Any Job Can Be A Climate Job How Lab Design Shapes Energy Use for Decades
If you work in a lab, one small habit can save a surprising amount of energy: Shut the sash.
Architect Jacob Werner explains why airflow, safety, and infrastructure choices are some of the biggest (hidden) climate levers.
This episode is part of Any Job Can Be a Climate Job — a podcast exploring how people bring climate impact into everyday work, even in roles that aren’t labeled “climate.”
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Research labs are where some of the most important work in the world happens: curing disease, developing renewable energy, and building the future of science.
They’re also some of the most energy- and resource-intensive buildings we have. Not because people are careless, but because labs are designed to optimize for safety, airflow, and precision.
In this episode, I talk with Jacob Werner, an architect at Ellenzweig who designs science labs for colleges and universities, about why labs function more like machines than offices — and why that makes design such a powerful climate lever.
Jacob explains how decisions about airflow, temperature control, filtration, and safety systems quietly shape energy use for decades — and how good design can make the sustainable choice the easiest choice, without relying on constant heroics from the people inside the building.
Listen for:
- Why labs use so much energy (and what “stable experimental conditions” requires)
- What designers can “bake in” so sustainable behavior is easier (fume hood sashes, recycling access, efficient HVAC)
- How sustainability sticks best when it’s treated as good design, not an add-on
- Practical lab actions that matter: Shut the Sash, lights, and equipment power-down norms
- Why climate action often starts far upstream, in systems most of us never see
About Jacob
Jacob Werner is an architect with Ellenzweig in Boston. Ellenzweig designs science labs primarily for colleges and universities. Jacob also co-chairs the AIA 2030 Commitment, a program supporting architects in tracking and reporting progress toward lower-carbon buildings.
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- American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2030 Commitment
- International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) Resource Hub
- I2SL – Smart Labs Toolkit (practical guidance)
- Ellenzweig – Jacob / team page
- Sustainability at Harvard Labs
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00:00 — Cold open: reduce → electrify → renewables
00:00:32 — Intro: why lab design matters
00:01:53 — Who Jacob is + what he designs (Ellenzweig, AIA 2030)
00:02:35 — What is AIA / AIA 2030?
00:03:00 — How Jacob got into architecture and lab design
00:06:25 — How you start designing a lab (vision + flexibility)
00:07:54 — Why labs are so energy- and resource-intensive
00:10:29 — What designers can build in vs what occupants control
00:11:19 — Six Sigma + workflow convenience (waste + behavior design)
00:11:37 — Persuading clients: make sustainability “part of the package”
00:13:33 — Biggest lesson: climate action isn’t all-or-nothing
00:15:00 — Project story: designing for ocean/climate research (URI)
00:17:29 — Renovation + reuse + embodied carbon
00:19:09 — Low-hanging fruit for lab occupants (Shut the Sash, lights, equipment)
00:20:54 — Where to learn more (AIA + I2SL resources)
00:21:28 — What green labs may look like in 10–20 years
00:25:20 — Closing thoughts: everyone can contribute
00:26:23 — Reflection: the biggest wins come from changing systems
Disclaimer: This episode is for informational purposes only. Views are the guest’s own, and nothing here should be taken as professional advice.
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🎙 Any Job Can Be a Climate Job is produced and hosted by Louisa Henry Edited by Alex LeffOriginal music by Run Riot Run Logo design by Cassidy Frost