Help advance the University of Pittsburgh’s culture of sustainability by becoming a Pitt Green Laboratory! There are 4 Pitt Green Lab designation levels you can pursue that help advance the Pitt Sustainability Plan:
The goal is to achieve the highest point level possible while providing an opportunity for every laboratory on campus to become more sustainable with their activities, purchases, and decisions! Scores will be normalized to take into consideration items that do not apply to your particular laboratory.
Is Your Lab Going Green?
How does my lab participate?
Laboratories earn points by auditing their current practices and spaces — and reporting which sustainable actions and activities they are taking. Each sustainable practice is assigned a point value based on its impact, ease, and implementation cost.
To become a Pitt Green Lab, your laboratory must complete a Self-Assessment Survey with the assistance of your PI that evaluates your lab across 8 different areas:
- Chemicals & Safety
- Culture of Sustainability
- Energy Consumption & Equipment Maintenance
- Innovation Actions
- Lab Recycling
- Purchasing
- Water Conservation
- Animal Research
After completing the self-assessment, your laboratory will earn 1 of 4 Pitt Green Laboratory designations to celebrate your determination to helping make our campus a more sustainable place inside and out!
What do we get if we participate?
Participating labs will receive:
- A door/window deal recognizing you as a Pitt Green Lab for the designated year.
- A plaque recognizing you as a Pitt Green Lab for the designated year.
- Recognition on the Pitt Sustainability website.
- Recognition at the Pitt Green recognition event.
What comprises a “lab”?
For the purposes of the Pitt Green Labs program, a lab is a room or space equipped for scientific experiments, research, and/or teaching.
If you have questions about whether or not you are eligible for the Pitt Green Labs program, please email us.
Check out a number of lab sustainability efforts on campus:
