Sustainability

The Committee proposes an extra effort to turn off switches and electrical equipment when not in use. When you leave, even for a short time, make sure the lights in rooms are switched off. At the end of the day, whenever possible, switch off computers and other equipment, as well as air conditioning. The annual electricity consumption of this building is 4,750,000 kWh, which is equivalent to the consumption of 1,989 medium-sized households. The estimated annual cost in 2022 is 735,000€. Some lights cannot be switched off for safety reasons, but if you come across any lights that are on unnecessarily, please turn them off or, if this is not possible, please send an email to mnt@itqb.unl.pt.

Annual consumption at ITQB NOVA is around 19,000 m3 or 19,000,000 litres. In particular, we want to remind that laboratories have two types of piped water: normal water and deionised water, which is produced at ITQB NOVA. Water treatment for laboratory use has energy costs and, paradoxically, water costs. For example, to make 1 litre of deionised water, up to 4 litres of piped water are needed. ITQB NOVA also has other types of water for specific purposes and with increasing purity: distilled water, bidistilled water and ultrapure water (millipore), with the respective waste of rejected water. Before choosing which type of water to use, please take into account the purpose for which it is intended. To help reduce the consumption of piped water in the laboratories, the water flow in the taps will be reduced manually.

At ITQB NOVA about 600 reams of printer paper are consumed every year. This number has been decreasing over time, but we believe we can go further, equating each print or copy on paper. Files can be shared via email or other electronic platforms instead of being printed. In a meeting, it is always possible to project a document, rather than distribute a printed version. A document can be shared and edited online, rather than printed in its multiple versions.
Of course, sometimes printing a document is a must, but there are actions we can take to still reduce paper consumption:
• Print on both sides of the paper sheet;
• Reuse printed paper to print on, to draft great ideas or artwork (if you use draft sheets for new printouts, remember to remove them from the common use printer so as not to affect subsequent printouts).
In any case, all paper that cannot be reused should be placed in the recycling bins next to the photocopiers.

To reduce the use of paper and toners, ITQB NOVA has common printers. However, at home we still use personal printers that consume toners and ink cartridges. The ink cartridges should not be thrown in the garbage, because they can be reused. On floor 1 of ITQB NOVA, in front of the warehouse, there is a container to collect toners and ink cartridges. These are delivered to a specialized company that reuses them. Therefore, if you have used toners or ink cartridges at home, bring them to the Institute and promote their reuse. 

The majority of ITQB NOVA laboratories have piped gas (yellow taps). The rational use of this resource contributes to reduce waste. In particular, please avoid leaving Bunsen burners lit when not strictly necessary.

Many gas leaks can also be prevented if gas is only available in those labs that use it. If your lab does not need piped natural gas, please contact our Maintenance team to have it turned off (you can always ask later to have it turned back on).

In the festive season and appealing to everyone’s creativity, the committee challenges you to decorate your labs and offices by recycling what is no longer in use.

In the festive season it is easy to get carried away with the amount of food we cook or buy. The committee proposes to be more conscious in the preparation of our Christmas and that we use food leftovers in a smart and creative way. Remember that almost everything can be frozen for later use. We can share the leftovers with friends and family. Packaged products can also be donated to some institutions or to people in need.

Our challenge does not end at Christmas, but continues throughout the year. Whether in the ITQB NOVA cafeteria or in restaurants, we can always order only the quantity we are going to eat or take the leftovers home, avoiding that the food ends up in the trash.

When the days are colder, the temptation to turn up the air conditioning or switch on the heaters is great. However, this can be avoided by choosing to wear warmer clothes or several layers of clothing.

The National Plan for Energy Efficiency and the measures approved by NOVA determine that the air conditioning in buildings must be regulated for a maximum temperature of 19ºC in the winter months, so it will not be possible to heat the building in the same way as in previous years.

We would also like to remind you that electric heaters should not be used in the building, as these appliances consume a lot of electricity, which would jeopardise all our efforts to reduce consumption. If your room or office is too cold, please contact Maintenance.

If not recycled, these materials end up in landfills when they could be reused. This type of recycling is one of the goals of the circular economy, reducing dependence on natural resources and mining, with all its negative impacts on the environment. Electronic waste is, globally, a major problem, with a recycling rate of only 40% in Europe (and only 22% worldwide).

At ITQB NOVA, we also have a programme for recycling these materials and we know that our waste will be treated and reused, reducing the impact of our activity. To this end, there is a container for the collection of electrical appliances, electronic devices and metal objects on Floor 1 (next to the bicycles). You can bring equipment and objects of this nature that you have at home or in the laboratories. If it is a large appliance, please notify Maintenance first.

Every day at NOVA laboratories research work is performed with consumption of countless resources. You may have already thought about the environmental impact of the lab where you work and how to improve it, in particular by reducing the use of plastics. In fact, the smallest gestures can be important. And every gesture counts.

Between November 17^th and December 17^th, participating ITQB NOVA members walked 40,506,092 steps, as part of the 2^nd Walking challenge, with floor 7 elected as the fittest!