Making research more sustainable
Scientific institutions should lead the way and set an example for our collective responsibility to reduce the environmental impact of research. The BIST scientific community has made an explicit commitment to sustainable research, which reinforces our position as responsible members of society and ultimately makes us more competitive.
BIST works towards more sustainable research in various ways. We want to increase awareness of the potentially negative impacts of the work done by our community of researchers and science professionals, and to promote good practises to reduce them. We are working together to establish measures and protocols across all BIST centres to minimise the environmental impact of our activities. This means for example, that we prioritise sustainability and the reduction of environmental impact when making decisions about the management of our premises and research facilities, or the construction of new ones. One example is the construction of the new BIST building for precision medicine research and innovation at the grounds of the Antic Mercat del Peix, which is certified as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum.
Actions
The BIST Sustainability Working Group —composed of both researchers and management staff committed to making research more sustainable— has been at the forefront of several awareness-raising initiatives:
- 2021 – Green Lab = Cleaner World Campaign
This campaign encouraged the BIST Community to take both individual and collective action to save energy, reduce and properly manage waste, and lower our carbon footprint —working together toward a cleaner, more sustainable world. The initiative featured concise, action-driven messages and was beautifully illustrated by Marina Juanet. - 2024 – Launch of the BIST Sustainable Research Handbook
Authored by the Sustainability Working Group, this handbook presents key data on the environmental impact of scientific research, along with practical tips for reducing it. The handbook is set to become a core component of the welcome package for new members of the BIST Community. It also includes useful links to support sustainable commuting to BIST centres.
Documents and initiatives by the BIST Community
BIST Sustainable Research Handbook
BIST conference 2020 – How to Engage Research Institutes in Sustainable Research?x
External links
LEAF – Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework
Ten simple rules to make your research more sustainable
Right Research: Modelling Sustainable Research Practices in the Anthropocene
University of Colorado | -70 ⁰C Efforts
BBC | Climate change: Should you fly, drive or take the train?