The Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) is transforming laboratories into low emissions workspaces - delivering an annual emissions reduction equivalent to 1,228 tonnes of carbon dioxide, or more than 500 typical petrol cars.
Pharmaceutical research is inherently resource-intensive. Life sciences labs use five to 10 times more energy than a typical house, consume five times more water and account for two per cent of the world's plastic waste. As global demand for medicines increases, and the variety and scale of production accelerates, so does the environmental footprint of the sector.
To confront the challenges facing climate health, MIPS is driving systemic change across research, teaching and operations by embedding sustainability as a core capability, aligning with Monash University's net zero 2030 targets and national climate health priorities.
Roughly 80 per cent of MIPS labs are now certified by My Green Lab and the institute holds the largest number of laboratories classed as 'Green' in Australia, the highest tier of sustainability. My Green Lab is a UN-recognised non-profit organisation focused on building a global culture of sustainability in scientific research.
Professor Chris Porter, the Director of MIPS, said the institute is rapidly creating climate friendly science workspaces and the certifications demonstrate world-leading science and climate health can go hand-in-hand.
"We've demonstrated that sustainability and laboratory efficiency can be mutually reinforcing," Professor Porter said.
"Crucially, we can do this with no change to the excellence of our pharmaceutical research - at the same time as seeing a significant drop in our contribution to annual emissions."
While electricity-guzzling equipment like ultra-low temperature freezers or fume hoods dominate footprints on high-carbon power grids, transitioning to clean energy shifts the main climate burden to supply chains. Since 2025, 100 per cent of Monash University's on-site electricity has come from renewable wind and solar.
To drop emissions, MIPS has been focused on sustainable procurement initiatives and optimised practices for ultra-low temperature storage and ventilation while adopting greener solvent alternatives. These changes deliver strong financial efficiency and operational savings through behavioural change.
Associate Professor Lauren May, who leads the implementation of My Green Lab certifications at MIPS, said the figures reflect a growing shift from isolated actions to a coordinated, institute-wide change.
"We now have more laboratories certified by My Green than any other organisation in the country, of which 11 have achieved Green certifications, alongside eight Platinum and three Gold awards," Associate Professor May said.
"MIPS has a goal of acquiring Green certification in at least 95 per cent of our laboratories by 2030."
Dr Leanne Hawkey, a MIPS Operations Manager who provides support for the My Green Lab rollout, said the accreditation process is dependent on teamwork to identify where small sacrifices can be made.
"This is the culmination of grassroots changes coming together - operational staff, students, and professors all feeding into the practice," Dr Hawkey said.
"As long as you're working together in a group, it's easy to make incremental changes, which is why we've come so far since we started the certification process in July 2025."
The initiative, driven by the MIPS Climate Health Initiative and the Green Lab Community of Practice, is modernising sustainability, safety and wellbeing within one of Monash University's most research-intensive environments. This whole-of-institute shift relies on the collaborative efforts led by Associate Professor May, Dr Hawkey, Professor Porter and MIPS Chief Operating Officer Rosemary Manning.
The efforts of the MIPS team were highly commended for 'Climate Action' at the 2026 Green Gown Awards Australasia.
