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It takes people energy to implement energy and resource savings in a vivarium. An upcoming resource publication looks to help inform and guide the process toward greener and more sustainable facilities.
'Green’ is the new watchword in the vivarium industry. Lab managers, architects, providers, and other lab professionals are increasingly committed to lab animal environments that conserve energy, reduce waste, protect animals and their caregivers, and lower the carbon footprint.
The National Institute of Health National Center for Research Resources now requires certification to obtain federal funding. “Any project with a total project cost of more than$10Mand/or will impact more than 40%of the overall floor are a must obtain certification from the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED )or the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes System Certification rating system. Environmental impact is a key component of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Projects should be designed to obtain the appropriate certification.”
The Green Vivarium Foundation (greenvivarium.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting energy conservation and reducing waste. Industry professionals tell us that they are actively exploring ways to run a greener operation. They are looking to the Foundation to provide resource information, guidelines, and metrics—energy saving tips, case studies, and models of a green lab animal facility.
The Foundation is spearheading an exciting new project,convening industry and subject matter experts to collaborate on developing original resource material that will have relevant applications to the vivarium industry.We’re gathering information and recommendations from veterinarians, animal care personnel, architects, engineers, contractors, and other vivarium-related professionals.
The goal: Deliver a valuable reference publication that will move our mission forward. This publication will include the latest applications of green and recycled building materials; energy-efficient design; energy savings in lighting, HVAC, and water systems. It will present concepts that focus on the preservation of natural resources, indoor environmental quality, and the use of alternate energy sources. “The Green Vivarium: Strategies for Sustainability”will be available early next year.
Creating greener and more sustainable facilities includes evaluating all aspects of a lab animal facility. Building materials and design, heating and cooling, water delivery systems, equipment, and sustainable use of space all have an enormous impact on employee and animal welfare, operational efficiencies, and even the quality of research. Building a greener vivarium is the environmentally responsible thing to do, and the bottom-line savings are significant, allowing more funds to be re-directed back into critical research. Dozens of vivaria are implementing green and/or sustainable practices in their new-build or renovation process.Many more are making minor upgrades and improvements in existing facilities.