waste Reduction in Protocols
Hannover Medical School
Germany
The Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs at Hannover Medical School (Medizinische Hochschule Hannover [MHH]) in Germany developed novel human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) cultivation protocols that increased cell expansion while reducing plastic waste compared with traditional two-dimensional bioprocessing. Their established protocol, which still relied on an initial two-dimensional expansion step, achieved a 70-fold hPSC expansion during a seven-day three-dimensional suspension culture, while reducing medium consumption by 75 percent. If implemented in clinical hPSC manufacturing, these approaches could significantly reduce plastic dependence and improve the environmental sustainability of cell production.
In their new, innovative approach to hPSC cultivation protocols, the laboratory demonstrated the feasibility of directly inoculating cryopreserved hPSCs into reusable glass stirred-tank bioreactors during a four-day expansion process, bypassing the conventional two-dimensional pre-expansion phase currently required for the inoculation of suspension cultures. A pro-survival cocktail supplement, CEPT, was employed to improve post-inoculation cell survival, while validation studies confirmed the maintenance of hPSC pluripotency, genomic stability, and differentiation capacity. By advancing toward fully three-dimensional, low-plastic workflows, the MHH team demonstrated that the demands of cutting-edge stem cell research can be reconciled with more sustainable manufacturing practices. The researchers invite others to rethink how science is conducted and consider how to balance sustainability and manufacturing by thinking about the product before generating waste.
Award for Organizational Commitment to Cold Storage Efficiency
University of California San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has improved their cold storage efficiency by ensuring researcher involvement, institutional commitment, and senior leadership buy-in for a university-wide ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezer replacement program. In 2018, USCF launched a pilot program to verify and quantify the administrative and logistical feasibility of a large-scale ULT freezer replacement effort. The pilot replaced 43 of the most inefficient freezers on campus with high-efficiency, ENERGY STAR® certified freezers. This effort lowered the electrical burden of the targeted freezers by 70 percent, saving $55,889 annually. This commitment to more efficient cold storage has also eliminated 134 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually and saved the equivalent of 26.4 homes' annual electricity use.
With the success of the pilot, the project transitioned into an institution-wide program, including a $3 million budget allocation to replace another 300 of the most inefficient freezers. UCSF also updated its policy to require ENERGY STAR ULT freezer purchases moving forward. UCSF’s goal is a complete conversion to ENERGY STAR ULT freezers, which would reduce electrical use by 7,911,549 kilowatt hours annually, carbon emissions by 3,423 metric tons, and costs by $2.3 million at current electrical rates. USCF has shared their methods through an article in the peer-reviewed journal Biopreservation and Biobanking and presentations to global audiences.
LabSavers Pioneer Award
Caltech
Pasadena, California
I2SL’s LabSavers campaign provides tools to encourage lab clean-ups and space evaluation. Caltech (Pasadena, California) utilized these tools and created “Lab ReStore,” an equipment rehoming operation and collaborative Green Labs space. Following its successful lab cleaning competitions in spring 2025, Caltech Green Labs built a website to rehome lab supplies. From March to November 2025, they rehomed over $70,000 of supplies through the site. In summer 2025, one lab building’s stockroom closed, and Green Labs proposed using the space for a year-long pilot to house items from lab clean-ups and clean-outs for reuse in other labs. They repurposed unneeded shelving from animal facilities and were able to equip the space for less than $3,000; new shelving and equipment would have cost nearly $12,000!
From the opening of the ReStore in November 2025 to February 2026, Green Labs rehomed about 1,200 items, worth over $89,000 and weighing over 900 kilograms. The ReStore houses over $110,000 worth of items and is working to rehome over $200,000 of additional equipment and supplies housed in lab spaces outside the ReStore. Three undergraduate interns were hired to run the ReStore and help with lab clean-ups. In addition to being a space to store and rehome lab supplies, the space serves as a sustainability hub, allowing Green Labs to engage with the campus community.
Award for Pioneering Hazardous Waste Management in Morocco
University Mohammed VI Polytechnic CoreLabs
The University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) CoreLabs in Benguerir, Morocco, has implemented a centralized hazardous waste governance framework to standardize their hazardous waste management practices across all university laboratories. Their program represents one of the first structured, centralized lab sustainability governance models within a major research infrastructure in Morocco and among emerging research institutions in Africa. All hazardous waste generated across 25 laboratories at UM6P is now formally classified, documented, and transferred under full traceability.
Prior to 2024, hazardous waste handling and evacuation at UM6P occurred on an irregular basis, without a unified institutional procedure, standardized storage timelines, or centralized traceability. In early 2024, CoreLabs transitioned to a structured and scheduled system, achieving 100 percent certified hazardous waste evacuation and treatment. To strengthen compliance, drive behavioral change, and enhance engagement, 12 structured training workshops were held with researchers in 2025, reaching approximately 360 laboratory users across 10 laboratories. Over two years, 24.7 metric tons of hazardous waste were processed through licensed industrial pre-treatment and cement kiln co-processing. In addition, UM6P safely eliminated 275 kilograms of expired chemicals in 2024, while improved procurement control in 2025 prevented further expiration, demonstrating successful source reduction.
Honorable Mention
AstraZeneca’s Boston Green Chemistry Team
AstraZeneca’s Boston Green Chemistry Team has used green chemistry to reduce dichloromethane consumption for solvent use by 50 percent per chemist; they are also reducing hazardous methanol waste from supercritical fluid chromatography. By partnering with suppliers and Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE) colleagues, the team assessed dry ice usage and transitioned to smaller containers with less frequent refills, resulting in 14.1 metric tonnes of dry ice saved annually. The Boston team’s efforts have been shared more widely across the company, and they produced a peer-reviewed publication on solvent sustainability in drug discovery in partnership with the American Chemistry Society Green Chemistry Institute.
Honorable Mention
Gilead Sciences’ Green Labs Program
Gilead Sciences’ Green Labs Program is a scientist-led, enterprise-wide initiative that has saved over one million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy by encouraging fume hood users to shut the sash using live dashboards and automated email alerts. They reduced single-pass cooling by installing waterless condensers and recirculation units, amounting to a 43 percent water reduction in a process development laboratory. A plug load study determined that ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) systems accounted for 92 percent of equipment energy within a formulations lab; by consolidating usage via UPLC on-off power rotation, they saved over 2,300 kWh per year. The Gilead laboratories also diverted nearly 900 kilograms of non-contaminated gloves from landfill.
Phil Wirdzek Leadership Award
2026 Phil Wirdzek Leader
Kevin Brettmann
Kevin Brettmann is a builder in every sense of the word. Over a career spanning more than three decades, he has helped create high-performance, sustainable laboratory buildings, while also building collaborative relationships, networks, and communities within I2SL. Kevin embodies the spirit of I2SL founder Phil Wirdzek by recognizing and ensuring that progress in sustainable labs is truly a team effort. As the former Director of Science & Technology at JE Dunn Construction, Kevin championed sustainability as a guiding principle in lab buildings, helping organizations translate ambitious goals for energy performance, resiliency, safety, and decarbonization into practical, successful projects.
Kevin’s leadership is evident in the construction projects he has supported, including: the LEED Platinum Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building at the University of Colorado Boulder; the LEED Platinum Robertson Life Sciences Building and Skourtes Tower for the Oregon University System/Oregon Health & Science University; Emory Health Sciences Research Building II; the CDC 401 project for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and the Vanderbilt University Stevenson Center. On these and many other projects, Kevin looked beyond the “sticks and bricks” of construction to a larger goal: creating laboratories that enable discovery while using resources responsibly. He worked to bridge design vision and field execution, translating complex sustainability strategies into built environments that serve as a model for lab planners.
Kevin’s impact on the industry reaches far beyond individual projects; his sustained commitment to growing professionals and networks within I2SL helped grow and sustain our mission. He was Vice President of the I2SL Board of Directors, chaired the Chapters and Membership Committee, and served on the Labs2Zero Leadership Council and several other Board committees. helped strengthen I2SL’s chapter network across the country. He was the founding president of the Colorado and Texas chapters of I2SL, served as founding treasurer with the Arizona Chapter, and supported the development of several other chapters around the world, whether they were just getting started or facing challenges.
Kevin has a gift for bringing people into the conversation—lab owners, architects, engineers, contractors, operators, green labs professionals, researchers, health and safety officers, and manufacturers—and helping each person see their role in a shared mission. Colleagues describe his enthusiasm as infectious and his leadership as generous, steady, and collaborative. Whether mentoring a new chapter leader, encouraging them to get involved, or helping a project team solve a challenge, Kevin leads by making others feel capable, valued, and essential.
By being a mentor to many others in the field, Kevin has multiplied his impact, sharing lessons learned with colleagues, supporting new chapters around the world, and inspiring higher standards for lab building performance. By creating the conditions for others to advocate, lead, and succeed, he has made a lasting contribution to I2SL and the entire lab community, keeping Phil Wirdzek’s legacy alive for the future.