Ecocity at UBC : Propose a Framework to Evaluate and Amend UBC Plans and Policies

One of the primary goals of UBC is to transform its campus into a vibrant, connected and complete sustainable community by going beyond minimizing harm to become net positive contributors to human and environmental wellbeing. UBC has recently aimed to align itself with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In doing so, UBC is one of three institutions in the world in delivering on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to contribute to create sustainable communities, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity in a community. UBC plans and policies play an important role in delivering these goals, they are guiding the university to reach sustainability at the heart of teaching, learning and research, operations and infrastructure, and community. For this reason, it is essential to evaluate the UBC plans and policies and amend where necessary to make them applicable and effective. The purpose of this research is to propose a framework to evaluate UBC plans and policies to understand relationships and identify potential gaps and synergies toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This proposed framework is based on SDGs, EcoCity pillars and standards, and four rating systems include LEED, SITES, ENVISION and RELI. The outcome is a new framework with potential indicators for UBC Campus and Community Planning to both measure the effectiveness of current policies and plans, as well as to guide the development of new plans moving forward. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”Applied Science, Faculty ofArchitecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School ofUnreviewedGraduat