UBC welcomes $68M investment in “green” infrastructure

Research infrastructure and sustainability at the University of
British Columbia today received a major boost from the federal and
provincial governments totaling nearly $68 million. The investment was announced April 8 in Victoria by Tony Clement,
federal Minister of Industry and Murray Coell, provincial Minister of
Advanced Education and Labour Market Development.

The Biological Sciences West and South buildings at UBC’s Vancouver
campus will receive $65 million to renovate research facilities and
classrooms originally built more than 50 years ago, while incorporating
the latest sustainable features. The Geoexchange System at UBC
Okanagan, which uses groundwater from under the campus to heat and cool
buildings, will receive $2.9 million to make the campus emissions-free
by 2010.

The provincial and federal governments are contributing equally to
the two projects. The federal infusion is part of the recently launched
Knowledge Infrastructure Program.

“Both the federal and provincial governments clearly recognize that
the global economic downturn requires governments at all levels to
pursue measures that both mitigate current difficulties and support our
long-term success,” says UBC President Stephen Toope.

“This remarkable investment will fuel much needed short-term
economic development while strengthening the research platform that has
made British Columbia and Canada international leaders in research and
education.”

“The BioSciences complex serves as a hub for research involving more
than 400 researchers and contains classroom and lab space serving more
than 14,000 student enrolments a year,” says UBC Dean of Science Simon
Peacock. “The new funding will enable much needed upgrades and help
attract the brightest minds from around the world”

The BioSciences project is part of Phase Two of UBC Renew, a
partnership between UBC and the B.C. government that has already seen
seven buildings completely refurbished for a total cost of $71.7
million – and a savings of $53.7 million over replacing the structures.

In 2006, UBCO installed the first phase of a geoexchange system to
provide heating and cooling needs for the campus’s new buildings. The
new funding will expand the system campus-wide and convert all existing
buildings currently using fossil fuel technology to harvest energy from
the Great Okanagan Aquifer. The initiative has already reduced UBCO’s
CO2 emissions by 62 per cent and is expected to make the campus
emissions-free by 2010 – the equivalent of taking 14,000 cars off the
road over the next two decades – while saving an estimated $610,000 in
energy costs each year.

“Our goal is to build the most sustainable university campus in
North America, and being virtually emissions-free is a huge step toward
achieving that goal,” says Doug Owram, Deputy Vice Chancellor at UBCO.
“We are very grateful to both the federal and provincial governments
for their partnership and vision in helping us achieve such an
important objective. Our geoexchange system will significantly reduce
the carbon footprint of our campus.”

The BioSciences Renew Project is expected to be completed by spring
2011. The upgrades will eliminate an estimated $43.3 million in
deferred maintenance while bringing the buildings to LEED Silver
standard.

The two projects are expected to create a total of 1,601 jobs in
B.C. and 2,135 jobs across Canada for the duration of the construction.