Campus as Regional Sustainability Test-Bed

Universities uniquely suited for this role:• Single (owner-) occupiers • Public mandate• Teaching • Research

Work with private, public and NGO partners to apply this knowledge

Develop integrated campus-scale systems:• Demonstration and research• Engage and train students;

new curricula & programs

UBC at a Glance

400+ Buildings

600+ Hectares

Operating Budget $2.1B

1996 2002 2008 2014

Opens C.K Choi Building, setting

new green building

benchmarks worldwide

Integrates sustainability as

a core pillar in UBC’s highest level strategic

plan

Meets Kyoto Protocol GHG reduction targets

for academic buildings 5 years early

Canada`s first university to adopt a sustainable development policy

Approval of 20 Year

Sustainability Strategy

Opens Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS)

Sets bold targets to reduce GHG

emissions33% by 201567% by 2020

100% by 2050

Sustainability Milestones

Operational

Academic

Institutional Culture Change

Operational

Academic

Limits Storyline• Harm reduction• Damage limitation• Mitigation• Cutting back• Sacrifice

Sustainability Discourse

Problems• Not motivating• Doesn’t go far enough• Mostly environmental• Scientistic

GoalSimultaneously increase human & environmental well-being

QuestionsWhat processes? At what scale? Role of universities…

Regenerative Sustainability

• From less bad to more good• From reducing damage to creating benefits• From sacrifice to contribution• From net zero to net positive

Two Cross-cutting Themes

Campus as Living Lab

Agent of Change

Climate Action Plan Indicators

Performance Indicator 2007 2014Change

from 2007 to 2014

GHG Emissions (tonnes CO2e) 61,082 47,814 -22%

Student Enrolment (FTE) 37,589 44,388 +18%

GHG Emissions per Student (tonnes CO2e/FTE) 1.62 1.08 -34%

Floor Space (square meters) 1,284,462 1,429,847 +11%

GHG Emissions per square meter (tonnes CO2e/m2) 0.048 0.033 -30%

2007 2015 2020 20500

20

40

60

80

100

Teaching & Learning Vision: Integration across the University

Each student, regardless of their degree program, should have access to an education in sustainability via a “sustainability learning pathway” (UBC Sustainability Academic Strategy, 2009)

Sustainability Pathways

Sustainable Community Indicators

1997 20130.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

Daytime Population Auto TripsTransit ParkingResidents

NEXT GENERATION SUSTAINABILITY AT UBC

Teaching, Learning

and Research

Operations and

Infrastructure

UBC Communi

ty