The University of British Columbia (UBC) District Energy Centre is an innovative and cutting-edge approach to sustainability with a high-tech hot-water boiler facility in the heart of campus. Completed in 2016, the Energy Centre’s 15 megawatt natural gas thermal boilers not only meet UBC’s current energy needs, but also reduce the University’s greenhouse gas emissions by 33% from 2007’s levels. This new technique allows for a cost-effective energy supply with a waste heat recovery system and a condensing economizer, providing efficient heating and electricity to over 133 campus buildings.
The hybrid construction utilizes 62.9% less energy than a similar baseline building of its type, operating as a “living lab” that provides valuable educational opportunities and data on the campus’s daily energy production and operations. The building’s academic focus is demonstrated and architecturally underlined by the large windows on the ground floor that allow observers to see the double height boiler hall. This demonstrates transparency in the energy centre’s operations and displays its mass timber structure, which combines a Douglas-fir glue-laminated timber (Glulam) post and beam frame (20 m clear span beams) with enclosing walls of seven-ply Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels and sloping CLT roof panels. Many of these structural elements are securely connected with MTC Solutions’ fasteners and beam hangers. The exposed timber design generates a unique visual contrast to the enormous equipment housed inside and the exterior metal cladding, and provides a natural visual warmth not usually seen in utility buildings. Apart from aesthetics, the wood used also sequesters 30 tonnes of CO2.
The District Energy Centre exemplifies UBC’s ecological commitment and core values, fittingly uniting mass timber design with sustainable energy provision, while attaining a LEED® Gold certification.
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