Every year, the Green Labs Fund is awarded to labs across UBC campuses in Vancouver and Okanagan that propose innovative and achievable projects to enhance sustainability in their lab environments. To learn more about requirements and eligibility criteria for the Green Labs Fund, [click here].
We’re excited to share this year’s Green Labs Fund recipients! A total of eight labs have been selected for their creative and practical approaches to making lab work more sustainable.
Here's a summary of the selected projects:
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Improving The Efficiency of Computational Experiments
The UBC Department of Computer Science, led by Evan Shelhamer, is developing a mechanism to containerize computational workflows. Containerization packages software and all its dependencies- code, libraries, tools, and settings- into a single, portable unit called a container. This approach improves efficiency, reduces electricity use, and streamlines workflows. The project aims to minimize experiment time and energy usage through ongoing monitoring and optimization, creating both immediate and long-term impact.
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Solar Concrete Recycler
The UBC Department of Engineering received the fund to create a solar-powered, student-designed system that recycles concrete waste from engineering labs into reusable cement materials. The project is led by Francois Miros, who has the background to guide the chemical-based approach in this system. Currently, global cement production accounts for roughly 8% of all CO2 emissions. The ambitious goals of the project are to completely eliminate carbon emissions and recirculate all chemicals used in the process, requiring only (green) energy and waste concrete to operate the finalized system. If it can be reasonably designed into the project, the possibility of using concentrated solar for the high heat calcination process will be explored. The project also fosters creative and sustainable thinking among future engineers.
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Incentivizing Glove Recycling Through a Rewards Program
This project tackles disposable PPE waste at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute by implementing a glove recycling rewards system. Labs will compete to recycle the most gloves, with a point system to track contributions. Glove recycling bins will be placed outside various labs, aiming to reduce one of the most common sources of lab waste.
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Botany Growth Chamber Optimization
The Department of Botany is optimizing electricity use in its Plant Growth Chamber Facility, which supports vital plant research. With 48 chambers, the project will assess chamber conditions and usage to identify opportunities for LED retrofits and decommissioning underused units. LED lights use less energy than the current fluorescent ones, with no loss in performance. This initiative will reduce electricity consumption, lower operational costs, and support more sustainable lab practices across the department.
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Assessing Waste in Clinical Skills Training in Medical Curriculum
This project aims to reduce waste generated in medical training through a comprehensive four-phase approach involving waste audits, community feedback, and stakeholder engagement. One of the first actions is assessing PPE recycling bin needs at clinical training sites across Vancouver and subsequently exploring the same in Kelowna, Prince George, and Victoria. Long term, the project may inform broader institutional sustainability policies.
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Nitrile Neutral
The Department of Kinesiology, led by PhD student Viviana J. Shiffman, is implementing a glove recycling initiative in the Exercise Physiology Lab using TerraCycle’s Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Box. This program transforms used medical gloves into raw materials for new products, supporting a circular economy. The project aims to reduce landfill waste, promote sustainable laboratory practices, and engage lab members in environmentally responsible behavior.
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Sous Vide Solvent Recovery System for Resin 3D Printing
This project reduces resin 3D printing waste by safely recovering and reusing isopropyl alcohol (IPA) through a low-cost distillation system. The setup uses indirect heating via a sous vide water bath to minimize fire risk. Extensive safety measures like vapor sensors, auto shut-off, peroxide screening, and proper venting address the flammability and chemical risks involved. Though potentially hazardous, the system is designed with layers of protection to ensure safe and responsible operation.
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Streamlining Cardiac Biobanking: The Transition from Large to Small Formalin Containers
The pilot project by the Bruce McManus Cardiovascular Biobank (BMCB), based at the UBC Centre for Heart Lung Innovation and led by Dr. Gurpreet Singhera, Dr. Ying Wang, and their team, reflects a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and best practices in biobanking. As part of this initiative, the BMCB is transitioning from large formalin containers (120-500 mL) to smaller 10 mL tubes for cardiac tissue storage. This change reduces exposure to formalin- a known carcinogen- improves laboratory safety, lessens environmental impact, and enhances storage efficiency.
A huge congratulations to all the awardees for thinking outside the box to promote sustainable lab practices. As a leading research institution with over 400 labs across its campuses, UBC is committed to ensuring research is conducted in a way that minimizes its impact on our changing climate.