UBC Dairy Education and Research Centre & Housing

The University of British Columbia in conjunction with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the BC dairy industry established the UBC Dairy Education & Research Centre located in Agassiz, BC.

The Dairy Centre is designed to provide education and technology transfer research programs in support of the dairy industry in BC.

UBC Properties has developed three facilities on behalf of the UBC Dairy Education & Research Centre: the Feed Intake Research Facility, the Heifer Research Facility and the Westgen Calf Research Facility. All of these animal research buildings are equipped with video cameras and lighting so that animal behaviour can be continuously monitored throughout the day and are equipped to continuously measure individual animal feed intake.

A residence project provided urgently needed housing for students and other researchers studying at the UBC Dairy Education and Research Centre in Agassiz, BC. The design goal for the project was to provide a sustainable, high-quality living environment while at the same time conforming with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada requirements for a non-permanent facility that could easily be moved from the site if required. The facility consists of eight individual townhouses, each shared by four individuals. In addition, two of the townhouses each provide a ground-level handicapped-accessible bedroom. The houses are grouped around a common courtyard, which is the social and academic heart of the building assembly. In addition, a common living room is located at the south end of the assembly, and a common entry, containing a mudroom, a bicycle room and laundry facilities are situated at the north end facing the UBC Lab entry.