Sustainable Research Laboratories

Two individuals wearing lab coats working in a laboratory with plants.

The process of carrying out scientific research can be inherently impactful upon the environment, often entailing high energy and resource demands. Efforts to enhance the sustainability of our laboratory-based research are underway thanks to the adoption of the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) at Heriot-Watt University.

Laboratories typically consume up to 10 times more energy than office areas, while a study published in Nature estimated that scientific research is responsible for generating approximately 5.5 million tonnes of lab-derived plastic waste annually. That’s the combined weight of roughly 67 cruise liners, or nearly 89 million adult humans.

Laboratory-based research has enabled countless scientific breakthroughs, is essential for advancing society and continues to help us understand the impacts of climate change, however, there are many changes that can be made to the way research is carried out that can help make it more sustainable.

The LEAF programme exists to support laboratory-based staff and students to embed sustainability in their work. Contact SustainableHWU@hw.ac.uk to be put in touch with the LEAF champion for your work area.

Our Dubai Campus

My Green Lab - Heriot-Watt University Dubai was recently awarded a prestigious Gold certification from My Green Lab, the first academic institution in the UAE to achieve this feat. This recognition is a testament to the university's commitment to a zero-carbon future and positions the university as a global leader in laboratory sustainability best practices.