Where Impacts Typically Hide
- Cleanroom HVAC: high ACH rates and tight environmental control drive large electricity use.
- Utilities: purified water, clean steam, CIP/SIP cycles, compressed gases, cooling systems.
- Single-use consumables: bags, tubing, filters—lightweight materials but frequent turnover and end-of-life impacts.
- Upstream media & feeds: complex ingredient footprints and global supply chains.
- Cold chain: ultra-low storage and temperature-controlled transport.
- Yield variability: lower output or failed batches magnify per-unit impacts.
Quick Start (One Product, One Site, Simple Afternoon Workflow)
- Define scope: from raw materials to fill-finish; report results both per batch and per functional unit (e.g., 1,000 doses).
- Collect key data:
- Media/feeds: mass per batch, supplier region.
- Utilities: electricity, purified water, steam, cooling demand, CIP/SIP cycles.
- Single-use components: typical consumables and quantities.
- Cleaning: chemicals and rinse volumes.
- Cold chain: storage temperatures, energy use, transport.
- Choose impact areas: include climate and additional categories (water use, resource use, pollution indicators) to capture trade-offs.
- Explore scenarios: equipment choices, yield changes, HVAC strategies, heat recovery, batch size adjustments.
- Summarize insights: identify hotspots and recommend improvements with clear assumptions and uncertainty notes.
Comparing Single-Use and Stainless Options
- Stainless workflows: primarily driven by cleaning requirements—energy, water, chemicals, and downtime.
- Single-use workflows: driven by consumable materials, upstream manufacturing, and end-of-life treatment.
- Fair comparison tips: keep batch size, quality constraints, and turnaround time consistent. Consider packaging, transport, equipment life cycles, and changeover impacts.
Utilities & Cleanroom: The Big Levers
- Water and steam: track energy intensity of production systems and potential recovery opportunities.
- CIP/SIP: document cycle counts, temperatures, and chemical use.
- HVAC: adjust ACH assumptions, room grades, and operating hours.
- Cooling systems: include energy intensity and performance factors.
- Heat recovery in utility loops
- Reduced ACH within validated ranges
- Optimized cleaning recipes
- Smarter batch scheduling to reduce idle cleanroom hours
Cold Chain & Logistics
- Storage: capture energy per day and operational patterns.
- Transport: dry ice use, packaging weight, distance, and transport mode.
- Alternatives: consider higher temperature bands, consolidated shipments, or phase-change materials where allowed.
Mini Case: mAb Pilot Line (Illustrative Only)
- Setup: 2,000 L upstream system; reporting per 1,000 doses.
- Hotspots: purified water/steam demand, HVAC in high-grade rooms, and upstream yield.
- Explored scenarios:
- Single-use upstream to reduce cleaning operations.
- Yield improvement (+15%) to spread utilities across more output.
- Utility heat recovery + HVAC optimization.
- Directional outcomes:
- Single-use upstream reduced climate impact; waste increased but manageable with recovery routes.
- Yield gains produced strong reductions across most categories.
- Utility and HVAC tuning improved overall energy intensity.
- Action path: prioritize yield and HVAC adjustments; pilot single-use upstream; monitor quality and revisit full transitions later.
Supplier & Data Templates (Copy-Ready Fields)
| Block | Field | Unit/Note |
|---|---|---|
| Media | Component name, kg per batch | Include supplier region |
| Utilities | Purified water L/batch + energy per L; steam; electricity | Metered or estimated |
| CIP/SIP | Cycles/batch, chemicals kg, water L | Include temperature/time |
| Single-use | Bag L → kg, filter m² → kg, tubing m → kg | Include sterilization |
| HVAC | Room grade, ACH, operating hours | kWh/day or per batch |
| Cold chain | Storage energy/day, shipment dry ice, km by mode | Lane detail |
Common Pitfalls & Fixes
- Using only per-batch results → add per-dose metrics to understand yield effects.
- Skipping QA constraints → keep scenario adjustments within validated ranges.
- Overlooking sterilization/disposal → especially relevant for single-use.
- Ignoring cleanroom intensity → HVAC often dominates in biotech.
- Reporting only climate impact → broaden categories to catch trade-offs.
FAQ
Is single-use always lower impact?Not necessarily. Utilities saved may be offset by consumables or disposal impacts. Compare options with real site assumptions. Can I start with partial data?
Yes—screening-level assessments help identify priorities. Refine with supplier data and metered utilities as you go. How do I handle confidential media recipes?
Group sensitive components into broader categories and keep exact compositions off-model. Document the grouping approach. What about failed batches?
Model an estimated failure rate to understand sensitivity and support yield-improvement decisions.
Why Sustainly Supports Biotech Sustainability Work
Sustainly brings together all sustainability data in one place and uses transparent AI to help teams—from bioprocess specialists to business leaders—understand environmental impacts and make informed decisions. It shortens analysis time, supports consistent workflows, and helps organizations scale sustainability practices across sites and product lines through:- AI-assisted mapping of materials and utilities
- Fast scenario creation and comparison
- Centralized data for consistent, repeatable workflows
- Collaborative access across departments
- Accessible workflows for both experts and beginners