This project comprises a literature review of groundwater for non-potable use. The scope includes an overview of groundwater use, licensing, non-potable water initiatives, and case studies in three cities (San Francisco, Perth and Los Angeles). The objective is to understand how these municipalities have planned, implemented and regulated non-potable groundwater use, and provide suggestions on approaches that could be applied at the City of Vancouver.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: clean water, green buildings, healthy city

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2019
Nathalie Gomes

In Canada, 58% of food intended for human consumption is wasted. This project directly supports the City of Vancouver's Zero Waste 2040 goal to become a leading city in food waste prevention. It uses a behaviour change perspective to identify best practices for food waste avoidance and rescue in the grocery retail sector, and ways in which the City can engage and support adoption of best practices.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: lighter footprint, zero waste

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2019
Andrea Byfuglien

In the past, small-scale neighbourhood retail played a larger role in Vancouver's residential neighbourhoods. This project inventories the remaining and former small-scale neighbourhood retail sites in Vancouver. It also lists the values and challenges that come with this type of retail. Moreover, it includes a list of policy interventions that could help make neighbourhood retail more viable in Vancouver.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: green transportation, healthy city, local food

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2019
Jacqueline Hunter

This research project investigates the building energy consumption modelling assumptions laid-out in the City of Vancouver Energy Modelling Guidelines (EMG) and the BC Energy Step Code by calibrating these baseline assumptions using actual building energy consumption data. The key findings developed in this research study suggest improvements and recommendation on the current version of the City of Vancouver Energy Modelling Guidelines and the Zero Emissions Building Plan (ZEBP).

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: green buildings

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2019
Sarah Crosby

This project supports the development of a neighbourhood-scale post-occupancy evaluation (POE) framework to gain an understanding of where Vancouver's Southeast False Creek (SEFC) stands according to its performance targets set over a decade ago. More broadly, the intent is to be able to adapt and apply the SEFC post-occupancy framework to other neighbourhoods within the City of Vancouver, and inform future area plans and city-wide planning, while building internal capacity for continued POE work.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: climate and renewables, healthy city, local food

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2019
Christine Nesbitt

An examination of current approaches to evaluating the inclusiveness of public spaces. Research has established that public spaces are beneficial for environmental and social sustainability, economic development, promoting positive health outcomes, building a sense of community and enhancing perceptions of social connectedness, welcomeness and safety. This work seeks to identify challenges and learn from existing public space practices to inform public space policies, programs, and projects.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: green transportation, healthy city, lighter footprint 

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2019
Stella Zhou

The purpose of this document is twofold. Firstly, it aims to provide a research summary, contextualization, and academic body of support for the choice of key indicators and metrics related to resilient neighbourhood design. Secondly, it aims to act as a standalone best-practice resource guide for those seeking to enhance the resilience of communities and the built environment through intentional urban design, including both academics and professionals.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: green buildings, green economy, healthy city

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2019
Mark Poskitt

Wellbeing services on campus experience unsustainable demands from students seeking support for elevated levels of stress. This project aims to inform development of a campus-wide stress management strategy at UBC Okanagan. This objective was accomplished in three phases: 1. Explore resources on campus and within the literature; 2. Assess barriers and facilitators to accessing resources; and 3. Refine a biofeedback intervention to help students to self-regulate their stress response.

Partner: UBC-O School of Health and Exercise Sciences
Keywords: leadership & behaviour change, social sustainability

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2019
Kelsey Wuerstl

In 2018, UBC's Centre for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) developed a Community Resilience Framework (CRF) to identify indicators for use in measuring resilience outcomes. In 2019, CCEL evaluated the CRF as an assessment tool. This evaluation found that CCEL's community partners recognize resilience as relevant to their work and support the framework's holistic view of resilience. This report offers recommendations on how CCEL can support partners in fostering resilience going forward.

Partner: UBC Centre for Community Engaged Learning
Keywords: ecological systems, social sustainability, sustainable development & green economy

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2019
Naomi Reichstein

This project supports the physical and mental wellbeing of the student population at the UBC Okanagan campus. This will be achieved through the development of a physical activity referral program. Students with physical or mental health related concerns will be referred to the program by healthcare professionals and UBCO Health and Wellness. Students will receive physical activity-related mentorship from peers in the Human Kinetics program to increase their wellbeing.

Partner: UBC-O School of Health and Exercise Sciences
Keywords: leadership & behaviour change, physical activity, mental wellbeing

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2019
Kendra Arthurs

Metro Vancouver manages the Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam watersheds to supply drinking water to 2.5 million residents. The future of this source  relies on the continued forest health of these water supply areas. This report investigates the effect future climate change could have on biotic disturbances like western hemlock looper, balsam woolly adelgid, swiss needle cast and western hemlock dwarf mistletoe. Short and long term management strategies for these problems are also discussed.

Partner: Metro Vancouver
Keywords: biodiversity, ecological systems, forest health

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2019
Katherine Kitchens

This project aims to improve and update the understanding of ground-level ozone science since the adoption of the latest Regional Ground-Level Ozone Strategy (RGLOS) in 2014. Includes recent relevant literature on ozone chemistry, meteorology, industrial processes, medical research, ecology, and best practices adopted by other jurisdictions. Builds upon the current RGLOS and addresses challenges the Canadian Lower Fraser Valley is facing to inform the anticipated RGLOS renewal in 2019/2020.

Partner: Metro Vancouver
Keywords: sustainable development & green economy

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2019
Wenhao Chen

The purpose of this project is to assess the multi-media impacts of cannabis production facilities in Metro Vancouver in order to inform the planning and regulation of these facilities. The report includes annual projections of local air quality impacts, water use and discharge, solid waste generation, as well as energy use and associated carbon emissions.

Partner: Metro Vancouver
Keywords: sustainable development & green economy, waste management & recycling, air quality

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2019
Raahil Madhok

This project aims to provide an overview of the challenges and opportunities for creating an online marketplace for salvaged construction and demolition materials in Metro Vancouver to help the region increase its diversion rate to 80% by 2020. The report includes suggestions for focusing on salvaged wood, supporting deconstruction within the region, actively managing the online marketplace, and providing a warehouse to store the salvaged material.

Partner: Metro Vancouver
Keywords: supply chain management & green procurement, sustainable development & green economy, waste management & recycling

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2019
Stephanie Dalo

Fugitive methane emissions, which occur due to leaks, flaring, or venting of methane gas in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) aren't included in the 2006 IPCC National GHG inventory. This project opens a discussion into the potential presence of fugitive methane emissions in a wastewater treatment plant to allow for appropriate mitigation measures and ultimately adoption of best practices in the field to help reduce global GHG emissions from WWTPs.

Partner: Metro Vancouver
Keywords: waste management & recycling, wastewater, methane

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2019
Archita Borah

This report seeks to assist the UBC Human Resources Equity Inclusion working group and the UBC Equity & Inclusion Office to understand current, effective, and leading equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) human resources practices and approaches for the workplace. The aim of the report is to provide the HR Equity and Inclusion working group with information to support the development of a road-map that prioritizes EDI initiatives within HR and across UBC.  

Partner: UBC Human Resources
Keywords: leadership & behaviour change, human resources, employment equity, marginalization

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2019
Beatrice Zano

This projects aims to understand the recycling process and collect quantitative data on waste streams that have not been tracked at four health care sites. It also explains the feasibility of conducting a comprehensive analysis on all waste streams at other sites, describes the challenges and barriers in data collection, and provides suggestions for new recycling programs to increase waste diversion in health care.

Partner: Fraser Health
Keywords: waste management & recycling

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2019
Yu Luo

A policy assessment to support the implementation of UBC's Green Building Action Plan with a focus on reduction of embodied carbon in building projects through whole-building lifecycle assessment (LCA). Research includes a review of policies, standards, regulations and available market tools related to LCAs. The results of this study will inform how embodied carbon is measured with the overall objective of reducing the environmental impact of building construction through improved organizational decision-making.

Partner: UBC Sustainability Initiative (Urban Innovation Research)
Keywords: green buildings, supply chain management & green procurement, sustainable development & green economy

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2019
Mackenzie Walker

Improving the resiliency, health, and adaptability of the UBC community is a key goal of the UBC Green Building Action Plan (GBAP).  This study explores the feasibility of using a resiliency-focused building standard in the UBC context. The report explores the concept of  resilience  as it has been adopted by various organizations around the world, reviews the recently developed RELi rating system for resilient design and construction, and identifies gaps and opportunities for UBC campus development. 

Partner: UBC Sustainability Initiative (Urban Innovation Research)
Keywords: green buildings, resilience, climate adaptation

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2019
Rashmin Sorathiya

This project reviews the research program at UBC's Bioenergy Research Demonstration Facility (BRDF). The main research topics have been tar cracking, fuel quality, and emissions. In 2020, the BRDF will expand to include a 12 MWth boiler that produces thermal energy by combustion. Interviews with key UBC faculty and operators identified enablers and barriers for collaboration and for conducting applied research in an operating facility. 

Partner: UBC Sustainability Initiative (Urban Innovation Research)
Keywords: green buildings, bioenergy, campus as a living lab

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2019
Amanda Johnson

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