The Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, together with the School of Physics and Astronomy, has achieved the prestigious Silver Sustainable Lab Award under the University’s Sustainable Lab Awards programme by demonstrating its commitment to environmental stewardship. This accreditation is designed for lab environments in which energy, water and chemical consumption can be particularly intensive and recognises 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.

This 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.