Transportation

One of the objectives set out in the Official Community Plan (OCP) is to reduce single occupant vehicle travel from 1996 levels by 20%.

UBC, with the help of UBC Properties, has implemented vigorous initiatives to promote transportation alternatives such as reducing the number of commuter parking available by 5000 stalls, the creation of bicycle lanes on roads, construction of pedestrian/bicycle only greenways and the development of live/work residences. For new residential developments on campus, UBC Properties provides one shared (co-op) vehicle for every 100 residences.

In September 2004 UBC, with the help of Translink, implemented the U-Pass Program. It is a mandatory program that provides students with affordable access to public transit. Since its inception, there has been a 118% increase in transit ridership on campus. UBC Properties is currently constructing a new transit station on campus that will accommodate this increase of demand and help increase the accessibility of the campus by transit.

To date, the combined efforts of these initiatives have reduced daily person trips to campus by 3% since 1997, in spite of a 28% increase in daytime population on campus. UBC has also reduced vehicular traffic by 29% since 1997.

Green Building

With the building industry responsible for 40% of the Lower Mainland's greenhouse gas emissions, UBC Properties is committed to ensuring that all development activity on campus has less impact on the natural environment.

Both our academic and residential projects incorporate innovative and sustainable development technologies with a focus on energy conservation, reducing water consumption, providing good indoor air quality, sustainable construction practices and reducing the rate and quantity of rainwater run off.

Institutional Standards

UBC Properties Trust adheres to the UBC Technical Guidelines. The Guidelines ensures that all new buildings on campus demonstrate UBC’s leadership towards environmental sensitivity and responsibility.

Both UBC and the Government of BC have established aggressive design requirements in their commitment to environmental sustainability. This includes the implementation of the Provincial Government's 2007 requirement that all publicly funded new construction and renovations achieve LEED Gold certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green building rating system developed by the US Green Building Council. LEED encompasses a number of design and construction practices that considerably reduce the harmful impacts of buildings on the environment and on building occupants by addressing site planning and construction practices, water efficiency, energy conservation, the use of renewable energy, the preservation of materials and resources and the optimization of indoor environmental quality.

The Life Sciences Centre received LEED gold certification. Compared to standard buildings, the Life Sciences Centre emits 1,000 tones fewer greenhouse gases, consumes 28 per cent less energy and 50 per cent less water. It also has a dynamic monitoring system which adjusts interior lighting and ventilation according to the external environment.
The Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory received LEED gold certification. Natural ventilation and less sheet metal ducting reduced the use of both materials and energy. The building also features passive solar lighting and heating, natural materials, and renewable wood sources.
The ICICS/Computer Science building features water-efficient landscaping and a mechanical system that uses a chilled slab for cooling and an effective ventilation system at a very low energy cost.
The Michael Smith Building and the Fred Kaiser buildings are built over existing buildings to optimize land use and preserve open space. Both buildings are using energy-efficient mechanical systems and high-performance glazing. Kaiser highlights the use of photovoltaic cells and new kinds of energy and electrical efficiency.
UBC Okanagan's newest building, the Fipke Centre has earned the unprecedented Five Green Globes under the Green Globes Eco-Rating Program. Highly sustainable and innovative features include a wind tower for air exchange and a groundwater energy system for winter heating and summer cooling.

Residential Standards

All residential developers at UBC are required to apply REAP’s combination of mandatory and optional standards to their projects to address water conservation, energy consumption and indoor environment quality

For all market-based and student, faculty, and staff residential developments at UBC, UBC Properties Trust adheres to the UBC Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP). REAP provides a framework to encourage and measure sustainable building practices and is the result of a collaborative effort between UBC Properties Trust, UBC Faculty of Architecture, Campus and Community Planning, and the Sustainability Office. REAP is based on the US Green Building Council's LEED rating system and developers can earn one of five REAP ratings: Basic Compliance, Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum.

2007 Adera's Pathways is the first project to achieve REAP Gold. Pathways is located in Wesbrook Place and features a solar hot water preheat system and Energy Star vinyl windows.

2008 UBC Properties' Clement's Green is a UBC faculty and staff owned project in the Hawthorn Place neighbourhood. Clement's Green received REAP Silver status for its geoexchange hot water preheat system.

Densification

UBC has a commitment to being a leader in sustainability. By concentrating our settlements more densely in established communities, we are striving for a sufficient population to support convenient and affordable transit options and to share the costs for public amenities like playing fields, theatres and community centres.

The University of British Columbia is in the process of an ambitious, sometimes controversial and incredibly productive phase of development. While the pace of change has caused some to wonder whether we are doing too much, some people have started asking whether we are doing enough. UBC has a responsibility, to its students, to the taxpaying citizens who support our operations, to our neighbours and, given the extent of our resources, to the whole world. In light of those responsibilities, we have come to the conclusion that the development planned in the South Campus neighbourhood may well be inadequate and therefore UBC Properties Trust, Metro Vancouver and Campus Community Planning have been giving thought to the Official Community Plan for South Campus and exploring opportunities for increasing density.

As Metro Vancouver sets its priorities under its Sustainable Region Initiative, UBC's role in accommodating a greater resident population becomes even more important. A complete, integrated and relatively self-contained community at UBC would lighten our environmental footprint and reduce the number of residents who commute in the other direction to shop or seek entertainment. UBC has the track record and the expertise to be a world leader in environmentally responsible development and design. Ours could - and should - be a model community.