
SRTI Park Launches My Green Lab Certification in UAE
Home » Green Tech » SRTI Park Launches My Green Lab Certification in UAE
The Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park (SRTI Park) has announced a new sustainability initiative in collaboration with Roche Diagnostics Middle East. The project introduces the My Green Lab Certification (MGL) to the UAE. It is supported by the University of Sharjah (UoS) and local implementation partner, Pharmatrade.
This marks a significant step in advancing sustainable laboratory practices in healthcare. The initiative positions Sharjah as a regional leader in green science innovation.
SRTI Park revealed that the initiative will pilot the internationally recognised My Green Lab Certification within UoS's research laboratories. This effort sets a precedent for academic, clinical, and industrial labs in the region.
My Green Lab is the only lab sustainability certification endorsed by the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign. It is widely considered the gold standard for advancing net-zero goals in healthcare and life sciences.
SRTI Park is reinforcing its role as a key advocate for sustainable innovation in the UAE. The Park's growing portfolio includes: Green technology pilot projects
Climate-focused research hubs
Strategic collaborations with global industry leaders
According to SRTI Park, this initiative also reflects a major collaboration between a public innovation platform and a global life sciences company. The goal is to reduce the environmental footprint of laboratory research through science-based methods.
The University of Sharjah's Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences is leading the implementation. The Institute focuses on critical fields such as cancer, immunology, and medicine.
Roche is reported to be playing a strategic role by supporting sustainable practices in laboratories worldwide. Through this initiative, Roche aims to enable science-driven, eco-friendly operations across the healthcare sector.
Officials emphasized that Sharjah is emerging as a regional hub for sustainable healthcare R&D. The My Green Lab launch highlights the intersection of academia, industry, and policy. It aims to create a model for reducing energy use, waste, and hazardous chemical exposure in labs.
Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTI Park, stated that the initiative goes beyond certification. He called it a regional movement for sustainable science. He added that SRTI Park, Roche, and the University of Sharjah are setting a benchmark for clean innovation in the region.
Professor Esameldin Agmy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, expressed pride in the university's leadership in environmental sustainability. He confirmed that the initiative aligns with the University's goal to support responsible scientific research.
He further noted that the institute's advanced laboratories provide an ideal platform for applying global environmental standards. The project is part of a broader university strategy to train environmentally aware researchers.
Professor Agmy explained that this certification marks an institutional commitment to long-term sustainability. It also elevates Sharjah's position as a global hub for sustainable innovation.
Jihad Al Hussami, Senior Executive Manager at Pharmatrade, stated that the company is proud to support this initiative. He said the collaboration integrates eco-friendly solutions to build a more sustainable and resilient healthcare system.
Dr. Asma Mahmoud Fikri, Director of Government and Corporate Partnerships at SRTI Park, said the initiative reflects the Park's vision to develop a green innovation economy. She noted that working with Roche and UoS brings Sharjah closer to becoming a global reference in sustainable science and healthcare.
The project also opens the door for wider implementation of green standards across Sharjah. This may include partnerships with Sheraa, the Sharjah Health Authority, and The Big Heart Foundation.
As Sharjah expands into next-generation healthcare with projects like the Jawaher Boston Medical District, the launch of My Green Lab Certification supports the UAE's national sustainability goals.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Dubai Eye
16 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Death toll rises in Gaza as aid-seeking crowds come under fire
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the past two days while trying to access food aid in Gaza, amid a worsening hunger crisis, according to local medics. On Thursday, medics reported at least 51 people killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes. Among them were 12 Palestinians who tried to approach a site operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in the central part of the Strip. The incident is the latest in a string of deadly encounters involving civilians seeking food. The Israeli military said several individuals it described as "suspects" approached its forces near the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza in a way that endangered troops. It said soldiers fired warning shots to deter them and that it was not aware of any injuries at the time. Elsewhere in Gaza on Thursday, medics reported 39 people killed in separate Israeli airstrikes in the north of the territory. One strike on the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City killed at least 19 people, including women and children. Another strike killed at least 14 people in Jabalia and damaged several homes. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army on those attacks. Gaza's health ministry said hundreds of Palestinians have been killed while trying to reach GHF distribution sites since late May. The United Nations has criticized the GHF's delivery system, calling it inadequate, dangerous and a violation of humanitarian impartiality. Israel defends the system as a necessary safeguard against diversion of aid by Hamas, a claim Hamas denies. GHF said Wednesday it had distributed 3 million meals across three sites in Gaza without incident. The war in Gaza began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel's ongoing military campaign has since killed nearly 55,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, displaced nearly the entire population of over 2 million, and left much of the territory in humanitarian collapse.


The National
a day ago
- The National
'Lame and lethal' aid system claims dozen more lives in Gaza
At least 70 people were killed by Israeli gunfire and military strikes in Gaza on Thursday, the enclave's civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Basal said. Medics earlier reported that 12 people had been killed while trying to approach an aid site operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the central Gaza Strip. The system has been described by a top UN official as 'lame, medieval and lethal' following hundreds of deaths in similar incidents over the past few weeks. Dozens of Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli air strikes in the northern Gaza Strip, medics added. One of those strikes killed at least 12 people, including women and children, near a mosque in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza city, they added. Another eight civilians were killed in Israeli shelling of Gaza city on Thursday, Wafa news agency said. Five of those were killed in an attack on a house in the Zeitoun neighbourhood, and three others when an apartment in the west of the city was hit. Israeli forces also blew up homes east of Jabalia Al Balad in northern Gaza, the agency reported. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army on Thursday's incidents. In recent days it said it was reviewing reports of civilian casualties. About 100 other people were injured when Israeli drones and military vehicles opened fire in the morning near an aid distribution point in central Gaza, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. At least 338 people have been killed in total while gathering to collect aid from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), according to a tally released by local health authorities on Monday. The recently created US and Israel-backed agency, whose four distribution centres are guarded by private security contractors and surrounded by Israeli forces, began operations in late May to supersede the aid delivery system operated by the UN. Israel said the move prevents the militant group Hamas from taking aid intended for civilians. The centres are regularly overrun by Gazans desperate for food after a nearly three-month total blockade of aid deliveries imposed by Israel in March. Crowds start gathering near the distribution sites before dawn, despite a warning from the Israeli military that these areas are considered combat zones between 6pm and 6am. "Palestinian lives have been so devalued. It is now the routine to shoot and kill desperate and starving people while they try to collect little food from a company made of mercenaries," Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said in a post on X after at least 14 people were killed while waiting for aid on Wednesday. He described GHF as "a lame, medieval and lethal system that is deliberately harming people under the camouflage of 'humanitarian aid'". Dozens killed waiting for aid in Khan Younis "Hundreds of people have been reported killed since the 'Gaza Humiliation Foundation' started operating just over three weeks ago," he said, describing the group's operations as "a lame, medieval and lethal system that is deliberately harming people under the camouflage of 'humanitarian aid'". He called for those responsible for establishing the new system to be held accountable, saying: "Inviting starving people to their death is a war crime." The Palestinian death toll from Israel's war in Gaza passed 55,700 the health ministry said on Thursday and the number injured rose to more than 130,100. The ministry's figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians, although it says the majority of victims have been women and children. The war began on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas attack on southern Israel in which about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and about 250 taken hostage.


The National
a day ago
- The National
More than a third of children spend over seven hours a day on screens, UAE study finds
More than one third of children in the UAE spend over seven hours each weekday on screens, according to new research. The findings, published as schools in the country take tougher action to restrict mobile phone use, also highlighted a link between the excessive use of electronic devices and a lack of exercise. Carried out by University of Sharjah and American University of Beirut, the research reported that 37.7 per cent of students spent more than seven hours on screens each weekday, outside of lessons. 'High screen time was associated with lower physical activity levels, as 68.8 per cent of children who exceeded seven hours of screen time did not participate in any physical activity,' the study said, referring to time outside of lessons during the school week. Based on data about mobile phone, laptop, television and tablet use submitted by parents of 300 children in the UAE aged from four to 17, the paper also found that screen time increased with age. What can parents do? The findings highlighted, the researchers said, 'the need for families to take proactive measures to limit screen time and encourage more physical activity in their children'. 'Parents should be encouraged to set clear limits on screen time and promote alternative activities, such as sports, outdoor play and family outings,' the researchers said. With more than six in 10 children eating sweets while using screens, the researchers said that 'addressing dietary habits is crucial'. The new paper is titled, 'Assessing the effect of screen time on physical activity in children based on parent-reported data: a cross-sectional study,' and is published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science. Aine McGlue, head of secondary at the British International School Abu Dhabi, said that previous research showed that today's children were less active than young people from previous generations. 'So much of it is caused by inappropriate use of digital media,' she said. 'To expect a child to have the social and emotional maturity to detach themselves from a phone is unreasonable … Schools have to take a proactive stance.' In August, at the start of the 2024/25 academic year, BISAD, a Nord Anglia school, introduced a ban on mobile phone use by pupils during school hours. It is one of many UAE schools to have brought in such restrictions. Ms McGlue said that the policy was 'quite contentious at first', but parents were invited to coffee mornings during which the rule was explained, with the school highlighting research around the link between reduced screen time and improved mental and physical health. The rationale was also explained to pupils. 'Kids need to know that we're not implementing this as a punishment: there's research and evidence behind this to say this is in their best interests,' Ms McGlue said. 'The policy is clear: if you're seen with your phone, the phone is confiscated. If your phone is taken a second time, it's the parents' responsibility to come in and get the phone themselves.' Alternatives to screen time By, for example, installing table tennis tables, the school has given students additional things to do outside of lessons, instead of using phones, she said. 'At lunchtime, when kids might be feeling a little unsure about how they're going to use this time, they're actually out now playing football, they're out playing basketball,' Ms McGlue said. 'We've set up open mic sessions so that kids can creatively perform using their music skills. They have an audience around the things that they're doing.' Research from many other nations has highlighted the potential harms linked to excessive use of screen devices. In a study based on data from New Zealand, Dr Ladan Hashemi, of City St George's, part of the University of London, found that when families had stricter rules about using screens when children were of pre-school age, obesity rates were lower later on in childhood. Dr Hashemi told The National that excessive screen time, poor diet, lack of physical activity and poor sleep were all linked. Using screens too often can, for example, encourage unhealthy snacking, while late-night screen use can disrupt sleep. 'Families who had better regulation around the use of screen devices, their children were more likely to have better sleep, longer sleep, and they were less likely to spend time on screen devices, which means they have more time for physical activity. These are strong contributors to reducing childhood obesity,' Dr Hashemi said. She said that for school-age children, less than two hours per day on screens was widely recommended – but also that parents should set an example. 'You can't just tell children to abandon devices if you as a parent are spending too much time on screens. You need, as a parent, to set an example as a role model,' she said. Dr Hashemi said that parents may 'use screen devices as a babysitter' to occupy their children, so cutting down on screen time meant that parents should provide alternative things to do. 'If you restrict the children's screen time, you need to give them more means to spend their time – family time, activity time, school-based activities, community-based activities,' she said. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends that for children aged two to five, non-educational screen time should be limited to about one hour per weekday and three hours per day at weekends. For children aged six and older, the academy recommends that parents 'encourage healthy habits and limit activities that include screens'. Screens should be turned off during family meals and outings, the academy suggests, and turned off and removed from bedrooms at least half an hour before lights out. In March, the UAE's first digital detox clinic for children has opened in Abu Dhabi offering a programme to address the growing problem of screen addiction in young people.