Project Library

The purpose of this project was to articulate a vision for a community driven, collaborative mental health and substance use system of care that exists on a continuum which begins in community, extends into health care, and ultimately leads back to community. The report highlights opportunities for a framework that is multi-sectoral and includes concrete and meaningful links to community, and integration with mental health care at the micro, meso and macro level.

Partner: Community Action Initiative
Keywords: social sustainability, mental health, substance use

The objective of this research project was to identify communications best practices and develop a series of core messages to communicate the principles of the circular economy in health care in an accessible and compelling way. There report aims to serve as an educational document for improving communication and persuasion efforts to promote pro-environmental behaviour broadly, and policies that facilitate the transition to a circular economy in health care.

Partner: Vancouver Coastal Health
Keywords: leadership & behaviour change, sustainable development & green economy

This project aims to identify the gaps between BC Energy Step Code airtightness requirements and the construction industry's understanding of building airtight envelopes to support meeting those requirements more predictably and avoiding final blower door test failures.  The report examines the results of an industry-wide online survey identifying trades that can most benefit from support and at what stage(s) of construction practices can be improved to construct an airtight building.

Partner: Township of Langley
Keywords: green buildings

This project aims to create a framework post-pandemic community recovery plan for the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. The purpose is to provide recommendations for organizations to implement in order to help the community recover from the unintended consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes suggestions in five areas of focus: the overdose epidemic, access to dignified housing, social connection and isolation, autonomy and self-determination, and gender-based and sexualized violence.

Partner: Atira Women’s Resource Society
Keywords: social sustainability

This report explores the potential for the transition to a circular economy to support a just and sustainable post-pandemic recovery. It provides a base of understanding about net and inclusive circular job growth and a just circular transition, with some recommendations for Greater Vancouver. It also provides insights into how sharing, reuse and repair show up in the lives, livelihoods and enterprises of some marginalized communities in Greater Vancouver.

Partner: Share Reuse Repair Initiative
Keywords: sustainable development & green economy, waste management & recycling, circular economy

This project aims to quantify and compare the climate mitigation benefits of nature-based “green" flood control infrastructure and traditional "grey" constructions. Includes an analysis of literature and data on GHG emissions, identifies the significant information gaps in the literature and offers a set of recommendations to be considered for future work.

Partner: Watershed Watch Salmon Society
Keywords: biodiversity, ecological systems, green buildings

This project involved a review of literature and global case studies, and included key informant interviews to determine the feasibility of converting parking garages into affordable housing. Recognizing that City-owned sites face pressure to fulfill many societal needs, four recommendations were developed from the key findings of the research to support the prioritization of 107 East Cordova Street for redevelopment.

Partner: Atira Women's Resource Society
Keywords: social sustainability, transportation, affordable housing, sustainable transportation modes, retrofitting existing infrastructure, parking 

This discussion paper provides First Nations communities in BC with an overview of the domestic and international legal frameworks that relate to the right to free, prior and informed consent and mining. The project aims to promote knowledge of legal developments and legal rights, to make suggestions, prompt discussion and  solicit feedback on the ways in which communities could implement the right to free, prior and informed consent in the context of mining on Indigenous lands.

Partner: BC First Nations Energy and Mining Council (FNEMC)
Keywords: leadership & behaviour change, social sustainability, human rights

This study explores how CCEL efforts have increased the overall capacity for faculty members to navigate through the effects of the pandemic while achieving their goals and expectations. With this project, CCEL seeks to understand how their support has helped faculty members in pivoting to online community engaged learning, and if the inclusion of elements of place-based learning, contributes to increased opportunity for students and partners to engage.

Partner: UBC Centre for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL)
Keywords: social sustainabilitycommunity engagement, education and learning