Elevating sustainability in physics & astronomy labs

School receives Silver Lab Award for sustainable research practices.

The School of Physics and Astronomy has taken a significant step towards a greener research culture, building on its Changemaker Award in the School’s Biolabs, achieved in 2023. The School has now strengthened its commitment to environmental stewardship by achieving the prestigious Silver Sustainable Lab Award under the University’s Sustainable Lab Awards programme.

This accreditation is designed for wet-lab environments—settings where energy, water, and chemical consumption can be particularly intensive—and recognises the School’s proactive efforts to embed sustainability into day-to-day research practices.

The Silver Lab Award acknowledges teams that go beyond basic compliance, implementing resource-efficient procedures and environmentally responsible ways of working. Silver-level criteria cover a wide range of areas, including energy efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, cold-storage optimisation, chemical and gas handling, water minimisation, and knowledge sharing, all building on the foundational Bronze standards.

Importantly, the School’s achievement aligns with emerging expectations across the research landscape. Major UK and international funders are increasingly requiring applicants to demonstrate concrete commitments to sustainability as part of grant eligibility and assessment. Organisations such as the Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK (CRUK) are now integrating environmental sustainability criteria into their funding processes, asking applicants to show how their research will reduce resource use and associated emissions.

For the School of Physics and Astronomy, attaining the Silver Award not only supports the University’s Strategy 2030 sustainability ambitions and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, but also positions the School to meet these evolving expectations from external funders.

This project was led by Neil Corsie (Health & Safety Manager and Deputy Technical Services Manager), with the essential work carried out by the School’s dedicated laboratory technicians and staff, and with valuable support from the Head of School.