University of British Columbia – Campus Energy Centre

Changing the consumption conversation

Bridges & Urban Infrastructure

The Campus Energy Centre (CEC) inhales massive amounts of air to feed the combustion process and exhales hot, humid exhaust, while supporting a pulsing circulatory system that feeds hot water to campus buildings. Comprised of a new high-efficiency hot water heating plant and district hot-water distribution loop, the CEC replaces an old boiler plant constructed in 1925. The new system serves over 130 buildings delivered through 14 km of underground insulated pipe. It houses all process equipment including three 15 MW boilers with capacity for phased expansion to a total output of 80 MW. Its design and placement on campus redefines district energy by making sustainable infrastructure visible to the campus community. DIALOG also provided energy modeling services on this project.

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Location
Vancouver, BC
Size
21,248 sq ft
Client
The University of British Columbia
Completion
2016
Sustainability
LEED® Gold certified
DIALOG Services

Architecture
Sustainability + Building Performance Consulting

Collaborators

Applied Engineering Solutions Ltd.
BKL Consultants Ltd.
Fast + Epp
FVB Energy Inc.
Kerr Wood Leidal Associates
LMDG Building Code Consultants Ltd
Perry + Associates

The Team

“The predominant use of mass timber and cross-laminated timber, in place of more typically carbon-intensive structural components, reinforces how a project can be exemplary in responding to local challenges.”

RAIC Jury - RAIC Award of Excellence response
Formed by function

The building’s function shaped the space. Like a puzzle, the necessary mechanical programming is tactfully pieced together.

Shifting the volume
Applying the shroud
Skin responds to input outputs
Final form

Awards

2018 Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia AwardArchitectural Institute of British Columbia
2018 Canadian Green Building Award – Commercial/Industrial (Small) AwardSABMag
2019 Institutional Wood Design – LargeWoodWORKS! BC