Conducting Sustainable Research

By the year 2040, the the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry is expected to account for more than 15% of all global emissions. By 2030, desktop and laptop computers are expected to account for approximately 8% of all global emissions.  

Please ensure that any unused hardware, for example, when a member of staff leaves Queen Mary, is issued back to the ITS Helpdesk. All other electrical items (e.g. laboratory equipment, cookers, etc.) should be sent to the Estates and Facilities Helpdesk.  

When hardware is not working, the first port of call should be to repair/refurbish where possible, before requesting a new device.  

Cloud services are another major source of energy consumption. Ensure that shared drives such as SharePoint are being used efficiently, by checking and clearing them on a regular basis. 

AI

While artificial intelligence can be really helpful when conducting research, it also has a significant environmental impact, especially in terms of energy and water consumption. Scientists estimated that by the end of 2023, data centers were the 11th largest electricity consumers in the world, and they are expected to jump to 5th place by 2026 (MIT News, 2025). 

If you are considering using AI for your research, there are a few questions you have to  consider before doing so. You can find more information in the Interim Statement on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Research Integrity at Queen Mary. This UKRIO article provides another helpful list of what to think about when using AI. 

Queen Mary recommends carefully considering the need for the use of AI in your research, and only using it where strictly necessary and in line with policies and regulations. 

If most of your research takes place in an office, refer to this useful guide provided by WWF: WWF Sustainable Office Guide [PDF 6,769KB], which covers many aspects of sustainability within an office environment, from energy, water, waste, and travel to plastic, printing, and biodiversity. There are also some useful tables to help calculate and better understand the carbon footprint of an office. If you would like to implement any of these changes but feel like you need some support, reach out to the sustainability team on sustainability@qmul.ac.uk.

Queen Mary has a sustainable procurement policy and plans to integrate environmental sustainability and climate change adaptation specifications into all relevant aspects of our procurement processes. For more information, please visit our Sustainable Procurement page. 

While research sometimes requires the use of equipment that will inevitably consume energy, there are some ways to ensure that lab research is as sustainable as possible. 

Some keys ways to reduce energy consumption include closing, and where possible shutting down, fume hoods; keeping ultra-low temperature freezers at 70°C, ensuring they are running correctly and are defrosted; and turning off non-essential equipment when not in use. More tips on reducing energy and myth busters for Queen Mary staff and students can be found here.   

For laboratory-based researchers, please find more information about LEAF on our dedicated page here. 

Travel is one of the most environmentally impactful aspect of research, and many funders are now making it a requirement to justify any travel included in grant applications, encouraging researchers to consider using online alternatives where possible, such as video conferencing, hybrid meetings, etc. 

If travel is absolutely necessary, it is vital to consider the most environmentally friendly way of travelling, such as swapping flying for the train or travelling economy class when flying is unavoidable. 

Example of travel intensity between travel modes

This example shows the different carbon intensities for the same journey when using different transports modes. The size of the icons gives a sense of scale between the three transport modes, with the carbon footprint for the flight nearly 10 times as high as the alternative train or bus journeys.

Journey: London to Glasgow, return 

Metric: Carbon footprint (tonnes CO₂e) 

Queen Mary’s new waste procedure was implemented in 2024 and applies across all areas of the university. It consists of standardised bin designs, improved signage, and rationalisation of bin locations. Please adhere to these procedures when operating across the university.

A key consideration when carrying out research is the waste hierarchy. The most effective way to reduce waste, and concurrently reduce consumption, is to ‘prevent’ – consider whether the physical object you are using is necessary, or whether it can serve more than one purpose. When considering equipment, explore opportunities for leasing/sharing infrastructure and existing equipment from within Queen Mary or from other parts of the R&I sector prior to making the case for new investments.

There are ample resources available on the Queen Mary Sustainability website here, including current initiatives to reduce waste, how we are improving recycling, and a clear breakdown of what can be recycled and where.