Project Library

This project explores the City of North Vancouver's building inventory and retrofit strategies, aiming to streamline their emissions reduction and fortify climate resilience. The focus is on bridging gaps in building stock analysis by classifying major structures by use and size, refreshing the multi-family building database, and investigating retrofit practices from foremost municipalities in Canada. The insights garnered will guide the City's strategy for retrofitting its prominent structures.

Partner: City of North Vancouver
Funder: BC Hydro
Keywords: green buildings 

The objective of this project is to conduct research and summarize opportunities for local governments to promote food-growing in Multi-Unit Residential Buildings (MURBs). The project utilizes a literature review, policy scans, and interviews with communities and governments to identify successes, challenges, and suggestions for food cultivation initiatives. Includes recommendations for the Township of Langley to enhance food security and address the climate crisis through the implementation and practice of residential food cultivation

Partner: Township of Langley
Funder: Township of Langley
Keywords: food systems, green buildings, social sustainability 

The project aimed to enhance biodiversity conservation messaging in the Fraser Estuary, effectively communicating conservation efforts amidst ongoing biodiversity threats. Its objective is to raise awareness, shape attitudes, and prompt action toward biodiversity conservation in the region. The project outlined a six-step approach to crafting and delivering tailored conservation messages, emphasizing credibility, framing, storytelling, visuals, connections, and co-benefits for diverse audiences.

Partner: Garden City Conservation Society
Funder: UBC
Keywords: biodiversity, ecological systems, leadership & behaviour change 

Energy upgrades and retrofits have been identified as key measures to reduce energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the building sector in Canada. This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness and environmental impacts of energy-efficient new build construction on the Musqueam Indian Reserve. The findings can help the indigenous community select economical building energy upgrade measures to reduce building energy use and associated GHG emissions.

Partner: Musqueam Indian Band
Funder: BC Hydro
Keywords: green buildings, sustainable development & green economy 

This report provides recommendations to the City of Vancouver for an envisioned Green Roof Asset Tracker tool and program that would allow the City to quantify and qualify the benefits of green roofs in Vancouver across diverse categories, including stormwater management, biodiversity support, and climate change mitigation. Recommendations for program operational requirements and features of a public-facing green roof map are made based on a mixed-methods approach involving case studies.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Funder: City of Vancouver & UBC
Keywords: green infrastructure, land use planning, climate resilience, green buildings, sustainable development & green economy, water 

The Museum of Vancouver leads the Sustainable Arts and Green Ecosystems Project (SAGE). SAGE is a partnership of museums, galleries and theatres collaborating on development of tools to advance sustainability and circular design, construction and de-construction of staged events and exhibitions. This project assesses the sustainability of materials commonly used in staged events: wood paneling, lumber, and paints. These findings will be incorporated into the SAGE Exhibition Planning and Design Toolkit. For information on the full SAGE Project please visit [link].

Partner: Museum of Vancouver
Funder: UBC  
Keywords: green buildings, waste management & recycling 

This educational resource is a toolkit for engaging adults in British Columbia and beyond in meaningful, locally situated, and long-term climate action. The resource is comprised of four modules: Building Socio-Emotional Resilience to Engage in Climate Action, Climate Communication, Climate Justice, and Local Problems and Solutions. Each unit is comprised of a variety of information, videos, and activities that engage participants in climate action.

Partner: British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association
Funder: UBC  
Keywords: leadership & behaviour change, sustainability in education, climate action

This project aimed to provide recommendations for cities to implement equitable home energy retrofit programs. As cities increase home energy retrofits, the program outcomes must be fair and just for rental residents, property owners and managers while reducing GHG emissions. We identified various retrofit packages that can reduce emissions and those with the highest impact, especially for equity-deserving groups. Strong laws, transition housing and incentives can ensure equitable program outcomes.

Partner: Integral Group
Funder: BC Hydro
Keywords: energy retrofits, green buildings

The purpose of this project was to undertake foundational research to inform the development of an engagement strategy to support behaviour change of campus community members in Scope 3 priority areas—food, waste, and transportation—on the UBC Okanagan Campus. This report provides an account of the current areas of engagement on campus, a brief review of the literature, existing challenges, and recommended actions moving forward.

Partner: UBC Okanagan
Funder: UBC
Keywords: leadership & behaviour change, sustainability in education