Environmental impact, cost, and acceptability of a laboratory sustainability certification program for biomedical research in an academic medical center
Introduction: The healthcare sector contributes considerably to greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Biomedical research within academic medical centers (AMCs) is particularly energy- and resource-intensive. This study sought to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a formal laborator...
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | The Journal of Climate Change and Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278224000804 |
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| author | Michael Padget Pernilla Sörme Michael Spezia Susan A. Slaugenhaupt James McKowen Emily Kirchner Natalie Ameral Surya A. Reis Damien Slater Stephen J. Haggarty Benjamin P. Kleinstiver Erin C. Dunn Regina Larocque Christiano R.R. Alves Max Stern Alida Pelli Ann-Christine Duhaime |
| author_facet | Michael Padget Pernilla Sörme Michael Spezia Susan A. Slaugenhaupt James McKowen Emily Kirchner Natalie Ameral Surya A. Reis Damien Slater Stephen J. Haggarty Benjamin P. Kleinstiver Erin C. Dunn Regina Larocque Christiano R.R. Alves Max Stern Alida Pelli Ann-Christine Duhaime |
| author_sort | Michael Padget |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: The healthcare sector contributes considerably to greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Biomedical research within academic medical centers (AMCs) is particularly energy- and resource-intensive. This study sought to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a formal laboratory sustainability certification process within a large AMC research institute. Methods: Five labs with diverse research profiles participated in an external certification process consisting of the collection of baseline questionnaire data, a customized intervention plan to reduce environmental impacts, and a follow-up questionnaire to assess changes made and their effects. Investigators also directly measured solid waste, audited benchtop and cold storage plug loads, measured selected energy and potential cost savings, and assessed researcher attitudes. Results: All labs successfully achieved sustainability certification. Relevant and feasible interventions were identified for all participating labs. The main opportunities for improvements at the workplace that could be measured and are under the direct control of researchers included energy use and waste handling at the benchtop. Researchers generally were positive about the program and most expressed an interest in doing more to improve workplace sustainability. Financial estimates showed that intervention-related cost savings offset the cost of the certification process. Conclusions: In the context of AMC research, where lab-specific autonomy, sizes, and age make a uniform “top-down” institutional approach to sustainability less applicable, customized sustainability certification programs can be effective and may help achieve environmental goals without significant cost or unduly burdensome behavioral changes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-96a48ef4132345828b3e2076d092e420 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2667-2782 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Journal of Climate Change and Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-96a48ef4132345828b3e2076d092e4202025-08-20T02:35:07ZengElsevierThe Journal of Climate Change and Health2667-27822025-05-012310040110.1016/j.joclim.2024.100401Environmental impact, cost, and acceptability of a laboratory sustainability certification program for biomedical research in an academic medical centerMichael Padget0Pernilla Sörme1Michael Spezia2Susan A. Slaugenhaupt3James McKowen4Emily Kirchner5Natalie Ameral6Surya A. Reis7Damien Slater8Stephen J. Haggarty9Benjamin P. Kleinstiver10Erin C. Dunn11Regina Larocque12Christiano R.R. Alves13Max Stern14Alida Pelli15Ann-Christine Duhaime16Center for the Environment and Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Corresponding author.My Green Lab, 4653 Carmel Mountain Rd, San Diego, CA, 92130, USAElemental Machines, 185 Alewife Brook Pkwy #401, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USACenter for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA, 02114, USADepartment of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USACenter for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA, 02114, USACenter for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USAChemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Precision Therapeutics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USAChemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Precision Therapeutics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USACenter for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA, 02115Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA, 02115; Center On the Developing Child at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02115, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USACenter for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USACenter for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA, 02114, USAIndependent consultant, Boston, MA, USACenter for the Environment and Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USAIntroduction: The healthcare sector contributes considerably to greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Biomedical research within academic medical centers (AMCs) is particularly energy- and resource-intensive. This study sought to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a formal laboratory sustainability certification process within a large AMC research institute. Methods: Five labs with diverse research profiles participated in an external certification process consisting of the collection of baseline questionnaire data, a customized intervention plan to reduce environmental impacts, and a follow-up questionnaire to assess changes made and their effects. Investigators also directly measured solid waste, audited benchtop and cold storage plug loads, measured selected energy and potential cost savings, and assessed researcher attitudes. Results: All labs successfully achieved sustainability certification. Relevant and feasible interventions were identified for all participating labs. The main opportunities for improvements at the workplace that could be measured and are under the direct control of researchers included energy use and waste handling at the benchtop. Researchers generally were positive about the program and most expressed an interest in doing more to improve workplace sustainability. Financial estimates showed that intervention-related cost savings offset the cost of the certification process. Conclusions: In the context of AMC research, where lab-specific autonomy, sizes, and age make a uniform “top-down” institutional approach to sustainability less applicable, customized sustainability certification programs can be effective and may help achieve environmental goals without significant cost or unduly burdensome behavioral changes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278224000804Environmental sustainabilityResearch laboratoriesAcademic medical centers |
| spellingShingle | Michael Padget Pernilla Sörme Michael Spezia Susan A. Slaugenhaupt James McKowen Emily Kirchner Natalie Ameral Surya A. Reis Damien Slater Stephen J. Haggarty Benjamin P. Kleinstiver Erin C. Dunn Regina Larocque Christiano R.R. Alves Max Stern Alida Pelli Ann-Christine Duhaime Environmental impact, cost, and acceptability of a laboratory sustainability certification program for biomedical research in an academic medical center The Journal of Climate Change and Health Environmental sustainability Research laboratories Academic medical centers |
| title | Environmental impact, cost, and acceptability of a laboratory sustainability certification program for biomedical research in an academic medical center |
| title_full | Environmental impact, cost, and acceptability of a laboratory sustainability certification program for biomedical research in an academic medical center |
| title_fullStr | Environmental impact, cost, and acceptability of a laboratory sustainability certification program for biomedical research in an academic medical center |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental impact, cost, and acceptability of a laboratory sustainability certification program for biomedical research in an academic medical center |
| title_short | Environmental impact, cost, and acceptability of a laboratory sustainability certification program for biomedical research in an academic medical center |
| title_sort | environmental impact cost and acceptability of a laboratory sustainability certification program for biomedical research in an academic medical center |
| topic | Environmental sustainability Research laboratories Academic medical centers |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278224000804 |
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