Green Lab Certification

Driving Sustainable Science through certification.

Green Lab Certification provides a structured pathway to make your lab more sustainable, efficient, and future‑ready. The programme supports research teams to embed practical improvements into everyday lab practice while aligning with evolving expectations in research and funding.

Reduce operational costs through smarter use of energy, materials, and resources
Strengthen grant applications by demonstrating a clear commitment to sustainability and alignment with emerging funder expectations
Improve waste management and energy performance, lowering environmental impact
Align with best practice and sustainability standards in research and lab operations
Support Trinity’s sustainability goals and contribute to wider institutional impact
Build connections across campus and become part of a growing community of sustainable labs
Act as a model for others, sharing good practice and driving change across research environments
Rethink lab practices by exploring new processes, technologies, and more efficient ways of working
Attract and retain top research talent, as sustainability becomes an increasingly important factor for researchers

The best first step is to contact the Green Labs team.

We will:

Help you identify the most suitable certification pathway for your lab
Guide you through the sign‑up process
Support you in getting started and progressing through certification

📧 Contact us at greenlabs@tcd.ie to begin your Green Lab Certification journey

Once you get in touch, we will help you choose between the two main certification pathways used in Ireland: My Green Lab and SPARK‑Hub.

The most suitable option depends on the type of research you carry out:

My Green Lab is best suited for wet labs and experimental environments, where there is significant use of equipment, consumables, and energy.
SPARK‑Hub is more suitable for specialised, computational or non‑wet labs, with tools tailored to different research setups and sustainability challenges.

The Green Lab Certification process typically takes 3–6 months, depending on your lab’s starting point and level of engagement.

Labs with existing sustainability practices may progress more quickly, while others may take longer as new actions are implemented. The Green Labs team will support you throughout to keep the process manageable and on track.

My Green Lab Certification

Certification framework promoted through Trinity’s Green Labs Programme, providing wet labs with a globally recognised approach to reducing energy use, waste and resource consumption.

SPARK-Hub

Open-access sustainability platform supporting diverse research activities, including laboratories, facilities, offices and digital research environments.

LEAF - Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework

Tiered sustainability certification framework suitable for institution-wide adoption, with proven sustainability benefits demonstrated by universities implementing LEAF.

Green DiSC - a Digital Sustainability Certification

Framework focused on digital and computational research sustainability, supporting dry labs, research software teams and data-intensive research. Available through SPARKHub.

TCD Green Labs interactive Map

Green - Certified Yellow - In progress