CONTACT US
Share: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn I recommend visiting cushmanwakefield.com to read:%0A%0A {0} %0A%0A {1}
Labratory Labratory

Energy and Resource Efficiency in Life Sciences Design

Jason D'Orlando • 9/20/2023

Energy- and resource-efficient design can help transform corporate goals for existing life sciences buildings or planned construction into successful, energy-efficient spaces. As more companies commit to net-zero standards over the next several decades, the following design approaches should be considered for any facility.

Energy Efficiency 

  1. Replace gas systems with electric  
    More states are pushing for all-electric buildings, and as project managers replace gas systems, they should consider systems such as solar panels to offset increased electrical use. Using sustainable energy sources is also a chance to score carbon and renewable energy credits.  

  2. Add occupancy sensors to compound energy savings 
    Adding room occupancy sensors is a simple and effective way to save energy usage across buildings.   

  3. Reduce celling height to enhance conditioned air recirculation 
    Lowering lab ceilings—which are often 10 feet or higher—will decrease one cubic foot of air per square foot of lab space, making air recirculation more efficient and reducing capital costs by decreasing the size of HVAC equipment.  

  4. Reduce number of fume hoods to lower air changes per hour (ACH) 
    In labs and fume hood-intensive spaces, exhaust can drive high ACH—usually an average of 10 ACHs.  Reducing the number of fume hoods, by centralizing or making hoods accessible to multiple labs—can save energy and meet requirements for safe operations. In addition, variable flow hoods should be implemented for potential energy savings, which will allow some lab spaces to operate at as low as 6 ACHs.  

  5. Bring in on-site renewables 
    In the United States, 8.5% of the national carbon footprint can be attributed to the life sciences ecosystem. By adding on-site renewables, such as wind and solar energy, companies can reduce their footprint, relieving reliance on the grid and providing alternative sources of electricity.  
     

Resource Efficiency 

  1. Water reuse and reduction 
    Implement rainwater harvesting systems and zero liquid discharge measures for manufacturing processes, including sustainable reuse of wastewater, reject water, and effluent water.  

  2. Sustainable building materials 
    Consider low-VOC paint, recycled materials and efficient construction technologies, such as modular construction and 3D printing. Building materials should be sustainable, locally sourced, and ideally from  renewable resources. This will impact the embodied carbon released during the lifecycle of building materials, including extraction, manufacturing, transport, construction and disposal. Concrete, steel and insulation are all examples of materials that contribute to embodied carbon emissions. 

  3. Single use vs. stainless steel biopharmaceutical systems 
    Consider water use, energy consumption and waste generation when deciding on a single-use or stainless steel system and intermediate bulk containers.  

  4. Employee benefit programs 
    Working from home and hybrid working models can decrease building energy usage. In the office, make the most of passive ventilation and daylight to help employees engage positively. In addition, compost and recycling programs directly reduce waste and help employees feel in control of their environmental impact. 

  5. Waste reduction  
    Design waste management strategies to minimize waste generation and encourage recycling and proper disposal methods. Consider ways to reduce single-use items and incentives for employees to reduce waste.   

 

Reference articles: Implementation of a Formal Energy-Efficient Design Process External Link; Zero Liquid Discharge in Biopharmaceutical Production External Link; Sustainable Building Trends for Life Sciences External Link; Which is more sustainable: stainless steel or single-use systems? External Link; Sustainability goes beyond zero carbon—it’s about creating greater wellness for tenants  External Link

SUBSCRIBE TO LIFE SCIENCES INSIGHTS
Get the latest Cushman & Wakefield life sciences research and commentary delivered to your inbox.
subscribe

Related Insights

04.2025-ls-update_web-card.jpg
Article

Life Sciences: Leveraging Leasing Trends Amid Headwinds

Rising uncertainty is creating headwinds from several directions for the life sciences sector.
Sandy Romero • 5/2/2025
March-2025-Life-Sciences-Update-web-card.jpg
Research

Life Sciences Update

The Life Sciences Update provides market updates for 34 markets in the Americas and Europe. The report covers life sciences venture capital funding, rent and vacancy, labor analytics, clinical trials and more.
Sandy Romero • 2/27/2025
Life Science Lab Technician
Research

​​Life Sciences Funding in View​

While more capital flowed to the life sciences sector in 2024, CRE fundamentals softened further.
Sandy Romero • 1/29/2025
10.2024-LSFO-web-card.jpg
Research

Life Sciences Fit Out Cost Guide

Our 2025 Life Sciences Fit Out Cost Guide covers five lab types, two cGMP types, warehouse and office across the six major U.S. life sciences markets.
Brian Ungles • 11/1/2024
China Life Sciences Report Two 2024
Research • Economy

Life Sciences Real Estate: A Market Pulse Check On The Chinese Mainland

This report focuses on a survey conducted on real estate practitioners working for life sciences enterprises on the Chinese mainland. The questions centered on their perspectives and the answers provide the latest thinking these same real estate practitioners have on the market conditions and on their real estate strategies to attain business-related success within the Chinese mainland region.
 
Shaun Brodie • 10/31/2024
LifeSciences-Checklist_card
Article

Does your building qualify for a life sciences conversion?

Interest in converting assets for life sciences use is growing amongst building owners. Cushman & Wakefield’s Project & Development Services team developed basic building performance criteria based on the minimum standards that life sciences companies typically require. 
Eric Giles • 7/18/2023
Life Science
Article

Challenges for Life Sciences Projects Means Early Engagement of Project Managers

Persistent challenges continue to impact costs, material lead times and project timelines across all life sciences projects.
Jason D'Orlando • 6/30/2023
China Think In Report 2022
Research • Investment / Capital Markets

Six Alternative Property Assets — What To Watch In China

The rise of alternative property assets in China has been shaped by a number of factors, including macro-economic trends, evolving population dynamics, technology, new ways of working and living, a greater awareness of sustainability, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This report considers these what-to-watch factors and how they have affected and stimulated general market interest in six key alternative property assets.
 
 
 
Shaun Brodie • 11/10/2022
22q1-lifesciencesupdate-card
Article

Identifying Opportunities in Raleigh / Durham’s Life Sciences Market

Raleigh-Durham life sciences market, one of the world’s largest life sciences clusters, has experienced exponential growth in the last five years. What does that mean for our clients?
Sandy Romero • 8/8/2022
San Diego Skyline
Article

Identifying Opportunities In San Diego’s Life Sciences Market

San Diego’s life sciences market has experienced exponential growth in the last five years but recent volatility in the equity markets has resulted in falling market capitalization for many companies. What does this mean for our clients?
Sandy Romero • 6/28/2022
Life sciences covid-19 (image)
Research

Life Sciences: COVID-19 Report

Featured local market snapshots give an overview into the life sciences sector and the impact of the pandemic, establishing a baseline for analyzing potential impact in the months to come.
Jolanta Campion • 6/26/2020

Ready to talk?

Our professionals are ready to provide further details on this and many other topics.

With your permission we and our partners would like to use cookies in order to access and record information and process personal data, such as unique identifiers and standard information sent by a device to ensure our website performs as expected, to develop and improve our products, and for advertising and insight purposes.

Alternatively click on More Options and select your preferences before providing or refusing consent. Some processing of your personal data may not require your consent, but you have a right to object to such processing.

You can change your preferences at any time by returning to this site or clicking on  Cookies

More Options
Agree and Close
These cookies ensure that our website performs as expected,for example website traffic load is balanced across our servers to prevent our website from crashing during particularly high usage.
These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced features. These cookies do not gather any information about you that could be used for advertising or remember where you have been on the internet.
These cookies allow us to work with our marketing partners to understand which ads or links you have clicked on before arriving on our website or to help us make our advertising more relevant to you.
Agree All
Reject All
SAVE SETTINGS