A heart-to-heart on sustainability in Chemical Engineering

The Department of Chemical Engineering marked Valentine’s season with a sustainability-focused staff engagement event, bringing colleagues together for an open dialogue on the department’s environmental ambitions.

‘Sustainability x Valentine’s Day: A heart-to-heart dialogue on our sustainability drive’ took place in  February 2026 and was organised by the Department’s Sustainability Committee. The event combined reflection, discussion and practical action, with sustainably sourced refreshments, decorations and gifts reinforcing the theme.

Setting the direction

Professor Omar Matar, Head of Department and co-chair of the Sustainability Committee, opened the session with welcome remarks and reflections on the importance of embedding sustainability into everyday departmental practices.

Sustainability is not an add-on to our work in Chemical Engineering. It is integral to how we teach, research and operate. Professor Omar Matar Head of Department and co-chair, Sustainability Committee, Department of Chemical Engineering

On the topic of sustainable chemical engineering, Professor Matar said: “Sustainability is not an add-on to our work in Chemical Engineering. It is integral to how we teach, research and operate. Events like this create the space for open dialogue, shared responsibility and practical action. I am encouraged by the energy and ideas from colleagues, which will help shape our priorities for the year ahead.”

Dr Salvador Acha Izquierdo, co-chair of the Sustainability Committee, provided an overview of the Committee’s ongoing work, including the department’s emissions categorisation and strategic priorities. He also introduced a departmental questionnaire aimed at gathering further input from staff and students.

Short talks followed, highlighting practical progress across the department. Undergraduate (UG) student Samhat Rahman spoke about tracking the LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework) process, Dr Umang Shah, UG lab lead, outlined the support available for LEAF certification, and Pedro Nakasu, researcher, shared reflections on the certification experience.

By having a frank discussion and getting feedback from many voices in the department, [it] will positively steer us on addressing issues that matter most to our staff and students. Dr Salvador Izquierdo Acha Co-chair, Sustainability Committee, Department of Chemical Engineering

On hosting an event to showcase initiatives, Dr Acha said: “Sharing our sustainability journey with the department and other Imperial stakeholders is a pivotal activity to ensure our community is aware of the efforts and challenges ahead as we strive to reduce our environmental impact. Furthermore, by having a frank discussion and getting feedback from many voices in the department, will positively steer us on addressing issues that matter most to our staff and students.”

Carbon awareness and collective ideas

Dr Semra Bakkaloglu, Research Associate, introduced a carbon offsetting pilot programme and invited attendees to participate in an interactive ‘Valentine’s Day Carbon Footprint Challenge’, using Mentimeter to explore lower-carbon gift options.

The interactive element continued with a group brainstorming session, where colleagues were invited to share ideas for the Committee’s focus areas in the coming year.

Discussions centred on energy use, waste, air travel, commuting, laboratories, procurement, water and engagement activities, with live input captured via Mentimeter. On the various themes discussed, Dr Bakkaloglu said: “In addressing air travel emissions, we focused not only on reducing carbon emissions but also on carefully selecting offset projects through a rigorous due diligence process. Beyond emissions mitigation, it was important for us to support initiatives that create meaningful social and environmental benefits, reinforcing the idea that sustainability should have positive impacts for both people and the planet.”

The session concluded with a Q&A, presentation of the sustainable Valentine’s gift selection results, and practical tips for environmentally friendly gift-giving.

The department were also delighted to welcome Harriet K Wallace, Imperial’s Sustainability Strategy Director,  and Professor Anna Korre, Associate Provost - Sustainability, to observe progress within the labs and engage in the interactive Q&A session.

On the event, Harriet said: “It’s great to see Chemical Engineering leading the way at Imperial in taking practical action on sustainability at departmental level.”

With Imperial’s new Sustainability Strategy coming soon, we hope many more departments and colleagues will soon become actively involved in creating a more Sustainable Imperial. - Harriet K Wallace, Imperial’s Sustainability Strategy Director

Professor Korre added: “Your presentations and discussions on the day celebrated the combined energy and enthusiasm of our academic, professional and technical services staff and the brilliance of our student community, which make Imperial the special place it is. 

Your commitment to sustainability is obvious and an inspiration for others to follow. Well done!”. - Professor Anna Korre, Associate Provost - Sustainability

Building a culture of sustainable action

The event reflected the Department’s commitment to fostering a culture of shared responsibility and open dialogue around sustainability. By combining strategic updates with interactive participation, the Sustainability Committee created space for both accountability and creativity.

The Committee will use the feedback gathered to shape priorities for the year ahead and continue to support colleagues in embedding sustainable practices across teaching, research and operations.

Current lab certifications are listed below, with an aim to achieve 100% leaf certification by the end of 2026 for the department’s 100 lab spaces that are managed by nearly 30 academics. Current certified labs, lab lead (s) and level of certification:

• Undergraduate Teaching Labs, Dr Umang Shah, Gold

• Tighe Group Lab, Chris Tighe and Geraldine Torin, Gold

• Thermophysics Laboratory, Martin Trusler, Lu Ai and Miriam Hauser, Silver

• Hallett Group Lab, Jason Hallett, Pedro Nakasu and Perrakis Bistis, Silver

• REACT, Klaus Hellgardt, Janusz Siwek and Matthew Shields, Silver

• ACEX-05-519, Atlas Lab, Camille Petit, Vanessa Chou and Lana Lee, Silver

• CCS Lab, Paul Fennell, Dung Nguyen and Liyan Tao, Silver

• Kontorvadi Lab, Cleo Kontoravdi and Gina Rigat Nogareda, Silver

• Vibrational Spectroscopy and Chemical Imaging, Sergei Kazarian, Céline J van Haaren and Tzu-Yi, Silver

• Polymer and Microfluidics, Joao Cabral, Hisay Lama, Silver

• Multiphase Systems Laboratory Lab, Ronny Pini and Takeshi Kurotori, Bronze

Explore our labs in action

To continue the momentum, the Department of Chemical Engineering will open the Undergraduate (UG) teaching lab to staff and researchers across Imperial during Sustainability Month.

Dr Umang Shah will lead practical, solutions-focused tours on embedding sustainability into everyday workplace practices, without disrupting core operations.
 

The Chemical Engineering UG lab is one of the first high-user turnover teaching facilities at Imperial to achieve LEAF Gold and My Green Lab certifications. Drawing on this award-winning facility as a live case study, Dr Shah will demonstrate how structured frameworks, operational discipline, and incremental improvements can collectively deliver substantial environmental gains.

Register for a tour on 24 March or 26 March.