Residential Component Areas

Download full details on the Energy component area in the Green Building Action Plan.

Buildings provide nearly 30% of regional GHG emissions and nearly half of emissions from the UBC residential neighbourhoods.

1. UBC buildings and landscapes will advance the campus towards net positive energy and greenhouse gas neutrality by reducing energy demand and focusing on site-specific passive design approaches.
2. UBC buildings will have indoor thermal environments that are comfortable and enhance health and wellbeing.
3. UBC will integrate lessons learned to improve building energy performance.

Residential Energy Policies

• UBC Energy Modelling Guidelines
• Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP) 3.3
• Community Energy Emissions Plan
• Wesbrook Place Neighbourhood Plan

External Energy Policies and Initiatives

• BC Energy Step Code
• BC Climate Leadership Plan

Technical Studies and Reports

• UBC Residential Building Energy Modelling Study 

Download full details on the Water component area in the Green Building Action Plan.

In the Lower Mainland of BC there exists a relative abundance of water. However, there are still times when water supplies are low or deficient. UBC will be a leader in conserving water and will improve rainwater management by managing this valuable resource and supporting the regional water balance between water use and rainfall.

1. UBC will practise responsible water management and use at the building and site scale by advancing water conservation and efficiency, exploring alternative water supply and treatment solutions and building water supply resiliency.
2. UBC will use a low-impact development approach to rainwater management at the site scale to mitigate risk and respect the natural hydrology of the campus.

Download full details on the residential Materials & Resources component area in the Green Building Action Plan.

In the Materials & Resources component area, UBC will incrementally reduce the environmental impact of buildings through building materials choices, construction techniques and the diversion of waste from landfill during construction and occupancy.

1. UBC will prioritize the use of building materials that have net positive environmental impacts.
2. UBC will support marketplace transformation by designing buildings with materials that are not harmful to human and ecological health.
3. UBC will support the development of the circular economy by promoting the adaptation, reuse and recycling of materials and products during a building’s lifetime.

Residential Materials & Resources Policies

• UBC Whole Buildings Life Cycle Assessment Guidelines
• Residential Environmental Assessment Program (REAP) 3.3
• Wesbrook Place Neighbourhood Plan

Download full details on the residential Biodiversity component area in the Green Building Action Plan.

Biodiversity is the richness of plant and animal species, their ecosystems, and the ecological processes that sustain them.

1. UBC will develop highly functioning landscapes at the building and site scales to contribute to biodiversity and natural ecosystem processes.
2. UBC will engage campus teaching and research opportunities to enhance biodiversity management capacity.

Download full details on the residential Health & Wellbeing component area in the Green Building Action Plan.

UBC’s neighbourhood environments, both built and natural, play a vital role in the physical, mental and social wellbeing of all students, staff and faculty.

1. UBC will enhance the mental, physical and social dimensions of wellbeing by making them integral to building and landscape design decisions.
2. UBC researchers, community stakeholders and building occupants will be engaged in a meaningful and ongoing way to inform building design decisions around health and wellbeing.
3. UBC will become a leader in enhancing wellbeing through the built environment within the context of higher education in Canada.

Download full details on the Quality component area in the Green Building Action Plan.

Quality is defined as that which makes a building reliable, durable, resilient, comfortable, dependable, and a contributor to the UBC brand.

1. UBC buildings and landscapes will be durable, reliable and resilient.

Download full details on the residential Climate Adaptation component area in the Green Building Action Plan.

Through historic evidence and future modelling we know that temperatures will continue to rise as a result of climate change.

1. UBC buildings and landscapes will have the resilience to respond to both anticipated and unpredictable changes in climate.
2. UBC will engage with researchers in a meaningful and ongoing way to inform building policy and guidelines around climate adaptability.

Download full details on the residential Place & Experience component area in the Green Building Action Plan.

UBC already has ambitious and successful place-making policy and is looking for improvements and synergies with other themes to carry through to new neighbourhoods.

1. UBC buildings and landscapes will provide opportunities for collaboration, innovation and community development to reflect the social and environmental sustainability aspirations of the University.

Download full details on the Process component area in the Green Building Action Plan.

It is important to leverage and build upon existing processes to ensure that sustainability objectives inform development from project inception to post-occupancy performance tracking.

1. UBC policies and processes will support the achievement of the GBAP component goals and targets.
2. GBAP component goals and targets will be communicated and easily accessible to internal and external stakeholders.
3. UBC will integrate lessons learned from each project to improve building designs.
4. UBC buildings will be evaluated as opportunities for research, innovation and continuous improvement.
5. UBC will commit to monitoring and benchmarking building performance to encourage continuous improvement on campus and in relation to industry standards.