Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy
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GreenLab – an initiative of the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy
Since 2021, Freie Universität has held the EMAS seal of approval, the highest seal for sustainable environmental management in the European Union. Departments and facilities are audited every year according to the strict criteria.
The GreenLab project of the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy is aimed at wet laboratories and biological, chemical and pharmaceutical laboratories. We want to help research groups to make their consumption of resources - such as energy, water and waste - more sustainable.
We are now offering support with certification through the external provider My Green Lab. In future, we will also publish information on environmentally friendly laboratory practices, templates for their implementation and examples of best practice.
Contact
Britt Schaffranietz
Freie Universität Berlin
Department Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy
Project „GreenLab“
Arnimallee 22, 14195 Berlin
E-Mail: greenlab@bcp.fu-berlin.de
E-Mail: b.schaffranietz@fu-berlin.de
Phone: +49 30 838 75608
Current Events
The vision: employees in the ideal GreenLab ...
GreenLab
Image Credit: Canva
... are aware of their responsible role towards the environment,
... are role models for students and society,
... rethink laboratory procedures with regard to sustainability and
... bring about more environmentally friendly action in the long term.
They save energy, water and materials and reduce waste such as plastic waste and chemicals.
My Green Lab certification: The process at a glance
Certification process
- You write an e-mail to greenlab@bcp.fu-berlin.de and express your interest in certification.
- We will contact you, answer your questions and advise you.
- You inform us by e-mail that you would like to register for the certification process.
- You name a contact person from your working group.
- We register your working group with My Green Lab. You pay the costs of approx. 500 US dollars.
- At least 50 percent of the permanent employees in your working group actively participate in the process.
- Every one to two weeks, your team meets for about 45 minutes to set goals and plan measures.
- The certification process takes eight to ten months.
- There are five certification levels: from bronze to green.
- You carry out the process of certification independently online.
- Certification takes place via third-party verification of Impact Laboratories.
- We will reimburse your working group 50 percent of the costs of certification (limited budget - only for the first participating working groups).
- The certificate remains valid for two years.
➔ Further information about My Green Lab Certification 2.0
My Green Lab certification of AG Knaus
My Green Lab certificate AG Knaus
In 2023 and 2024, the working group of biochemistry professor Petra Knaus reduced energy and resource consumption in the laboratory through targeted measures for greater sustainability. This made the Knaus working group the first research group at Freie Universität Berlin to be certified by My Green Lab with the highest “Green Level”.
Documents, Links and Experiences
Small measure, big effect: instead of minus 80 degrees, the ultra-low temperature freezers are operated at minus 70 degrees.
Image Credit: Marion Kuka
Save energy and cash with your freezers
- Replace old freezers: up to £400 per year saving per freezer
- Defrost freezers regularly: around £200 per year saving per freezer
- Save space by clearing out old samples: save up to £1,000 per year for every ULT freezer you can retire
- Run your freezers a little warmer: up to £300 per year saving per freezer
University of Edinburgh, Social Responsibility & Sustainability, Updated May 2021 by Andrew Arnott
Store biological samples at lower temperature
The University of Boulder Colorado and the University of California Irvine host an online database of biological samples which can be stored at -70⁰C or warmer: see database
Publication: Sustainability in pharmaceutical analytics
Waste management, sample preparation, melting points, solvents: Prof. Dr. Maria Kristina Parr from the Institute of Pharmacy and Felix Bredendiek from the CoreFacility BioSupraMol, PharmaMS department, discuss ways to achieve greater sustainability in pharmaceutical chemistry.
Publication (in German): Pharmakon · 13. Jg · 1/2025 31, DOI:10.1691/pn.20250005 (PDF)