The December 2024 CNRS Letter and CNRS.fr highlight the efforts of C2N and LAAS-CNRS to reduce the environmental footprint of their cleanrooms while maintaining cutting-edge research.
At C2N, these efforts resulted in the greenhouse gas emissions of the building being halved between 2021 and 2024. This achievement was made possible through the collective mobilization of researchers, engineers, and technicians who identified and implemented solutions tailored to the specific constraints of their research infrastructure.
A Collective Approach
Under the leadership of Sophie Bouchoule and Aristide Lemaitre, the laboratory's sustainable development representatives, several working groups contributed to improving energy efficiency:
- The CVC and Sorbonnes groups collaborated closely with the company AXIMA, which constructed and commissioned the "Reduced" mode of the cleanroom's air conditioning system in 2022, leading to a reduction in annual electricity consumption of over 1 GWh.
- The Logistics and Infrastructure Service played a key role in adapting the facilities to the laboratory’s daily needs.
- The IT Service oversaw upgrades to the databases and supervision servers, enabling the performance analysis.
- The Réglage_CVC_Labos group supported the extension of the "Reduced" air conditioning mode to the experimental rooms as part of the CNRS Low Carbon 2023 project.
The upcoming projects set to start at C2N in 2025, as part of the Environmental Transition initiative, build on these results. Scaling up would not have been possible without the support of the technical and real estate services of the regional delegation DR04-CNRS.
Towards a Controlled Carbon Footprint for Research Infrastructures
C2N will continue its efforts to minimize the environmental impact of its building, guided by the principles of energy efficiency, energy recovery, and decarbonization.
This success is the result of collective commitment and the support of numerous stakeholders.
Congratulations to all for this exemplary display of environmental responsibility :
Sophie Bouchoule, Aristide Lemaitre, Alain Clement, Laoges Thao, Antoine Caselles, Alain Péan, Sébastien Sauvage, Stéphane Collin, Abdelmounaim Harouri, Jean-Christophe Harmand, Guillemin Rodary, Nicolas Zerounian, Hervé Aubin, Olivier Krebs, Stefano Pirotta, Ali Madouri, Alan Durnez, Teo Baptiste, Laurent Travers, Fabrice Oehler, Martina Morassi, Jean-René Coudevylle, Jean-Pierre Marchesseau, Denis Bole, Cynthia Vallerand, Giancarlo Faini.
Photo Credits: @Laurent Ardhuin for C2N