News & Insights

Decarbonization has become a deciding factor in partner selection for contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs). As major pharma companies set Scope 3 reduction targets, the operational emissions of their manufacturing partners now appear on sustainability scorecards alongside quality audits and cost proposals. CDMOs that can demonstrate measurable progress hold a real advantage when contracts come up for renewal or new programs go out for bid.

Salas O’Brien’s guide breaks down where energy and emissions concentrate across a typical CDMO facility—from HVAC and cleanrooms to steam systems, process cooling, and cold chain—and identifies high-impact interventions. It outlines a four-phase roadmap that sequences practical, incremental steps, providing a framework to help operations and engineering leaders prioritize investments that deliver lasting reductions without compromising compliance or operational flexibility.

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Contributors

Cyle Graber, PE; Allen Koester, PE, PMP; Marianna Palmour, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, GRESB-AP; Adam Spach, PE, LEED AP; Mike Walters, PE, LEED AP

A practical guide to reducing facility emissions without compromising GMP compliance or operational flexibility

Your scope 1 & 2 are your client’s scope 3

Major pharma companies have committed to aggressive Scope 3 reduction targets over the next decade. Because contract development manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) sit squarely within those supply chains, their operational emissions now show up on their clients’ sustainability scorecards. What was once a reporting exercise has become a factor in partner selection. Procurement teams are asking for emissions data alongside quality audits, capacity assessments, and cost proposals. CDMOs that can demonstrate measurable progress on decarbonization hold a tangible advantage when contracts come up for renewal or new programs go out for bid.

But pharma manufacturing facilities are not warehouses or office buildings. They operate under GMP validation requirements that make every equipment change a regulatory event. Clean utility systems demand precise environmental controls that consume enormous amounts of energy by necessity, not by inefficiency. Multi-client facilities must maintain flexibility across product types, batch sizes, and classification levels, which limits the kinds of optimization that are practical. Decarbonization playbooks built for commercial or industrial buildings rarely account for these constraints.

Emission zones and intervention pathways in a typical CDMO facility

This table itemizes where energy and emissions concentrate in a typical CDMO facility, identifies which GHG reporting scope each zone falls under, and outlines the highest-impact interventions available today. Our goal is to help operations and engineering leaders prioritize investments that deliver lasting reductions while respecting the realities of validated manufacturing. Not every intervention is appropriate for every facility. But understanding the full picture, from HVAC and clean utilities through cold chain and supply chain, makes it possible to sequence a credible, incremental plan rather than chasing a single headline commitment.

Phased decarbonization roadmap for CDMO facilities

Not every intervention is appropriate for every facility, but a phased approach makes it possible to start with what’s actionable today and build toward deeper reductions over time. The roadmap below sequences decarbonization into four phases—Measure, Optimize, Retrofit, and Transform—each designed to align with capital planning cycles, validation requirements, and operational priorities so progress doesn’t come at the cost of compliance or flexibility.

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Why Salas O’Brien for decarbonization of CDMO facilities?

Decarbonizing a CDMO facility isn’t a single initiative. It’s a series of connected decisions across process, utilities, and operations. That complexity is where many efforts stall.

Salas O’Brien brings those systems together.

We work at the intersection of process engineering and facility infrastructure, embedding decarbonization into how things actually run. Decisions are evaluated through impact on product quality, batch risk, and compliance—not just sustainability targets.

We understand CDMO realities: multi-product environments, variable demand, and the need to adapt without disrupting validated systems. Our approach focuses on practical pathways—phased implementation, retrofit strategies, and alignment with production and capital plans.

The result is decarbonization that works in practice: lower emissions, controlled risk, and facilities built to evolve.

Want to discuss your project? Reach out to [email protected].