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The university laboratory is incredibly energy- and resource-intensive. Labs often account for more than 60 per cent of , and generate an estimated per year. Yet the scientific research that emanates from these labs could be crucial in the fight against climate change and environmental destruction. So, how can universities progress towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) when the very process of innovating brings its own environmental costs?

For real hope of a sustainable future, sweeping changes have to be made from the top down and bottom up – so academics and laboratory users must do their bit to keep their research environment energy-efficient, less wasteful and operationally streamlined. Discover how small habits can have quietly cumulative effects, how to reduce waste without compromising the sterility or accuracy of experiments, ways to embed a green mindset in students’ practical sessions and whether AI can help – or hinder.

This spotlight guide comes out as the latest ߣߣ��Ƶ Sustainability Impact Ratings are announced, revealing which universities around the world are driving progress towards each of the 17 SDGs. And while many of the achievements showcased in the ratings will be driven by major policy changes and institution-wide initiatives, individual actions also hold a large part of the answer to the climate crisis, as this guide shows.

Small, sustainable changes for big results

For a greener laboratory environment, the day-to-day habits of its users will do the most to move the dial – from closing fume hoods as a matter of course to careful maintenance of equipment. 

“Resistance on the part of lab users is not the biggest barrier I see to sustainable practice; rather, it is simply lack of awareness,” writes Autumn Timpano. Find advice here on embedding sustainable practices into lab teams’ working lives and making them habitual for researchers and students.

Greener labs don’t need bigger budgets – just better habits: When it comes to improving green practices across a university’s laboratories, meaningful change doesn’t always require major investment or new infrastructure. Small but intentional practices can yield substantial results, as Autumn Timpano of Virginia Tech explains.

Tips to integrate sustainability into day-to-day university lab practice: Sustainability doesn’t have to be a big project. Instead, make it a part of what science departments do daily, writes the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Deirdre Black.

Campus Talks: Actions that make a real difference in the fight against climate change: From global finance to the laboratory, hear about two very different ways universities can reduce their carbon emissions. Ellen Quigley of the University of Cambridge and Jenna Lowe of the University of Liverpool discuss.

Turning research sustainability from a tick-box exercise into the way we work: Sustainability can feel like yet another task for busy researchers. Here are ways to make greener research practices easier – and more memorable, from UCL’s Andrea Hodgetts, Caitlin Broadbent and Hong Zhang.

How to cut down on laboratory waste 

With single-use or limited-life consumables integral to keeping a lab sterile and safe to operate in, waste can easily spiral out of control. Labs than average office spaces. But there are clever ways to minimise this, as our contributors have found, whether it’s switching to reusable equipment, setting up a circular economy or reclassifying what counts as hazardous waste.

From experiment to impact: reducing waste in teaching labs, part 1: From cleaning glassware to choosing cooling systems, learn how small teaching interventions can help students experiment more sustainably. Rebecca L. Jones, Sara Thayammal, Fatema Khatun and Roberta Stinga of Imperial College London show how.

Take action to make sustainable labs a reality: Eliminate waste, reap the benefits of a circular economy and aim for ambitious targets for greener laboratories, with these tips from the University of Liverpool’s Jenna Lowe.

Greener life science labs: the challenge to save energy and reduce waste: How to decrease the environmental footprint of a life science research centre? The University of Luxembourg’s Annegrät Daujeumont shares how following a certification programme can help labs embrace sustainability and eco-friendly practices.

Understanding the environmental cost of cold storage

Researchers need to store important samples in temperatures as low as -80C yet freezers and fridges can be a huge drain on electricity and become less efficient as time goes on. Finding out how improving awareness of the issue, investing in the right equipment and understanding the behaviour change needed to keep energy consumption to a minimum, could make a real difference. 

The hidden environmental cost of cold storage in laboratories: Ultra-low-temperature freezers in laboratories can use as much energy as two UK households per year. Here’s how to make cold storage as efficient as possible, with advice from Marcelo Salierno of King's College London.

How can we improve the sustainability of labs? Jenna Lowe outlines how small, incremental changes to how laboratories manage consumables and equipment can add up to a substantial reduction in the environmental footprint of research activities.

Centralised lab management for leaner, greener processes

Staff and students can do their bit for a more sustainable lab in their daily work but it can also be made more efficient by streamlining processes. This not only cuts down on waste and energy use but can also save money and reduce admin, leaving more time and headspace to focus on the real work at hand. Read about two different ways to centralise here.

How we cut daily lab deliveries by 94 per cent: By cutting down deliveries, you can lower your lab’s carbon footprint, reduce clutter and admin and free up researchers to focus on discovering new cures and treatments. Kully Sunner, Stephen Shine and Kelly Newman of UCL discuss how.

Run your lab more smoothly by centralising chemicals management: A simple change reduced our lab waste by a tenth, writes Universiti Teknologi Petronas’ Mohd Fatimie Irzaq Khamis. Find out how you can do it too.

AI: environmental friend or foe?

In 2025, AI use accounted for as New York City. It’s also predicted to use 6.6 billion cubic tonnes of water by 2027 – half the UK’s total annual use. And yet, some scientists believe it could be the key to .

Here, academics from the University of Exeter explore why environmental scientists are increasingly using AI tools in their work, while two University of Nottingham scholars make the case for deploying AI to find greener solutions.

Environmental researchers know the impact of AI – so why do they still use it? Academics are increasingly using AI for research, despite being aware of its environmental footprint. But is it their fault – and what can be done? Sarah Hartley, Emily Robinson and Mayra Rodriguez of the University of Exeter offer their advice.

A surprising ally in the fight to make chemistry greener – AI: While making chemistry more sustainable is paramount, tiny changes to lab materials and conditions can have significant effects. The University of Nottingham's Jonathan Hirst and Joe Heeley explore if AI’s data-crunching abilities can help.

Deploy virtual reality to build more sustainable habits

In teaching labs, students’ lack of experience and uncertainty about the correct processes can create waste before any scientific work begins. UCL and University of Kent academics found that a pre-lab virtual reality simulation could prepare students without using valuable resources – and help them build a sustainability-focused mindset. 

Make laboratory teaching greener with VR: Virtual reality should not replace hands-on laboratory teaching. Used well, it can make practical science more sustainable by reducing avoidable waste and helping staff use real laboratory time more effectively. Stephen Hilton from UCL and Blanka Hilton from the University of Kent provide tips.

Help students connect lab work with sustainability ideas

Find out how to embed greener thinking into students’ learning. Instead of overhauling the curriculum, educators can integrate targeted interventions into existing courses, as these resources explain. Learn how to use the research environment itself to develop students’ decision-making skills and define the principles of green chemistry early on, for more environmentally minded future researchers.

Practical ways to embed green chemistry into a packed curriculum, part 1: Learn how small, intentional curriculum changes can help students connect chemistry with health, environmental and social impact and sustainable development, from Agnieszka Brandt-Talbot, Euan D. Doidge, Rebecca L. Jones and Laura Patel of Imperial College London.

Practical ways to embed green chemistry into a packed curriculum, part 2: Find out how targeted teaching, skills-based projects and real-world context equip students to think critically about environmental and human impacts while developing as responsible scientists.

From experiment to impact: reducing waste in teaching labs, part 2: How to move beyond basic waste reduction to teaching students responsible decision-making in experimental work, by Imperial College London's Rebecca L. Jones, Sara Thayammal, Fatema Khatun and Roberta Stinga.

Go green, AI! Can AI be as green as it is integral to solving complex problems? As universities integrate courses on AI into different fields, they also need to show students its risks and costs, particularly for the environment, write Inès Chihi and Inma Peral of the University of Luxembourg. 

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