To kick off the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) Annual Conference in Dallas October 20, a panel offered diverse industry perspectives on the headwinds, tailwinds, and opportunities currently facing the lab sustainability community. Moderated by Eleni Reed of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, the group shared how focusing on energy improvements can help labs reduce overhead costs, enhance existing building stock, and ensure future resilience.

Following two years of development by I2SL’s broad range of technical advisors, the Labs2Zero Actionable Insights and Measures (AIM) Report tool is now live and ready to guide your energy-saving journey! As the first lab-specific software for creating automated energy audits, AIM makes it a snap for lab owners, facility managers, engineers, and consultants to identify and implement energy-saving improvements. The tool allows you to generate a tailored energy savings roadmap based on a lab building’s unique parameters and improvement goals. Most importantly, AIM gives lab building professionals the data they need to make a persuasive business case for undertaking energy upgrades.

During its Annual Conference in Dallas, I2SL announced creation of a new International Fume Hood Challenge, which will bring together green labs professionals, researchers, facility managers, safety officers, manufacturers, and service providers to save energy and ensure the safe and effective operation of fume hoods. The Challenge will score labs on a variety of activities to ensure safe and efficient use of fume hoods, including sash closure, monitoring, proper operation, testing, and hibernation when not in use. Activities will also focus on the lab HVAC systems that support fume hoods to ensure effective operation.

Each year, the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) recognizes lab buildings and improvement projects that prioritize sustainability through energy and water efficiency, use of renewable energy, climate resiliency, decarbonization, and more. Two new construction projects and one building renovation received I2SL’s Sustainable Lab Awards for Buildings and Projects during our Annual Conference October 21 in Dallas.

Each year, the Phil Wirdzek Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding individual who, like I2SL’s late founder Phil Wirdzek, not only advances sustainability and efficiency in labs but also connects and uplifts others in the community. This year’s winner, Punit Jain, has spent more than two decades promoting sustainable lab design and served as an educational leader within the I2SL community.

I2SL’s Circular Economy for Labs Community of Practice (CoP) recently hosted a virtual forum with university green labs professionals describing how they have overcome challenges to establish programs for reusing equipment, chemicals, and supplies. Get ideas from the University of Texas (UT) Austin, University of Colorado (CU) Boulder, University of Michigan, Caltech, and University of South Florida (USF) for finding inventory space, engaging researchers, and establishing long-term lab reuse programs.