Last October, UBC asked the resident community for feedback on the draft goals and targets of the Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan (NCAP). This feedback will help further refine NCAP and support detailed climate action planning in the university neighbourhoods. A summary of what we heard from community engagement on NCAP is available on the Campus and Community Planning website.
As we gear up to share the refined draft goals, targets and actions of NCAP with the community for another round of engagement this spring, we chat with John Madden, Director of Sustainability and Engineering in UBC Campus and Community Planning. John helps explain what NCAP is all about and answers some of the most frequent questions around climate action at the university, particularly in our campus neighbourhoods.
What is a climate action plan and how does it impact me as a resident in this community?
A climate action plan lays out a path to reduce carbon emissions, with practical actions to achieve those targets. It also provides a framework to increase the ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change in our community. NCAP will map out where we need to focus our resources to ensure that our infrastructure, buildings, and community are designed to proactively address and respond to climate change. This means collaboration with the UNA to develop tools and programs that support residents in taking climate action. For example, we will look at how we can support the community in transitioning buildings to low carbon energy sources through retrofits and reducing waste, improving our composting, and recycling facilities. We’ll also explore strategies and measures to enable buildings to handle extreme weather events, providing our residents with a safe and comfortable place to live. As with all climate action plans, NCAP will grow and change with time as it gets implemented and emerging technologies and approaches evolve.
The highlighted areas in the map below are the neighborhoods that will be covered in the Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan.
Why are we updating the existing plan now?
Climate action planning in the neighborhoods is building from a solid foundation. The work we’re doing now to develop NCAP builds on the existing Community Energy and Emissions Plan, which was introduced in 2013 and has guided climate action initiatives in residential neighborhoods.
With the increased frequency and intensity of climate events in the past decade and with UBC’s Declaration on the Climate Emergency in December 2019, the need to update our plan is more urgent.
NCAP is exploring strategies to accelerate emission reduction, while also adapting and preparing for climate change impacts.
Who is involved in NCAP?
Campus and Community Planning at UBC is leading the development of NCAP in collaboration with the UNA and UBC Properties Trust. UBC has also engaged faculty, researchers, and subject-matter experts from across the campus to provide the technical input that will help inform the final plan.
Public engagement is also playing a key role to ensure we hear from a diverse range of voices, particularly from those most vulnerable to climate change impacts.
What is the university doing now to prepare the neighbourhoods for extreme weather events such as the increase in storms, heatwaves, and wildfires we have seen in the last few years?
Buildings and infrastructure in the neighborhoods are regulated by existing sustainability plans and programs that increase their resilience to the effects of climate change. Our mandatory green building rating system, called the Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP), is a great example of this. All new residential buildings in the neighbourhods must meet sustainability standards such as ensuring lower carbon impact, improved energy efficiency, meet thermal comfort requirements for future climate conditions and have air filtration systems to address things like wildfire smoke, and more.
REAP was created to address the unique conditions of UBC and was conceived through collaboration with subject matter experts across and external to UBC, making it a better fit for UBC than external certification programs such as LEED. This program is integral in ensuring that we align with the Province of BC’s goal that all new buildings be net zero energy ready before 2032.
To manage the increase of stormwater, we use green infrastructure and nature-based solutions such as rain gardens, bioswales and rainwater ponds as outlined in UBC’s Integrated Rainwater Management Plan. These features not only manage surface drainage from green roofs, streets and open spaces but also help to manage the quantity as well as the quality of rainwater before entering the Salish Sea.
This graphic provides an overview of how all the sustainability plans at UBC work together:
There has been significant growth and increased development in the campus neighborhoods over the last few years. What has the university done to manage energy and emissions in the neighborhoods?
As the Metro Vancouver population continues to grow and housing demands on campus increase, the university remains committed to advancing climate action both on the academic campus and in the neighborhoods through integrated land use and transportation planning as well as high-performance buildings and infrastructure design.
NCAP will address emissions from buildings by staying ahead of provincial Energy Step Code requirements for buildings, converting the existing neighbourhood district energy system to a low carbon energy source and identifying options to decarbonize existing buildings.
How the campus community gets to, from and around campus continues to be a significant source of GHG emissions, especially as we plan for growth. We have several programs and initiatives in place to support more sustainable and active modes of transportation. This includes continuing to advocate for a SkyTrain connection to campus. We are also encouraging the transition to electric vehicles by requiring charging stations in new buildings and working with the UNA to establish public charging stations in the neighbourhoods. Most recently, we announced a partnership with Mobi to bring e-bike stations to campus, one of which will be in Wesbrook.
How do UBC’s Land Use Plan and NCAP work together?
UBC's Land Use Plan is a high-level policy document adopted by the province that regulates campus land use for the academic and neighbourhood lands in alignment with the long-term vision for the Vancouver campus. UBC submitted an amended Land Use Plan to the province recently, which commits to working towards the targets and policies of an updated Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan, including defining a pathway to achieve net zero operational emissions in new neighbourhood buildings no later than 2030.
The updated NCAP will be complete before UBC adds any new neighbourhood buildings. It will then shape how UBC’s Land Use Plan is implemented, as well as other initiatives like transportation and zero waste planning.
What is UBC currently doing to ensure that neighbourhood buildings and landscapes are contributing to biodiversity?
Campus-wide commitments and strategies to protect and enhance campus ecology and biodiversity are set out at a high-level in the Land Use Plan and Climate Action Plan 2030. The detailed actions and design guidelines outlined in the Green Building Action Plan and the Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP) have a more noticeable impact in the neighbourhoods. They ensure landscapes are rich in diversity with native and adaptive plantings, buildings are designed to reduce bird collision risks, and green spaces support biodiversity and natural ecosystems.
These strategies and actions will be enhanced through the NCAP process and will include things like the placement and selection of trees to address heat island effects, rainwater management, improved air quality and passive solar shading.
How can residents help advance sustainability and climate action in the neighborhoods?
When we work together, we have the potential to have significant collective impact! There are a number of initiatives underway in the neighbourhoods to support our residents in taking climate action.
Here are a few:
- Visit the UNA Green Depot recycling centre. They accept many items that you can’t recycle at home such as plastics, Styrofoam, and clothing. They also have a Waste Wizard tool that residents can use to find out where to take other recyclables: https://www.myuna.ca/depot/
- Support the local ecosystem by growing your food and flowers. The UNA supports five community gardens, which have over 200 assigned plots. Learn more here: https://www.myuna.ca/gardens/
- Join the UNA’s monthly Sustainability Sessions. They’re a great opportunity for residents to spend their lunch hour learning about different sustainability topics and initiatives happening in the UNA and UBC communities. Email Robyn Chan, UNA Sustainability Specialist, at robyn.chan@myuna.ca to learn more.
- There are a number of sustainable transportation options available on campus including the new e-bike stations powered by Mobi. Learn more: https://planning.ubc.ca/transportation/transportation-planning/plan-your-commute
In a couple months, we’ll be engaging with the community on the refined draft goals, targets and actions of NCAP. To learn about NCAP next steps, including what we heard from the fall engagement, visit https://planning.ubc.ca/NCAP