Home The Foundation The Board Become a Sponsor Become a Member Awards Comments Our Sponsors Saving Energy News Contact Us Industry Links THE GREEN VIVARIUM FOUNDATION AWARDS Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle We are currently seeking nominations for this year's awards. Self-nominations are welcome. Please submit your nomination forms for 2010 by October 1, 2010. Final candidates will be notified by October 15, 2010; and the awards ceremony will take place during the 2010 AALAS national meeting. Adobe Reader available here: The Green Vivarium Foundation presented its second annual Foundation Awards at the national AALAS meeting, recognizing efforts by people, product design and facilities that conserve energy. Congratulations to this year's winners and to all of our nominees, for demonstrating their commitment to building a greener vivarium.      BEST INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE CRITERIA: Professor Dr. Joerg Schmidt of the Helmholtz Center Munich, Germany, initiated a new waste separation program in the Center's animal facility, including collection of all polycarbonate (PC) waste. The goal: recycling approximately 3000 - 5000 discarded PC cages and PC water bottles per year. A first lot of 3,715 used cages and 240 water bottles -- 2014.2 kg of PC -- were collected in the facility's washrooms between July, 2008 and April, 2009. The used macrolon was shipped to a nearby shredder. Dr. Schmidt took advantage of a network of European shredders, established by Tecniplast, to minimize the distance to the customer; and subsequently the amount of CO2 footprint produced by transportation, in line with the joint recycling strategy between this caging manufacturer and Dr. Schmidt's faclity. The material shredded is re-used to produce articles such as automotive parts, furniture, household appliances and office and urban equipment, offering a "second life" to the plastic. This initiative and the joint efforts prevented an impressive 37.967.6 kg net of CO2 production, with transport of the materials to the shredding and recycling center and the energy for grinding subtracted. From May, 2009 to September, 2009, another 2,978 used cages and 540 water bottles were collected for a second recycling process scheduled for later this year. So far, theCO2 reduction is estimated at 30,932 kg for this second batch. The Helmholtz's Center new PC recycling program will avoid CO2 production from incinerated PC in the range of 45,000 to 74,000 kg of CO2 per year. Foundation Board Member Dr. Ron Banks presents the 2009 Best Individual Initiative award to Professor Dr. Joerg Schmidt (left), Department of Comparative Medicine, Helmholtz Center Munich Congratulations to Dr. Schmidt and the Helmholtz Center Munich on reducing your facility's carbon footprint!      BEST FACILITY CRITERIA: The new Pfizer St. Louis 148,000 gsf vivarium epitomizes what it means to be a green vivarium. Immediate and long-term environmental impact was of utmost consideration throughout the design and construction process, with criteria set for achieving optimal animal environments (in compliance with Guide-ILAR 1996) while minimizing energy use. The tri-level HVAC mode for animal and procedure rooms demonstrates the focus on energy conservation. In 'occupied mode,' the air is 15 air changes per hour with 12:12 lighting; in 'unoccupied mode,' the air flow is reduced to three air changes per hour, and the lights are set to 'off' mode (with the ability to turn them on with a one-hour time set). In decontamination mode, the airflow is reduced to zero, to permit the use of chemical disinfectants to clean the room between uses. Dr. Gary Borkowski with Pfizer St. Louis' 2009 Best Facility Award Not only was the final design environmentally friendly; forethought was given to be "green" during construction as well. Any waste generated during the construction phase was recycled to the greatest extent possible, resulting in a low environmental burden at the landfill. There are several other 'green aspects' to the building, including low "E" glass, the use of coatings to try and minimize generation of VOCs, and thoughtful consideration of landscaping to minimize runoff. Congratulations, Pfizer St. Louis!      BEST PRODUCT OR SYSTEM CRITERIA: Beta Star Sterilizers (autoclaves), which offers a water conservation vacuum system feature called Enviro Vac on all sizes of vivarium sterilizers, was this year's winner for Best Product or Service. Developed by the Beta Star Life Science Equipment market group of R-V Industries, this patented applied vacuum system reduces total water usage during an autoclave sterilization cycle by up to 80% when autoclaving porous or wrapped type media. According to R-V Industries, manufacturer of the product, other manufacturers sterilize vacuum systems using either a venturi to drain or heat exchanger liquid ring vacuum pump system, which consumes a larger quantity of water. An emphasis on the water savings was engineered into the final Enviro Vac product, which circulates and re-uses water in a condenser tank. Congratulations to R-V Industries, manufacturer of Beta Star Sterilizers! Foundation Board Member Dr. Ron Banks presents the 2009 winner for Best Product to Beta Star Sterilizers. Accepted by Bill Purvis (left), Technical Sales Support Manager 2008 WINNERS In 2008, the Green Vivarium Foundation presented its first annual Foundation Awards to recognize efforts by people, ideas, designs and systems that promote energy savings, and emissions and waste reduction.      BEST INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE CRITERIA: An active vivarium employee who has demonstrated a commitment to conservation in their facility in 2009. This individual believes in a philosophy of energy savings and waste reduction. The Green Vivarium Foundation is looking for someone who has initiated simple or complex directives, SOPs, procedures or ideas that achieve measurable results. All initiatives will be considered. Your small idea may make a big difference.      2008 winner Carrie Grace of National Jewish for Best Individual Initiative Carrie Grace of National Jewish Health Biological Resource Center. Carrie did three simple things. Initiated a recycle box for non-secure paper products, developed an inventory system for water bags and implemented a procedure to optimize water bag changing periods. These simple efforts paid surprisingly huge gains in recycling, waste reduction, water savings and energy savings.      BEST FACILITY CRITERIA: A facility that has implemented significant changes during 2009, with great consideration given to features and functionality that reduce energy, emissions or waste, or a facility opened in 2009 designed to this criteria. This facility must be in operation and actively conducting research. Areas of savings could include lighting, HVAC, water, waste, recycling or other unique conservation strategies. 2008 winners Danielle Donahue and Brenda Klaunberg of NIH Mouse Imaging Facility for the Best Facility National Institutes of Health, Mouse Imaging Facility. NIH converted to a recyclable cage system that saves energy and space. Danielle Donahue and Brenda Klaunberg were able to attend the awards ceremony hosted by the Foundation. Ron and Diego presented the award to Danielle and Brenda. Congratulations to NIH!      BEST PRODUCT OR SYSTEM CRITERIA: A product or system designed or adapted exclusively for the vivarium. Must be new to the industry in the last three years (2006-2009). Compared to the alternatives, this product reduces energy, emissions or waste. A product that saves electricity, water, food, bedding, space or labor; that is produced with less energy or utilizes recycled materials or is itself recyclable. 2008 winner Brian Anderson of Innovive for the Best New Product Innocage and Innorack. This unique technology eliminates the need for on-site washing and sterilizing of cages, bottles and feeders, saving energy, water and space. Brian Anderson of InnoVive attended the awards ceremony. The award was presented by Dr. Ron Banks and Diego Rozo. Congratulations to InnoVive!

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