INDUSTRY MATTERS
Sustainability as a Catalyst for Public Health Laboratory Resilience
By Julie Yang, director, Applied Markets, Promega
Promega’ s Kornberg Center in Madison, Wisconsin, is 65 % more energy efficient than comparable facilities and includes geothermal HVAC, solar panels, a double-skin façade, and rainwater harvesting systems to reduce environmental impact and operating costs. Photo: Promega.
Public health laboratories are at the forefront of protecting communities from infectious diseases, environmental hazards and emerging health threats while demonstrating remarkable resilience— adapting quickly to emerging challenges, shifting resources to meet demand and maintaining accuracy under pressure. As laboratories look toward long-term readiness, sustainability is no longer just an environmental ideal. It is a practical approach to improving efficiency, reducing waste and building stronger, more resilient operations in a constantly evolving landscape.
Increasingly, laboratory leaders are asking: How can our operations be more sustainable and more effective at the same time? Industry partners like Promega are asking the same question.
Reducing Operational Burden Through Energy Efficiency
Laboratories are among the most energyintensive facilities, consuming up to 10 times more energy per square foot than traditional office buildings. Equipment runs continuously, and high-performance HVAC systems are essential to maintain controlled environments. These systems are critical— but they also carry operational and environmental costs.
That’ s why laboratories across the country are investing in efficiency upgrades. For example, CDC’ s Building 110 in Atlanta, GA reduced energy use by 23.7 % through HVAC optimization and daylighting, earning LEED Gold certification. Similar gains are being made at state public health laboratories through lighting retrofits, freezer consolidation and renewable energy systems.
These efforts not only lighten the environmental footprint, but they also help save on energy costs and ease strain on systems, making it easier to maintain continuity when conditions are anything but predictable.
Promega, a trusted supplier to many public health labs, follows this same philosophy. Its Kornberg Center in Madison, Wisconsin, is 65 % more energy efficient than comparable facilities, thanks to geothermal HVAC, a double-skin façade, solar panels and rainwater harvesting. The Madison campus, which consists of 13 buildings, earned ISO 14001:2015 certification in 2025, underscoring its environmental management commitment. Promega Madison had already reached 85 % renewable electricity usage by early 2025 and is on track to achieve 100 % by year-end.
Cutting Waste While Maintaining Laboratory Performance
Single-use plastics, cold-chain packaging and regulated waste streams continue to be substantial challenges for laboratory operations. To tackle them, public health laboratories are rethinking their materials and workflows— finding ways to cut waste without compromising quality or compliance.
Suppliers are also playing a key role and stepping up. Promega has eliminated more than 3,000 EPS coolers annually, conserved 12 tons of dry ice and
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