Optimizing Life Sciences Facilities: The Invisible Systems Saving Millions in Energy

Featuring: Steve Hall, Chief Process Engineer, and Nate Bolton, Engineering Design Manager, Genesis AEC

The Misconception of Sustainability in Biotech

When leadership teams in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors discuss sustainability, the conversation often turns to visible, headline-grabbing technologies: electric vehicle fleets, solar arrays, or wind turbines.

But as Genesis’ Steve Hall explains on the Green New Perspective podcast, “What if the biggest opportunities for sustainability aren’t the things we’re seeing—but the ones we don’t?”

For Genesis, the real impact is happening behind the walls and under the floors—in the “invisible systems” that quietly consume the most energy in a facility. These include HVAC, chilled water, steam, and high-purity process utilities—the lifelines of every life sciences facility.

This is the frontier of Life Sciences Facility Energy Optimization, where expert-level engineering and a commitment to resilience are saving clients millions in operational expenditures (OPEX) every year.

Beyond the Façade: The True Frontier of Operational Efficiency

In highly regulated environments like pharmaceutical manufacturing and advanced biotech R&D, systems must meet stringent cGMP requirements. That demands a nuanced engineering approach—one that elevates efficiency without compromising compliance or reliability.

“The bones of the building are these invisible systems,” says Hall. “They’re critical for ensuring stewardship of our energy—heat, cooling, and even carbon footprint.”

Bolton adds: “If your invisible systems aren’t efficient, you’ll need more of those visible systems—solar panels, wind power—to compensate. It’s a win-win when you improve both sides: reduce what the building needs, and you reduce what you have to generate.”

Why HVAC and Utilities Are the Hidden Key to OPEX Reduction

Air handling and water utility systems are massive energy consumers. Hall notes that “careful control of humidity and temperature set points in response to outside air can make a huge difference in the energy that’s used in those systems.”

Bolton elaborates that even incremental airflow reductions in labs and cleanrooms can deliver outsized savings:

“In pharma, one of the biggest uses is air flow. The more you can reduce the amount of conditioned air required, the more sustainable the system becomes. That’s the first-line reduction opportunity before even adding complex energy-recovery systems.”

Genesis leverages advanced automation and algorithms to optimize temperature, humidity, and pressure without changing airflow volumes—a strategy that enhances comfort and compliance while minimizing energy use.

PharmaWaterPro: A Case Study in Utility-Specific Optimization

Hall and Bolton point to PharmaWaterPro, Genesis AEC’s proprietary modeling tool for high-purity water generation and distribution, as an example of sustainability innovation grounded in engineering discipline.

“PharmaWaterPro lets us compare technologies—multi-effect distillation, vapor compression, or membrane systems—and identify which is most sustainable for a given site,” says Hall. “It factors in maintenance, lifecycle, and energy source assumptions so we can give clients a clear, data-driven path forward.”

In one recent project, the team helped a client transition from a multi-effect distillation system to a membrane-based solution, reducing both energy consumption and lifecycle costs. “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel each time,” Hall explains. “The tool gives us stable assumptions that we can adjust case by case—so we move from conceptual design to detailed design faster and more confidently.”

Electrification, Controls, and Real-World Wins

Bolton highlights a major shift underway: “As we move away from fossil fuels on-site, facilities are using air-source heat pumps to provide both heating and cooling simultaneously. It’s a huge improvement over separate systems that sometimes fight each other.”

The key is for leaders to remember that while each sustainability initiative such as electrification/decarbonization may require a capital investment but each may yield to significant ROI.

“Sometimes it’s just reviewing your controls,” Bolton says. “When was the last time anyone looked at your control sequences or replaced a sensor? A software tweak can yield immediate payback—and those quick wins often fund the larger projects.”

The Cost Conversation: From Compliance to Strategy

Both engineers agree that cost is the biggest barrier—and opportunity.

“Aggressive objectives at the beginning of a project can die or morph once cost estimates come in,” Hall observes. “But when we can show OPEX payback through efficiency and reliability, clients start to view sustainability as an investment, not a burden.”

Bolton reframes it with an analogy:

“It’s like buying boots. A $300 pair that lasts 10 years is better than a $30 pair that wears out every six months. Long-term thinking changes everything.”

The Data Dilemma: Turning Overload Into Action

Genesis caution that data without direction can overwhelm facilities teams. Bolton notes that while every VAV box and light sensor can generate useful information, “data is only as good as the systems you use to analyze it.”

The goal, he says, is precision over volume: “Know what you’re trying to measure, where it’s coming from, and what success looks like. That’s how you turn data into decisions.”

The Collaboration Imperative

Hall underscores the need for alignment among all stakeholders—from vendors managing boilers and chillers to the cooling tower chemistry firms optimizing water quality.

“Each group has its own goals, and sometimes they conflict,” he says. “You need a broker—a project manager who recognizes each contribution and helps bridge those gaps.”

Without that coordination, he warns, even well-intentioned sustainability changes can have unintended consequences, like disrupting chemical balances or increasing maintenance loads.

The Mindset Shift: From Short-Term Cost to Long-Term Value

For both leaders, the most urgent change isn’t technical—it’s cultural.

“We need to move away from first cost,” Bolton concludes. “If you evaluate projects purely on initial spend, you’ll miss the compounding benefits—better systems, better data, better products, and better people outcomes.”

Hall adds that sustainable transformation will require both science and storytelling:

“We have to back up our arguments with data, but we also need convincing narratives that help leadership see the long-term advantages.”

Redefining the Future of Sustainable Facilities

In their vision, the life sciences facility of the future will resemble an industrial version of the Passive House—integrating airtight envelopes, intelligent controls, and balanced systems that deliver precision environments at minimal energy cost.

“Imagine scientists working in high-quality spaces powered by efficient, self-learning systems,” says Bolton. “That’s where we’re headed.”

The next era of sustainability in life sciences won’t be defined by what we see—solar panels, EVs, or glassy facades—but by what we don’t: the efficient, reliable systems humming beneath the surface, quietly saving millions in energy and enabling innovation to flourish.