Infrastructure and Systems

UBC’s Energy & Water Infrastructure

UBC’s Energy & Water Services unit manages the UBC Vancouver campus’s high-voltage electricity, district energy (steam and hot water), natural gas, and water needs.

Our utilities infrastructure is quite unique for a university. On the simplest scale, we’re similar to a municipality in that we supply all the water on campus. We’re responsible not only for our potable water distribution system, but also for our sanitary and stormwater sewer systems. We’re also the primary owners and managers of the natural gas distribution piping systems on our 1,000 acre campus. The only exceptions are the piping systems in the University Neighbourhood Association (UNA) neighbourhoods.

In addition to natural gas, we own the high-voltage electrical system that distributes electricity across the campus, which includes two major sub-stations. We took responsibility for the system nearly 60 years ago, in exchange for receiving what’s referred to as the “heritage”, or transmission rate, for electricity supply from BC Hydro. BC Hydro also provides electricity directly to the market housing neighbourhoods on campus.

We also operate the university’s new hot water generation and distribution system, providing heat energy for domestic hot water and heating across the campus.

Building Management System (BMS)

UBC’s Building Management System (BMS) is a network of computer-based controllers connected to various mechanical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in the buildings across campus. The BMS controls building environments and is a critical component of UBC’s energy efficiency and conservation efforts

Bioenergy Research Demonstration Facility (BRDF)

The Bioenergy Research and Demonstration Facility (BRDF), located at the UBC Vancouver campus, is an energy generation facility that processes renewable biomass sourced from urban wood waste to generate thermal energy for heating campus buildings. A first of its kind project in North America, the system reduces UBC’s reliance on fossil fuels, provides a quarter of campus heating needs, and eliminates 14% of campus greenhouse gas emissions.

Hot Water District Energy System (ADES)

The ADES Steam to Hot Water Conversion Project replaced 14 kilometres of 90-year-old steam piping, and connected more than 160 buildings to a highly efficient hot water district energy system.

Energy Management

We develop long-range energy infrastructure plans and implement energy and water conservation and efficiency measures that reduce UBC’s operating costs, defer costly infrastructure upgrades, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and lessen UBC’s exposure to fluctuating energy markets.

Utilities Metrics and Data

Energy & Water Services complies and publishes a variety of reports and presentations designed to share our results in an open and transparent way with the UBC community and beyond.

For Contractors & Developers

Please refer to the “Design Review and Construction Coordination Information Package” found with UBC’s Technical Guidelines Division 33 specifications, which outlines the development processes related to UBC’s utilities infrastructure. The package includes a checklist of UBC Energy and Water Services (EWS) consultant and contractor service requirements. All the UBC standards that builders are expected to adhere […]

Water systems / supply

UBC owns and operates its own water distribution system. UBC’s Energy and Water Services unit is responsible for the distribution of potable and firefighting water on the university’s 1,000 acre campus.

Metro Vancouver provides our campus water through the University Endowment Lands (UEL). Water is sourced from the Metro Vancouver’s Sasamat Reservoir. We receive water through two separate water mains: one along University Boulevard and the other along West 16th Avenue.

  • Water Supply Protection: UBC has a Cross Connection Control Program. The goal of this program is to protect and ensure our drinking water is not contaminated, after any backflow incident. For more details, please see our brochure.
  • Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Program: Please see the Publications page for information on the Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Program. For additional information on drinking water quality on campus please review UBC’s Safety & Risk Services website.
  • Watering Regulations: Irrigation and watering regulations are managed by Metro Vancouver.