Sustainability Scholars Program

Metro Vancouver’s Smart Drive Challenge (SDC) pilot project used on-board location tracking and “smart” connected feedback technology to determine whether short-term driver training and “smart” feedback can help improve fuel consumption and fuel efficiency, and instil more environmentally-friendly driving habits. The purpose of this Sustainably Scholars project was to analyse and interpret the large amount of GPS and participant-survey data collected through the SDC to determine whether the training and feedback helped drivers change their driving habits and behaviour, and drive less. 

Partner: Metro Vancouver
Keywords: transportation

The goal of this report is to give UBC Properties Trust (UBCPT) an understanding of energy related costs and the rising costs associated with utility consumption in B.C. utilizing a portfolio of buildings currently under the management of Village Gate and Westbrook Properties. This information will help UBCPT to make informed decisions around energy consumption and future retrofits to realize energy cost savings and help UBC meet its greenhouse gas emissions goals. 

Partner: UBC Sustainability & Engineering
Keywords: green buildings, sustainable development & green economy

Rehearsing Conflict is a unique workplace learning opportunity offered as a free workshop series (or, summer intensive) for UBC employees. It uses forum theatre methods to play out and explore real stories of conflict from the UBC community. Conflict Theatre has provided a thoughtful, effective, and popular way to engage people in difficult conversations, while also allowing them the space to practice and rehearse various strategies and responses to a conflict situation. This report reviews the development of the initiative over the past few years and provides an evaluation strategy for the pilot.

Partner: UBC Human Resources
Keywords: social sustainability, sustainability in education

This project supports the Vancouver Park Board’s goals for urban forest restoration throughout city parks and the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan to plant 150 000 trees. Everett Crowley Park was the focus of the data collection and analysis. The primary goal was to establish a base level knowledge about the history of anthropogenic disturbance within the park area, assess the current conditions of restoration work completed and establish general guidelines for continuing and improving restoration efforts. 

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

This project aims to determine the success of the City of Vancouver’s requirement for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in new one- and two-family dwellings and multifamily buildings, in terms of the effectiveness of the current code inspection regime, and the actual number of homes that have been outfitted with EV charging circuits under the requirements. 

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: green transportation, green buildings

The City of Vancouver’s current direction towards greater energy efficiency standards, combined with continuous advancements in green energy technology, will likely result in the greater adoption of air- source heat pumps as an alternative source of space conditioning and domestic hot water production. As Vancouver continues to densify, the competition for suitable mechanical space will become even more limited and the possibility for noise conflicts even greater. This research project therefore explores some of these challenges and presents potential solutions to these issues. 

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

Building off the VEC’s success with the Flats Climate Action Program where businesses tackle their GHG emissions as a collective cohort, this feasibility study is testing a novel approach to engaging small and mid-size industrial business and property owners in energy efficiency retrofit projects through collective financing and project management. We anticipate that the collective approach will yield not only financial savings, but also social incentives.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: climate and renewables, sustainable development & green economy, green buildings 

The main objective of this project is to benchmark the existing use of sustainable materials in the CIty of Vancouver's  internal operations and identify areas for improvement. Internal and external procurement processes were mapped for three engineering materials (asphalt, concrete and aggregate). In addition, existing requirements in procurement and reports pertaining to sustainability were documented and five improvement areas were identified.

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: lighter footprint, supply chain management & green procurement, sustainable development & green economy

It is the intent of this report to provide best practices on stewardship funding models and to identify potential opportunities for funding the stewardship of City owned plazas. Framed as a toolkit this document provides community organizations and City decision makers with models, case studies and ready-to-use tools for supporting the stewardship of our public plazas. 

Partner: City of Vancouver
Keywords: healthy city, social sustainability, green buildings