Laboratories are among the most resource-intensive areas in universities and research institutions – with high energy and material consumption and special requirements for technology and infrastructure. Against this backdrop, green lab concepts and certifications are becoming increasingly important in order to systematically anchor sustainability in scientific work.
This was the topic of the two-day symposium held by DG HochN and the University of Göttingen last week in Göttingen. Established approaches, certification options, and best practice examples for sustainable laboratory operations and everyday research were presented. These included recognized certification programs such as MyGreenLab and LEAF – the latter of which has also been represented at the University of Bonn and the UKB for over a year.
Numerous stakeholders and coordinators of sustainable laboratory concepts and facilities, as well as those interested in actively shaping sustainable everyday research attended the conference.
In addition to exciting input on how sustainability can be achieved in everyday laboratory practice and what it takes to achieve long-term improvements in CO2 emissions or resource savings in research institutions, regular exchange sessions among the participants ensured low-threshold networking and the sharing of their own experiences and ideas.
In addition, existing networks, such as the Green Lab Network and the new pilot project SparkHub platform for a cross-disciplinary sustainability strategy in research, were presented.
The outlook for the entire conference for sustainable research practices of the future: Laboratories are a central field of action for the institutionalization of sustainable measures, because research is very resource-intensive and must be included in the sustainability strategies of their institutions. Their potential for environmental improvement should not be underestimated and, above all, should be approached strategically by emphasizing the motivation and effectiveness of sustainable laboratory practices.
Detailed information and all content can also be found on the DG HochN-Wiki page.