Green Labs

The University’s lab spaces are a crucial environment to make sustainability progress due to their abundant energy, water, and material use. Through both the Green Labs program, which focuses on outreach and engagement, and the Smart Labs program, which focuses on enhancing lab safety and efficiency, we are reimagining our lab spaces to create a culture of sustainability.

Researchers participating in the “Shut the Sash Challenge” saved an estimated $34,000 in energy costs in one month. The challenge is hosted by the Office for Sustainability to promote safe and sustainable fume hood management practices in labs across Grounds.

UVA's Felder Lab, which focuses on clinical chemistry and medical automation, won our 2021 Freezer Challenge for saving energy. Congratulations!

Sustainability is about finding “win-win-win” solutions that are good for the planet, people, and the bottom line. As the coronavirus pandemic has swept through and challenged the typical modes of operation for our University, extra emphasis has been placed on keeping people safe and reducing costs. Fortunately, many environmentally green solutions can also save some “green” and help us be good stewards of UVA’s resources during this tough time.

The Green Labs program, started in 2016, helped focus and lead efforts to assess and improve lab sustainability at UVA. The subsequent success and expansion of the program has created new opportunities for students to contribute to Green Labs initiatives around Grounds, including positions for two Green Lab interns. Read more to hear about how Dakota and Pumoli have helped transform the Green Labs program.

At the University of Virginia, a competitive research environment is our petri dish for testing friendly lab-to-lab competition aimed at reducing environmental impacts of research. UVA Green Labs hosts three annually recurring programs: The International Laboratory Freezer Challenge each Spring, a Shut the Sash fume hood competition in October, and a comprehensive year-long Certification Program. Through these competitive programs, labs are improving their operations, conserving lab resources, and earning rewards (with bragging rights, for some).

The goal of Green Labs is to promote safe and sustainable practices in research at UVA. One of the best things that lab personnel can do is shut their chemical fume hood sash when not in use to protect lab occupants and save building energy use. Every October, Green Labs runs a “Shut the Sash” competition where labs are able to win prizes for meeting goals in fume hood management.