Sustainability, resource conservation, and mitigating the climate crisis are among the greatest challenges facing society today. Universities have a special responsibility in this context to act as role models for society and to reinforce the credibility of science.
(Only available for Employees of MedUni Vienna)
In this spirit, the Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research (IPA), as part of the Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Vienna), is continuously striving to implement the measures proposed by the MedUni Vienna's "Sustainable University" initiative. Furthermore, we incorporate and implement additional ideas from our employees regarding sustainability and resource conservation.
Employees are regularly informed about all measures and encouraged to contribute themselves.
- At our location within the AKH (General Hospital), we benefit from an already very well-organized waste management system. At the IPA, all standard recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, clear and colored glass, plastics, and metals are collected in appropriately marked bins for recycling and to minimize residual waste.
- PET plastic bottles used to deliver cell culture media are collected separately – at the IPA's initiative – and recycled (https://pan-biotech.de/recycle/).
- Special medical waste, such as sharp and pointed objects, is collected in special containers. The plastic collection containers used at the IPA for this purpose are made from renewable resources, reducing CO2 emissions by 66% (https://woodsafe.green/en/).
- Hard-shell cooling elements included with refrigerated shipments are forwarded to the AKH hospital pharmacy for reuse.
- Polystyrene boxes received with deliveries are reused as ice containers, and plastic bags are reused for the sorted storage of samples.
- Many experiments utilize pipette tips from refillable boxes.
Further information on refilling pipette tip boxes can be found here.
- Ultra-low temperature freezers (and refrigeration units)
- Ultra-low temperature freezers (ULTs) used for sample storage can consume up to 20 kWh per day, which equates to approximately 7300 kWh per year. To reduce this energy consumption, the following measures are implemented:
- All ULTs at the IPA are set to -70°C instead of -80°C, reducing energy consumption by approximately 20% without compromising sample quality.
- All refrigeration units are defrosted regularly. Dust is also removed from the air filters.
- The contents of all refrigeration units are regularly checked to free up space and minimize the need for new purchases.
- In addition to reduced electricity consumption, this saves CO2 and increases the lifespan and temperature stability of the units, significantly contributing to the long-term safe storage of valuable sample material.
Further information can be found here. (Only available for Employees of MedUni Vienna)
- Autoclaving and Heat Sterilization
- The production of sterile liquids and consumables requires the energy-intensive use of autoclaves (operating at high temperature and pressure) and heat sterilizers (operating at high temperature). These devices are operated in a coordinated manner at the IPA to reduce operating times and maximize utilization.
- Fume Hoods/Düstorage Units
- A fume hood, designed to protect employees from hazardous gases, vapors, aerosols, and dust, continuously extracts conditioned air from the room. This air must be replaced with outside air and then reheated or cooled, consuming up to 3.5 times more energy than an average single-family home. All IPA employees are required to switch on the fume hoods only when needed and to keep the sash closed.
- Lights Off! Equipment Off!
- All IPA employees are instructed, through appropriate signage, to switch off lights and equipment when not in use or required.
- Reducing paper consumption
- Information sheets point out: Think before you print!
Energy consumption and CO2 emissions are high in the production of plastics. The mostly linear use of plastic items in the laboratory is also unsustainable. However, the CO2 footprint can be significantly reduced simply by reusing laboratory materials, and costs can be lowered in many cases (see the following paper: (see Farley & Nicolet, 2023).
- The IPA adheres to the 5 Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle, in particular through:
- Using glass pipettes instead of plastic pipettes
- In-house production of frequently used buffers, for which glassware is used
- Using plastic materials from recycling processes (e.g., bio-based plastics)
- Conscious purchasing from companies that use environmentally friendly packaging materials and/or consciously coordinating orders to reduce the number of deliveries
The Medical University of Vienna is committed to promoting climate-friendly workplace mobility. It reimburses employees for a portion of their annual public transport pass (Jobticket) (Only available for Employees of MedUni Vienna).
- In addition, the use of bicycles for commuting is encouraged through bicycle service and repair workshops, as well as by creating the necessary infrastructure.
- The IPA regularly informs all employees about these measures.