Sustainability Scholars Program

UBC Wellbeing operates across both the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses with the goal of enhancing the general wellbeing of all students, staff, faculty, and other members of the university community. This project sought to support the implementation of a university-wide Wellbeing Strategy, which focused on several aspects of wellbeing that were identified as key priority areas. The Wellbeing Strategy aims to develop a vision of wellbeing across the campus community to be implemented over the coming years and decades.

Partner: UBC Wellbeing
Keywords: social sustainability, sustainability in education

This report was commissioned to determine the successes and challenges of partner engagement in UBC Thrive. As an annual health promotion initiative, Thrive is aimed at promoting strategies for improving the mental health of students, staff, and faculty. Thrive partners include individuals from various student, staff, and faculty groups and departments.

Partner: UBC Wellbeing & UBC HR
Keywords: social sustainability, sustainability in education

On-demand mobility services have been seen as a way to reduce the cost of transit while improving the customer experience by using technology to request a ride. In 2018, TransLink launched the Bowen Island Pilot Project to test on-demand services. This report serves as a best practice review of on-demand mobility services to assist with future implementation of on-demand service in the Metro Vancouver region. The recommendations in this report are directed towards Bowen Island, BC, but are applicable to other areas with similar characteristics.

Partner: TransLink
Keywords: transportation

This project explores the concept of mobility hubs in an effort to implement strategies and initiatives that prioritize low emission transportation modes in the long term. In existing research, mobility hubs are often defined as areas where a variety of sustainable transportation modes connect seamlessly. As such, hubs present an opportunity to integrate mobility options that utilize new transportation technology to help enhance user experience and travel resiliency to help cover first and last mile travel.

Partner: TransLink
Keywords: transportation

This project aims to support the Greenest City Action Plan 2020 goals of increasing access to nature and green transportation by enhancing the resiliency of street planting in the face of climate change over the next thirty years. Climate changes in Vancouver will put further stresses on street horticulture assets, in addition to the existing harsh street conditions that these plants are subject to such as air pollution, road salt and low soil volumes. 

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: access to nature, green transportation, ecological systems

This project investigates how K–12 educators within the Vancouver School Board use the City’s parks and what actions the Park Board and its community partners could take to support their efforts. The study examined which schools and grade levels use the parks, which parks are used most often, which subjects are taught in parks and what kinds of activities occur.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: access to nature, healthy city, ecological systems

This project assembled a toolkit for industrial and commercial on-site use of alternative water sources (rainwater, stormwater, greywater, foundational water, or steam condensate). The toolkit includes current regulations, commercially available systems, steps for system setup, and local case studies. The resources included are based on interviews with local subject experts and businesses, to assess the common water sources, potential water uses, and benefits and obstacles to using nonpotable water for industrial applications.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: clean water, waste management & recycling

An emerging priority has been to review water use by irrigation in Vancouver. This project follows suit by analyzing water use through irrigation on sports fields and in gardens. Throughout the project, we analyzed water use to identify key drivers of water use, compare methods of watering and find areas of improvement. We also developed a benchmark for sports fields to identify high water users and provide information to better assess the total water usage by Vancouver Parks. 

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: water, clean water

This report builds upon the existing research and engagement work in the False Creek Flats and identifies strategies and opportunities for private sector investment in green infrastructure and green technologies along the Walk-the-Line corridor. This report seeks to understand how green infrastructure is perceived by the business community in the False Creek Flats, including the barriers to green investments and  the drivers for current or planned green initiatives and projects. 

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: access to nature, sustainable development & green economy, green buildings