Walking down the corridor of the 3rd floor West Complex you might pass a door that has not one, not two, but three golden plaques hanging outside the door. This is the Civelek Lab, a 3-time recipient of UVA Green Lab certification. Since 2019, Dr. Mete Civelek and his lab have been revolutionizing research while reducing their environmental footprint. They’re not the only ones though.
Take a stroll down almost any research building’s halls and you’ll likely find signs of environmental trailblazers in labs. Inspired by UVA’s 2030 goal to be carbon-neutral, many research labs are answering the call to green-ify their space.
What is Green Lab Certification?
In 2019 the Office for Sustainability (OFS) developed the Green Lab certification program through partnership with researchers, EH&S, and other collaborators. The certification is meant to be a starting point for labs on their sustainability journey. By completing 12 to 20 sustainable actions on the certification checklist, labs can earn a bronze, silver, or gold level certification. Actions range from reading about the ACT label, pledging to using water consciously, to participating in the "Smart Energy Routine” where labs use colored stickers to identify equipment that can be turned off daily, weekly, or never.
Why Green Labs?
Research labs take up 10% of the physical footprint on Grounds but use a third of the energy. Why? Research labs are resource intensive spaces with large equipment such as chemical fume hoods, ultra-low temperature freezers, and water baths. Labs use four times more water than office spaces, have intensive ventilation needs, and generate tons of waste.
The Sustainable Labs team uses a holistic approach to address lab sustainability issues overall, to save money while ensuring safety, and on an individual basis.
Who can be a Green Lab?
Any research lab on Grounds can get Green Lab certified. The Getting Started with Certification document is a great place to start or email [email protected]. We have a dedicated green labs specialist who can help answer questions and help guide the process.
As of December 2024, almost 40 labs have been certified with most of the certified labs in the School of Medicine. The certification process takes 3-6 months to complete and lasts for 2 years.
Recertification Rewards: UVA Green Labs going above and beyond
A few labs have gone above and beyond, continuing to recertify their labs every two years. Meet a few of our Green Lab advocates below.
Civelek Lab
The Civelek Lab has been Green Lab Certified 3 times (2020, 2022, 2024). Their research focus is on genetic mechanisms that lead to increased susceptibility to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Read more about the Civelek Lab here.
Pierce-Cottler Lab
The Pierce-Cottler Lab focuses on microvascular engineering. Like the Civelek Lab, the Pierce-Cottler Lab has been certified three times (2019, 2022, 2025). When asked what motivates him to continue to renew his lab’s certification, Anthony Bruce (lab manager) says “Renewing our certification is an opportunity for new lab members to become acquainted with Green Labs and lab practices which promote sustainability.” Read more about the Pierce-Cottler Lab here.
Multiscale Muscle Mechanophysiology (M3) Lab
The M3 Lab are collectively fascinated by skeletal muscles, using a variety of computational and experimental approaches to study them. This sustainability-minded lab has been certified two times (2022, 2024). Read more about the M3 Lab here.
Naegle Lab
The Naegle Lab uses experimental and computational techniques to understand how modification of cell signaling impacts cancer. This helps them identify possible targets for cancer therapies. They have been gold level Green Lab certified twice (2022, 2025). Read more about the Naegle Lab here.
Machan Lab
The Machan lab is our most recent double certified lab (2022, 2025). Their research scope spans energy-relevant catalysis at the interface of molecular electrochemistry and materials. Read more about the Machan Lab here.
Where to start?
For labs considering becoming Green Lab Certified, or just hoping to be more sustainability minded, here are a few tips on how to get started.
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Check out our Guide to Stocking a Sustainable Laboratory.
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Take 5 minutes in every lab meeting to share a sustainability topic like the ACT label, Green Chemistry, or proper Freezer Maintenance.
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Email our Green Labs Specialist, Sydney Kuczenski at [email protected].
Have more questions about sustainability in research labs? Whether it’s questions about freezer maintenance, sustainable procurement, or energy savings reach out to our Green Lab Specialist, Sydney Kuczenski for help.