Vancouver Chapter UBC Sustainable Buildings Bike Tour
It was a beautiful day for a bike ride, and members of the BC Sustainable Energy Association and invited guests were touring the UBC sustainable buildings with Javier, the guide from Sustain Trekstep One, UBC Sustainability Office.
First on the list was the CK Choi Building, a multi-storey building filled with natural light and cool energy-saving features like passive air venting that allows fresh air to circulate throughout the building year-round. In winter, the cool air from outside is heated by steam released by vents under the air ducts – waste heat from the steam plant just down the road. The building is constructed with more than 50% recycled materials, including the exterior bricks, internal wooden beams and staircases. Composting toilets and a grey water waste system help create the legacy of North America’s first green building.
Next, the group stopped at the UBC steam plant – four natural gas boilers. This building is run at less-than optimal efficiency, which allows some of the natural gas to escape, but reduces the effluence of greenhouse gases produced by the process.
There is a new building being built on Sustainability Street – the Centre for Interactive Research and Sustainability. This building will be power, carbon and water negative – better than neutral! It will be built with sensors to alter and monitor the internal building environment, to assess the optimal levels of productivity and happiness of the workers within. There will also be space set aside for collecting and distributing recycled office furniture and equipment within the UBC campus.
The Fred Kaiser building was also an interesting stop on the tour. In line with the UBC philosophy of retrofitting rather than demolishing buildings, the original building was not demolished to make room for the new design – the top layer was built onto the old layer to reduce construction waste and cost. Radiant heating and cooling is pumped across the slabs of the building – water being more effective than air in transporting heat. It is also the first building in BC to use low-flush toilets.
Our last stop was the UBC Life Sciences Centre, a light and airy building with big atriums to enhance natural light and a pleasant environment. The windows are recessed on the south side to create natural shadows, and all the lab spaces are open to enhance air flow and heating/cooling. The ventilation air is taken from outside and pre cooled or heated – with the excess heat being repeatedly used for this purpose. Electric lights have motion sensors and there is a rainwater catchment to help reduce water usage.
After the buildings tour the group visited the UBC farmers market. For more info on UBC Sustainable Building Tours, please contact Sustain Trekstep1 [trekstep.one@ubc.ca].
