A few weeks ago, I participated in a conference call for bloggers to learn more about the green building efforts of Genzyme, a biotech company focused on diagnostic testing, pharmaceuticals, and medical treatments. In addition to its headquarters building in Cambridge, Massachusetts (a LEED Platinum building), Genzyme has several additional buildings seeking LEED as well as a few green buildings internationally.

What I found most interesting were the efforts to green research laboratories. Genzyme is presently seeking Silver LEED accreditation for its research laboratory in Framingham, Massachusetts and has a proposed research building in Beijing, China. Much of the work in the Framingham laboratory focused on lighting and daylighting, radiant heating and cooling, and a highly reflective roof. One of the challenges with laboratories is the added energy expense of once-through air systems. Achieving LEED standards for laboratories can be more difficult than standard commercial buildings as laboratory buildings are more energy and water intensive (the average wet lab uses five times as much water and energy as a typical office building per square foot).