| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.42 |
| Liaison | Austin Sutherland |
| Submission Date | Feb. 18, 2025 |
University of Pennsylvania
IN-19: Green Laboratory Program
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 0.50 |
Does the institution have or participate in a green laboratory program?:
Does the institution’s green laboratory program address the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| Energy conservation and efficiency, e.g., fume hood ("shut the sash") and freezer maintenance programs | Yes |
| Water conservation and efficiency | Yes |
| Chemical use and disposal | Yes |
| Materials management, e.g., green purchasing guidelines and recycling and reuse programs | Yes |
| Training for lab users on sustainable practices | Yes |
A brief description of the institution's green laboratory program:
The Green Labs Program at Penn promotes safety and sustainability in laboratories through education, engagement, and resource efficiency initiatives. Supported by the Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety and Penn Sustainability, the program is guided by the Green Labs Executive Committee and the Green Labs Working Group, which help drive sustainable lab practices across Penn’s 676+ labs in over 30 buildings.
KEY INITIATIVES:
- Energy Conservation & Efficiency: The Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) Freezer Efficiency Program and the Penn Labs Freezer Challenge encourage labs to optimize cold storage management, reduce energy consumption, and upgrade to high-efficiency freezers. Additionally, fume hood "Shut the Sash" initiatives help conserve energy by promoting best practices for ventilation use.
- Water Conservation: Labs are encouraged to adopt water-efficient equipment and practices, such as reusing water in autoclaves and minimizing single-pass cooling systems.
- Chemical Use & Disposal: The Chemical Inventory Program reduces hazardous waste and costs by enabling chemical sharing among labs, while the Reusable Sharps Container Program minimizes biohazardous waste and the environmental impact of single-use disposal.
- Materials Management: Penn supports green purchasing and recycling and reuse programs for lab supplies through Penn Purchasing Services, including the recycling of pipette tip racks, product packaging, and lab equipment.
- Training & Engagement: The Green Labs Program provides sustainability training for lab users, hosts workshops, and facilitates quarterly meetings through the Green Labs Working Group to promote best practices and increase lab participation in sustainability initiatives.
Through these efforts, the Green Labs Program helps Penn’s research community minimize environmental impact while maintaining the highest standards of safety and efficiency.
Website URL where information about the green laboratory program is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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