Next Generation Sustainability at UBC · 2014. 7. 17. · International STEM in Education...
Transcript of Next Generation Sustainability at UBC · 2014. 7. 17. · International STEM in Education...
Next Generation Sustainability at UBC
John Robinson
UBC
Presentation at
International STEM in
Education conference
UBC
July 13, 2014
STEM and Sustainability
• Many points of connection • Key point: STEM is crucial but STEM
alone is not enough • So would like to broaden focus a bit:
– From STEM to MES3H IT – (Math, Engineering, Social Science,
Science, Humanities, Interdisciplinarity, Technology)
The Sustainability of Limits
1962 1966
1968
1972 1972
1973
1969
Limits & Boundaries at Multiple Scales
• Stream carrying capacity exceeded
• Resource dependent community lost
• Homes and savings lost through sub-prime mortgage disaster
• Financially troubled EU • Planetary ecological
boundaries
Limits Storyline • Harm reduction • Damage limitation • Mitigation • Cutting back • Sacrifice
The Sustainability Discourse
Four Problems
Doesn’t go far enough
We have to go beyond net zero
Only environmental Sustainability is about both environmental and human wellbeing
Not motivating People don’t jump onto the bandwagon of sacrifice
Scientistic Unproblematic view of role of science and technology
• From less bad to more good • From reducing damage to creating benefits • From sacrifice to contribution • From net zero to net positive
Regenerative Sustainability
Goal: To simultaneously increase human and environmental well-being
Questions: For what processes? At what scale? Role of university . . .
Campus as Sustainability Test-Bed
Universities uniquely suited for this role: • Single (owner-) occupiers • Public mandate • Teaching • Research
Develop integrated campus-scale systems: • Demonstration and research • Engage and train students; develop new curricula and
programs
UBC Campus as a Living Lab
CIRS
~14 million sq. ft. ~270 core buildings ~ 300 hectares
UBC’s Climate Change goals (Mar, 2010)
• achieved Kyoto targets (-6%) for core academic buildings in 2007 (with 35% growth in floorspace)
• New targets: - 33% by 2015 - 67% by 2020 - 100% by 2050
UBC Campus Steam System
Size of energy challenge: • eliminate fossil fuels • no new electricity transmission lines to campus • ~35% growth in research and residential floorspace by 2030
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20
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2007 2015 2020 2050
Current Signature Projects
Continuous Optimization of Campus Buildings
Demand-Side Supply-Side
Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS)
Steam to Hot Water Conversion of Campus District Energy System
Bioenergy Research and Demonstration Project
$150 million of capital investment
$3 million Partnership with BC Hydro
and Pulse Energy 72 large academic
buildings completed in 4 phases 2010-16
10% GHG savings
Continuous Optimization in Buildings
UBC Bioenergy Research & Demonstration Facility
$28 million Four story CLT building Heating mode: 6 MW Cogen mode: 2MW(elec) + 3MW(heat) + 1MW (waste) GHG Savings: 9% (cogen); 15% (heating)
Steam to Hot Water Conversion
$88 million Multiple phases 2012-15 54MW hot water peaking
plant (gas); future: cogen + green gas
22% GHG savings
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1.10
1.20
1.30
2007 2013
GHG Emissions (tonnes CO2e)
Student Enrolment (FTE)
Floor Space (square meters)
UBC-V GHG Emissions and Drivers 2007-2013
Students +7% Floorspace +11% GHG - 14%
2014: - Ph 2 of C-OP - 2 MW cogen (RNG) - ADES Energy Centre
A Regenerative Building Process
• All water from the sky • All liquid waste treated
on site • All heating and cooling from the ground/neighbours/sun • All light (when avail.) from the sun • Green electricity (25 kW PV) • Natural/displacement ventilation • Wood building
A building that restores the environment around it
net positive on water quality
net positive on energy and GHG emissions
Continuous research: § technical performance of building systems
§ behavioural interface of building & inhabitants net positive on structural
carbon
Energy Balance - Summary
990 MWh
306 MWh
600 MWh
-860 MWh nat. gas
-154 t CO2e
CIRS EOS
UBC Steam Plant
860 – 585 = 275 MWh Net positive energy use
1600 MWh 1600-600= 1000 MWh
585 MWh elec.
Occupant Passive recipients of conditions provided them"
Inhabitant
Play an active role in maintenance &
performance of their buildings"
Occupant to Inhabitant
Metrics: productivity, health and happiness?
Regenerative in Environmental and Human Terms
Net positive on: • Energy • Operational carbon • Water quality • Structural carbon
Net positive on: • Health • Productivity • Happiness
CIRS Modelled & Actual Energy Flows
Estimated Actual Heat Recovered from EOS
906 MWh 129 MWh
Heat Sent to EOS 600 MWh 129 MWh
Heat Received by EOS 600 MWh 1 MWh
Electrical Use 585 MWh 755 MWh
Source: Fedoruk, 2013
Key Lessons Learned
• Barriers are not technical or economic but institutional
• Extend IDP to whole building lifecycle • Limitations of simple measures (e.g.
EUI) • Importance of system boundaries • Communication, feedback and
monitoring are essential
Integrated Campus Systems – Energy, Water, Waste
District Energy Centre
• hot water plant (thermal) • future expansion (cogeneration) • potential integration of bioenergy plant, HW distribution, electro-
chemical storage and biomass-to-H2 projects
“UBC’s Vancouver Campus will be
transformed into a zero waste community”
Zero Waste Efforts at the University of British Columbia: Examining Waste
Goals, Processes and Opportunities to Educate the Campus Community
Latika Raisinghani, Ivana Zelenika & Kwesi Yaro Curriculum and Pedagogy, Faculty of Education &
Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability University of British Columbia
LOCATION: SWING building #305
TIME: 10am - 11:10
Social Sustainability
Access and
Diversity
Vice-President Students
University Sustainab
ility Initiative
Healthiest Campus Initiative
Wellness Plan
Community Learning Initiative
Sport and Sustainability
Intercultural Understanding
UBCO Sustainability
Office
First Nations Perspectives
ßà Human Wellbeing
• academic offices • classrooms & meeting rooms • cafe • convenience store • Collegium
• fitness centre • informal learning spaces • child care centre • end-of-trip bicycle facilities • art gallery
Ponderosa Commons
• ~600,000 ft2 • 1116 beds • $167 million • LEED GOLD • First of five
UBC Neighbourhoods
From commuter campus to sustainable community More affordable housing for students & families to live on campus Enhance academic engagement, campus life and the environment
Students & family
Faculty, Staff and other
2001 ~11,000 people
2010 ~18,000 people
2041 ~40,000 people
UBC Neighbourhoods
Sustainable Community Indicators
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1.0
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4.0
1997 2012
Daytime Population Auto Trips Transit Parking Residents
The Role of the University as an Agent of Change
“New forms of partnership between the private, public and NGO sectors should be a critical component of the sustainability agenda
. . . identify and flesh out new, more integrated models of interaction
. . . transform the institutional rules and processes that govern the universities’ relationships with the outside world.”
(Stephen Toope, Submission to Secretary-General’s Global Colloquium of University Presidents, New York University, Nov 28-29, 2007)
Strategic Alliance Partnerships
Utown@UBC as living lab
Energy systems, decision support
Residential sustainability
Energy, engagement, mobility
Operational and Research Collaboration
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UBC/COV Sustainability Collaborative
UBC Sustainability
Initiative
Greenest City Action
Plan S
hare
d S
usta
inab
ility
G
oals
Regional Collaboration
on District Energy
Institutional Local Food
Procurement
Greenest City Scholars Program
Sustainable Behaviour Change
Research
Areas of Focus - UBC/COV Collaborative
Greenest City Scholars Program
5 YEARS 2010 to 2014
59 GRADUATE STUDENTS in GC Scholar
positions
Nearly 15,000 HOURS of work completed
59 PROJECTS total to advance GCAP goals
under City staff mentorship
8/40 Scholars (2010-2013) hired by City
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Greenest City Scholars, 2014
Sustainability Scholars
City of Vancouver 18 BC Hydro 6 Fortis 1 Musqueam 1 UBC 4 Total 30
Teaching & Learning Vision: Integration across the University
Each student, regardless of their degree program, should have access to an educa6on in sustainability via a “sustainability learning pathway” (UBC Sustainability Academic Strategy, 2009)
Sustainability Pathways
Sustainability Learning: Pathways and Student Attributes
Pathways programming
• Insert sustainability sections into big first year courses – Psychology, Geography, Biology,
Chemistry, Math, Applied Science • Work with units on 2nd and 3rd year
content courses (e.g. SCI 220) • Work with Faculties on 4th year
capstone leadership courses
Faculty of Science Sustainability Pathway
Common Energy
Friends of the UBC Farm
Bike Co-‐op
Select UBC Student Initiatives
Sustainability Ambassadors
Geography Students
Associa?on
Commerce Undergraduate
Students
Chemical & Biological Engineering
AMS Sustainability
Sustainability in Residence
• Extensive consultation process (>2000 individuals, 4500 unique website visits, meetings, booths, presentations, workshops, Open House)
• 3 components (Teaching, Learning and Research; Operations and Infrastructure; UBC Community)
Draft Vision Statement
At UBC, sustainability means simultaneous improvements in human and environmental wellbeing, not just reductions in damage or harm. By 2035, such regenerative sustainability is embedded across UBC throughout teaching, learning, research, partnerships, operations and infrastructure, and the UBC community. UBC is a vibrant, healthy and resilient community, deeply engaged with its neighbours, surrounding region, partners around the world, and in a supportive and mutually respectful relationship with the Musqueam people.
Commit Integrate Demonstrate Inspire