Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan

Updated: June 12, 2024
NCAP banner image

Update

✅ Status: Approved

The UBC Board of Governors has approved the Neighborhood Climate Action Plan (NCAP), which sets a pathway to a net-zero and climate resilient community for the residential neighbourhoods on UBC’s Vancouver campus. Thank you to all who participated in the Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan (NCAP) engagement process. Stay tuned to this space for further updates on NCAP.

Download NCAP (PDF)

Download NCAP Action Matrix (PDF)

About NCAP

NCAP sets a pathway to a net-zero and climate resilient community for the residential neighbourhoods on UBC’s Vancouver campus.

With the increased frequency of intense climate events, there is a renewed and urgent focus on climate action, as outlined in UBC’s Climate Emergency Response. In 2021, UBC launched Climate Action Plan 2030, which charts a course to reach net zero emissions for the academic campus. NCAP will do the same for residential neighbourhoods as well as plan for adaptation to our already changing climate. 

The Guiding Principles for NCAP inform how we prioritize the NCAP goals and actions and evaluate their success.

Guiding Principle Key aspects Examples of how this has already shaped our work 
Climate Justice and Equity 

Recognizing that climate change impacts are felt disproportionately among different communities. 

Climate action response should equitably distribute costs and benefits. 

Focus on equity in NCAP response to improve community outcomes, especially around affordability and health. 

Understand UBC’s responsibility within the broader global community to act in response to the climate emergency. 

Keeping health implications of decisions top of mind (e.g. impacts of gas cooking equipment on health). 

Highlighting actions that will improve health and wellbeing for neighbourhood residents. 

Considering affordability implications of decisions and looking for ways to more equitably distribute costs (e.g. focus on affordable, equitable energy costs for residents) .

Climate Leadership & Learning 

Position UBC as a local and global leader in climate action 

Find ways to share knowledge and integrate UBC’s academic expertise with NCAP. 

Engaging with members of UBC’s academic community in developing and evaluation potential actions (through focused discussions and membership in Technical Working Groups). 

Collaborating with other municipalities leading in climate action in developing actions at our Technical Working Groups (e.g. City of Vancouver). Looking to accelerate action and support implementation through an aligned approach. 

Participating in SEEDS Sustainability Program research projects under Campus as a Living Laboratory (e.g. Urban Forestry Capstone class).  

Shared Responsibility Achieving NCAP climate goals requires collaboration and coordination with the UNA, UBC PT, neighbourhood residents, and neighbourhood utility partners, as well as initiatives from other levels of government. Working closely throughout the NCAP process with staff from the University Neighbourhoods Association and UBC Properties Trust. 
Community Connection 

Engage community throughout NCAP process.  

Define actions that will lead to stronger, more resilient, community connections. 

Developed engagement plan to target a variety of community member in a variety of ways. 

Actions that increased community connections are being flagged for this co-benefit. 

Long-term Accountability and Governance 

Establish regular reporting cycles.  

Develop implementable action plan, with defined responsibilities and adequate resourcing. 

NCAP will include a commitment to plan updates on a regular cycle. 

NCAP will include a plan for annual progress updates. 

Technical working groups have started discussing what key performance indicators (KPIs) we can feasibly track moving forward. 

What We Heard

Community feedback has been essential in shaping NCAP, which is the culmination of two phases of public engagement and collaboration among staff at UBC, the UNA and UBC Properties Trust, academic researchers and partnerships with government, utilities, industry and non-governmental organizations. To ensure NCAP is both ambitious and achievable, engaging with the community was essential to understanding the lived experiences of diverse community members and to identify priorities, gaps, and what support the community needs to take climate action.

To learn more about what we heard during engagement, download the engagement summary reports from each phase of engagement:  

Pre-engagement (PDF download) with community members.  
Community engagement (PDF download) on emerging directions.
Community engagement (PDF download) on draft NCAP

Learn more about UBC's Neighbourhoods

Neighbourhoods covered by the draft NCAP include Hampton Place, Hawthorn Place, Wesbrook Place, Chancellor Place, East Campus, as well as the future Stadium and Acadia neighbourhoods. 

 

UBC Neighbourhoods

 

 

 

 

Greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, which includes heating, cooling, and hot water, are the largest source of community emissions, followed by emissions from resident vehicle travel and direct emissions from waste at the landfill.

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This graph shows emission reductions as a result of mitigation actions taken in the buildings, transportation and waste scope areas versus emission levels if we continue on our current path.  Building operations, which includes heating, cooling and hot water, are the largest source of community emissions in the UBC neighbourhoods, followed by emissions from resident vehicle travel and direct emissions from solid waste at the landfill.

NCAP emissions
Climate Projections for UBC

  • Mean Temperatures

    Climate projections show the UBC Vancouver campus will have more extreme day-to-day weather and also gradual constant changes, including rain, droughts, and warmer summer temperatures. NCAP will define how UBC adapts to these changes to build a resilient neighbourhood community.

    Sources: ClimateData.ca, Climate Atlas of Canada, IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in aChanging Climate, and Computerized Tool for the Development of Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curvesunder Climate Change Version 6.0 .

    THIS INFOGRAPHIC WAS CREATED BY ICLEI CANADA.

  • Temperatures Extremes

    Climate projections show the UBC Vancouver campus will have more extreme day-to-day weather and also gradual constant changes, including rain, droughts, and warmer summer temperatures. NCAP will define how UBC adapts to these changes to build a resilient neighbourhood community.

    Sources: ClimateData.ca, Climate Atlas of Canada, IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in aChanging Climate, and Computerized Tool for the Development of Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curvesunder Climate Change Version 6.0 .

    THIS INFOGRAPHIC WAS CREATED BY ICLEI CANADA.

  • Growing Seasons and wildfires

    Climate projections show the UBC Vancouver campus will have more extreme day-to-day weather and also gradual constant changes, including rain, droughts, and warmer summer temperatures. NCAP will define how UBC adapts to these changes to build a resilient neighbourhood community.

    Sources: ClimateData.ca, Climate Atlas of Canada, IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in aChanging Climate, and Computerized Tool for the Development of Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curvesunder Climate Change Version 6.0 .

    THIS INFOGRAPHIC WAS CREATED BY ICLEI CANADA.

  • Mean Precipitation

    Climate projections show the UBC Vancouver campus will have more extreme day-to-day weather and also gradual constant changes, including rain, droughts, and warmer summer temperatures. NCAP will define how UBC adapts to these changes to build a resilient neighbourhood community.

    Sources: ClimateData.ca, Climate Atlas of Canada, IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in aChanging Climate, and Computerized Tool for the Development of Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curvesunder Climate Change Version 6.0 .

    THIS INFOGRAPHIC WAS CREATED BY ICLEI CANADA.

  • Precipitation Events

    Climate projections show the UBC Vancouver campus will have more extreme day-to-day weather and also gradual constant changes, including rain, droughts, and warmer summer temperatures. NCAP will define how UBC adapts to these changes to build a resilient neighbourhood community.

    Sources: ClimateData.ca, Climate Atlas of Canada, IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in aChanging Climate, and Computerized Tool for the Development of Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curvesunder Climate Change Version 6.0 .

    THIS INFOGRAPHIC WAS CREATED BY ICLEI CANADA.

  • Sea Level Rise

    Climate projections show the UBC Vancouver campus will have more extreme day-to-day weather and also gradual constant changes, including rain, droughts, and warmer summer temperatures. NCAP will define how UBC adapts to these changes to build a resilient neighbourhood community.

    Sources: ClimateData.ca, Climate Atlas of Canada, IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in aChanging Climate, and Computerized Tool for the Development of Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curvesunder Climate Change Version 6.0 .

    THIS INFOGRAPHIC WAS CREATED BY ICLEI CANADA.

NCAP will be informed by and will inform the following sustainability plans, policies, and projects:

Contact Us

Kerry Shaw  
Senior Neighbourhood Climate Action Planner
UBC Campus + Community Planning  
kerry.shaw@ubc.ca

 

Ralph Wells  
Community Climate and Energy Manager
UBC Campus + Community Planning
ralph.wells@ubc.ca

 

Madeleine Zammar  
Engagement Manager
UBC Campus + Community Planning
madeleine.zammar@ubc.ca