About UCI Green Labs
The UCI Green Labs program works with principal investigators, lab managers, and students to educate and assist in the implementation of more sustainable practices in campus laboratories. The program provides resources and guidance in areas including energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, sustainable purchasing, and green chemistry. Upon incorporating greater sustainable practices, research groups are awarded official Green Labs certification. All campus research labs are encouraged to participate.
Why Green Labs?
While only 20 percent of building space at UCI are laboratories, research labs consume approximately two-thirds of total campus energy. Laboratory spaces have great potential to reduce energy consumption, conserve water, and minimize waste. By practicing and developing a better understanding of sustainability, labs can be at the forefront in helping UCI achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.
Participation Benefits
- Recognition as lab sustainability champion
- Prolong equipment life and reduce costs
- Increase research efficiency
- Reduce carbon footprint
- Recognition for sustainability efforts on grants
- Strengthen team building & community
- Greater access to sustainability resources
The Certification Process
In an effort to develop an accurate foundation of current practices, we encourage labs to have 50% of its members take the assessment. For large labs, we recognize this might not be feasible and encourage as many people as possible to participate.
The Green Labs team will schedule a time via Zoom to present the results of the baseline assessment. Your lab will be provided with a helpful feedback report and presentation of your results, with recommendations on steps to incorporate greater sustainability into your lab.
Using our recommendations as guidelines, we encourage labs to go at their own pace in implementing new or improved sustainable practices and behaviors. We find most labs complete the process over the duration of one quarter.
During this time, the Green Labs team will be of assistance to help guide you with improvements. Your lab will also be given a “Green Goody Bag” containing an assortment of signs, labels, and tools for your lab to use.
When ready, your lab will take a reassessment. This is the same online survey that was used for the baseline assessment. The same questions are asked to gauge where improvements have been made, allowing us to see a “before and after” of results.
There are five levels of certification:
1) Green – (Score of 80% or higher)
2) Platinum – (70% or higher)
3) Gold – (60% or higher)
4) Silver – (50% or higher)
5) Bronze – (40% or higher)
In recognition of your hard work, your lab will receive an official certificate, a decal sticker for your door, and added to the list of certified labs located on the UCI Green Labs website. With your permission, we will add you to our email listserv, informing you of special offers and discounts on equipment and ongoing access to resources.
Certified Green Labs
