Share thisEven lab animal facilities can be designed or renovated to use less energy, and conserve water and other resources.
We are seeing rapid growth towards green buildings in our industry and as a result, the challenge is gaining momentum for those who are designing new buildings and manufacturers who produce products that equipthese buildings. What are the elements that make a building green? Wikipedia1defines green building as the practice of increasing the efficiency of buildings and their use of energy, water, and materials; and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal — the complete building life cycle.
According to the U.S. Green Building Council,2 the built environment has an impact on our environment, economy, health, and productivity. Here are some statistics in the United States that account for the following:
- 65% of electricity consumption
- 36% of energy use
- 30% of greenhouse gas emissions
- 30% of raw materials use
- 30% of waste output (136 million tons annually)
- 12% of potable water consumption
As detailed on the U.S. Green Building Council website (http://www.usgbc.org), there are three areas that benefit from green buildings.
1. Environmental Benefits
- Enhance and protect ecosystems and biodiversity
- Improve air and water quality
- Reduce solid waste
- Conserve natural resources
2. Economic Benefits
- Reduce operating costs
- Enhance asset value and profits
- Improve employee productivity and satisfaction
- Optimize life-cycle economic performance
3. Health and Community Benefits
- Improve air, thermal, and acoustic environments
- Enhance occupant comfort and health
- Minimize strain on local infrastructure
- Contribute to overall quality of life
Green Products
Manufacturers in the laboratory animal science industry are being challenged as never before to develop products that are more energy-efficient, conserve water, and generate less waste for the environment. So as you begin the process of selecting equipment, consider some of the criteria listed above in choosing a manufacturer. In order to get a good idea of what products are dedicated to green buildings, I visited some websites to see the trends. In some cases, I found some helpful information that indicated how their products achieve improved performance that conserves energy, water, and manpower; or extend the lifecycle of the building.