UVic has signed a memorandum of understanding with Dalkia Canada Inc. to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of establishing a biomass thermal energy plant.

The feasibility study will evaluate the benefits of implementing biomass technology at the University of Victoria.  It will assess how energy is used now and in the future, and determine if biomass is a valid alternative.

UVic currently heats the majority of its buildings with high temperature hot water generated by boilers fueled by natural gas.  These boilers account for over 70% of UVic’s greenhouse gas emissions.  A biomass plant fueled by wood waste may allow the university to significantly exceed its emission reduction targets, eliminate the need to pay in excess of $700,000 per year in carbon offsets and tax, and reduce what we pay for energy and operational expenses.

Our terms of reference also includes looking at ways that teaching and research opportunities can be integrated into the proposed facility.

The consultants and the steering committee will investigate a variety of alternative technical solutions and bring forward a solution that is right for UVic.

The Dalkia consulting team also includes, FBB Energy Inc., Farallon Consultants Ltd., Dialog, and Avalon Mechanical Consultants Ltd.

Over the next eight to nine months, we will share information and consult with our internal and external community.  UVic will use the “involve” consultation approach for this study as described in UVic’s Community Engagement Framework for Campus Land Use Planning and Development Projects.                                                                                                                                                         http://www.uvic.ca/sustainabilityassetsdocsUVic%20Engagement%20Framework%20Dec%2013-%202012%20Version%201%200.pdf.

Over the course of the study, a preferred technical approach including a long-term secure fuel supply will be analyzed, optional locations for the plant will be considered, and a long-term energy supply agreement will be considered.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Facilities Management at biomass@uvic.ca.

Media tips & leads

Contract awarded for UVic's Centre For Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities

The University of Victoria is pleased to announce that Campbell Construction Ltd. has been awarded a $58,627,667.23 contract for the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities (CARSA), the university's newest capital project.

The CARSA facility will include the UVic Vikes and sports and recreation programs as well as new offices, labs and a machine shop for UVic's CanAssist, which develops customized technologies, programs and services for people living with disabilities. UVic's total project budget for the CARSA facility and adjacent parkade is $77 million. Occupancy is targeted for spring 2015.

Site preparation will begin as early as Feb. 25, 2013, at the intersection of Gabriola Road and McKenzie Avenue. In preparation for construction, parking lot 3 off Gabriola Road will be permanently closed. The Alumni Chip Trail through the construction zone will also be closed during the project to ensure public safety, and access to playing fields 1, 2 and 3 will change. Pedestrians and cyclists are asked to consult directional information posted on site and use detour routes as required. Alternative nearby parking areas are lots 2, 4 and 7.

For more information and updates on construction, visit www.uvic.ca/carsa.

Construction & travel advisory: http://www.uvic.ca/carsa/home/construction/index.php.

The South Tower residence building at the University of Victoria is the sixth campus facility to achieve national recognition for environmental design and sustainability.  On January 4, 2013, the Canada Green Building Council officially recognized the building with Gold-level certification in its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) New Construction green bulding program.  It is the first UVic residence building with LEED certification.

The 106-bed facility, located adjacent to parking lot 5 on the east side of campus, provides barrier-free rooms for disabled students, 84 dormitory-style rooms and 22 larger suites for graduate and mature students.  The project was completed well within the $13-million budget, and opened its doors to student residents in January 2011.

"We offer a guaranteed spot in residence for all first-year students entering UVic from high school, and this building helps us to respond to the high demand for on-campus accommodation," says Joel Lynn, Executive Director of Student Services.  "Research shows that living in residence helps students succeed both academically and socially."

Sustainability features of the six-storey South Tower, designed by Stantec Architecture and constructed on a former parking lot, include indoor bicycle storage, outdoor bike racks, efficient energy and water management measures, locally sourced and recycled materials, natural landscaping and enhanced indoor air quality.  During construction, 97 percent of the waste was diverted from the landfill.

"We are very pleased to have achieved LEED gold certification for a residence building," says David Perry, UVic's Director of Capital Development.  "In addition to the sustainability measures implemented during construction, the green cleaning program that started once the bulding was occupied has now been expanded to other residences."  The South Tower is also home to a sustainability-themed residence community where students participate in a program supporting their interests in sustainability and environmental issues.

UVic's Medical Sciences, Engineering/Computer Science, Social Sciences and Mathematics, Administrative Services buildings and First Peoples House previously acheived LEED gold status.  All major University of Victoria building projects incorporate sustainability initiatives, following the university's Sustainability Action Plan for Campus Operations: 2009-2014

UVic is once again planning for a 'green' holiday season break and we are asking your assistance in helping the university reduce its carbon footprint during holiday closure.  As part of our goal to make UVic a leader in sustainability, we've identified a number of actions to save energy and conserve resources.

During the holiday closure, temperatures in all major buildings will be reduced by a few degrees to 16C.  Exhaust fans, fume hoods and building lighting will be turned off where possible and after consultation by Facilities Management with researchers.  All staff are encouraged to ensure their computers, printers, copiers and other equipment in their work areas are turned off as well.  Temperatures in areas sensitive to temperature changes, such as animal care, etc., will not be reduced during this time.

We expect these simple strategies will reduce UVic's Greenhouse Gas emissions during the time period by 41 tonnes, substantially lowering our carbon footprint and our energy costs.

If you are working over the holiday break, please bring a sweater rather than plugging in a portable heater as they can be unsafe and negate the energy savings earned by turning down the heat.

We appreciate the efforts of the campus community to help us reduce energy waste on campus.

View / download Facilities Management Notice - Energy Conservation Memo

To ensure that all collected mail leaves the Campus prior to the Holiday closure, all departments will receive morning delivery and pick-up on Monday, December 24, 2012.  There will be no afternoon delivery or pick-up.

Mail intended for the Canada Post system prior to the Holiday closure should be ready for pick-up on the morning of December 24, 2012.  This will allow Distribution Services staff time to sort and process all mail ready for pick-up by Canada Post that afternoon.

Volume mail outs should be in Distribution Services on the morning of Tuesday, December 18, 2012, to ensure enough processing time prior to the Holiday closure.

For requirements that cannot be accommodated with this schedule, call Distribution Services supervisor, Lorna Funk, at 8986.

Canada Post rates will be increasing January 14, 2013.

Letters or cards within Canada up to 30g increase to 63 cents.

Letters or cards to the USA up to 30g increase to $1.10.

Letters or cards to all other destinations up to 30g increase to $1.85.

The level of janitorial services will be reduced in campus buildings beginning in January 2013 as a result of operating budget reductions.  A number of options were considered in order to minimize the impact of these changes on buildings, building occupants, and University employees.  This service level adjustment was considered by the Planning and Priorities Committee during its review of budget reduction strategies.

A summary of these changes are as follows:

There will be no changes to cleaning standards in washrooms, lounges, hallways, entrances, Science labs and research spaces.

The frequency of vacuuming and removal of waste and recycling from general offices (shared open office spaces) and board rooms will be reduced from five times a week to three times a week.

The frequency of classroom vacuuming, dust mopping, and furniture straightning will be reduced from five times a week to three times a week.

The frequency of waste removal in private and cubical offices from two times a week to once a week.

We would be pleased to discuss any specific concerns you may have as a result of the above initiatives.

If you have any questions or concerns about these changes, please contact Leigh Andersen, Director, Customer Service and Program Integration at Local 5594.

The Western Canadian Physical Plant Administrators Conference (WCUPPA) will run from Wednesday, September 11th to Friday September 13th, 2013.  The conference is held annually and the hosting University rotates among the participating institutions each year.  UVic last hosted the event in 2004 and from all accounts it was a big success.  Facilities Management has formed organizing committees representing a broad range of staff areas and they are busy working to make WCUPPA 2013 an event we can all be proud of.

www.wcuppa2013.ca

The University of Victoria's Board of Governors has approved funding for the construction of the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Apilities and the renovation of the McKinnon Building.  The university plans to undertake a more in-depth and widespread consultation process on the proposed centre and adjoining parkade.

For an update on the status of the project please visit http://www.uvic.ca/carsa.

The Facilities Management service request system is undergoing an upgrade to a newer version this weekend and will be unavailable from 4:30 pm Friday July 27, 2012 until 5:00pm Sunday July 29, 2012.   To recognise the change we have dropped the A from FAMIS and renamed the system FMIS (Facilities Management Information System).  You will notice this change when you access the online tools on your UVic my page.   Just click on FMIS to access Facilities Management services or check on a work request.

The system has an updated look, and functions very much like you’re used to.   You will notice that we’ve made selecting the service you are requesting a little easier by rearranging the listing of available services.  There is a new Chart of Accounts field as well, just click 1 (University of Victoria) in the drop down box and you’ll be on your way.  

We’re sure you will find the system simple to use, however if we can be of help in any way, please give us a call at the customer service desk 250-721-7616 and we’ll walk you through it.

Facilities Management plays an important role in helping the university mitigate emergencies and minimize disruption. For Emergency Preparedness Week (May 6-12), the department has launched an updated Emergency Operation Plan for staff, who play critical roles in assessing and maintaining campus infrastructure, utilities and grounds.

On May 11, Facilities Management staff exercised the emergency plan by erecting the Facilities Management Ranger Tent in front of the Saunders building. During a major campus emergency, this tent may be valuable as a rest area for staff or as the departmental operations centre.

Before you leave for the winter break, please turn off computers, printers and other office equipment. During the university closure, building temperatures will be reduced to 16C, and exhaust fans, fume hoods and lighting will be turned off where possible. Last year these strategies cut UVic's electrical consumption by 170,000 kwh and greenhouse gas emissions by 187 tonnes, for a cost savings of over $60,000.

If you’re interested in linking to it, there is a longer Ring article about last year’s energy savings, at http://ring.uvic.ca/news/green-holiday-break-saves-more-energy

CAMPUS WIDE POWER OUTAGES | May 28 & 29, 2011

Please be advised that BC Hydro will be carrying out major upgrades to the high voltage feeders in the area, which includes the University of Victoria campus.  This upgrade will benefit UVic in the future as we can plan for increased demands on our own sub-station as we expand and have the capacity to also upgrade our system.

BC Hydro will require two campus wide power outages to complete their project.  Facilities Management has consulted with BC Hydro to schedule these outages as soon as possible and during weekend hours to minimize the inconvenience to our class schedules and students.  An extensive review of campus activities was undertaken to work around many scheduled UVic events and off campus bookings.  We realize this power outage will affect some bookings/events, but Facilities Management is mandated by BC Hydro’s project schedule to have this work completed by May 30^th, 2011.  BC Hydro has agreed to begin the final phase of this work starting at 4:00 a.m. to enable some afternoon events to still take place.

These power outages have been scheduled as follows:

Saturday, May 28^th, 2011 – between 6:30 a.m. – 7:00 a.m. (short duration outage of up to 30 minutes)

At this time the area including the University will be switched over to a standby feeder.  This will enable BC Hydro to proceed with the upgrades to the existing services.  BC Hydro requires at least 18 hours to prepare the site for the tie-ins.  The second power outage to complete this project will then be scheduled for:

Sunday, May 29^th, 2011 – between 4:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon (up to 8 hour duration)

There are some areas of the campus that will NOT be affected by this outage:

Ian Stewart Complex                                     Child Care Complex (A and B)

Harry Lou-Poy Child Care Centre                   Family Student Housing Units (Lam Circle)

University House 4                                         Interfaith Chapel

Enterprise Centre (EDC2)

 All other buildings on campus, including residences, will be affected by this power outage. 

 The campus emergency generator systems will be operational during this shut down providing life safety services in the buildings served by these generators.  Not all compressed air systems will be available during the shut down.  Please review your specific processes and needs for compressed air and plan accordingly.

As a large grid area will be switched over to the standby power service on Saturday morning, it is critical to power down as much equipment as possible to assist decreasing the “load” that UVic will have on this temporary service.

We recommend electronic equipment, such as personal computers, facsimile machines, electronic and laboratory equipment be unplugged from power receptacles to avoid the risk of possible damage that could result from voltage fluctuations that may occur during this work.  Please do not unplug any telephone sets.

Administrative systems will be available for users accessing these systems from off-campus computers.

 If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Peter Robertson, Head Electrician at peterar@uvic.ca or Karen Jones, Resource Coordinator at kjones@uvic.ca,  phone 250-472-4567.

Thank you!

Waste Management’s Green Squad in conjunction with our Waste Reduction Unit will be conducting a comprehensive waste audit of the University’s waste and recycling the week of February 14^th.  We will be sorting and quantifying waste and recycling coming from selected areas on campus. 

The majority of this sorting will be done at the Grounds Shed.  We will however be moving the sorting to the Quad on Friday February 18^th.  This is to showcase to the rest of the campus community what we actually ‘throw away’ in hopes to promote recycling in general.  Tents and tarps will be set up on the Quad and we will be sorting waste from the Library and the SUB that day.  I will also have student sorters throughout the week helping us out.  If you are interested come and visit us and see what we’re doing! We hope to be on the Quad from 9am to about 4pm on Friday February 18^th.

An esteemed group of jurors recently recognized UVic’s First Peoples House as one of the best Western Red Cedar architectural designs in the world. “UVic is very proud to have been part of this project,” says Tom Smith, UVic’s executive director of facilities management. “The architect’s use of Western Red Cedar supports our goal of achieving LEED gold-level certification. The building also demonstrates effective use of the provincial wood-first policy that requires all new public facilities to include BC wood in their construction, wherever possible.”

The Western Red Cedar Architectural Design Awards, sponsored by the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, recognizes innovative design incorporating the distinctive west coast wood, one of the world’s most unique building materials. These awards are presented to six projects from around the world that demonstrate creative, innovative designs and use Western Red Cedar to boost their overall design. Architect Alfred Waugh designed the First Peoples House with input from First Nations leaders as well as Indigenous faculty, staff and students. The design, following the Coast Salish style, includes rammed earth walls, cedar plank exterior cladding, as well as Indigenous carvings and artwork. The First Peoples House was also designed and built to meet UVic’s high standards for energy efficiency and sustainability.

For more information about UVic’s First Peoples House visit web.uvic.ca/fphouse/

UVic Sorts it out during Recyclemania
UVic successfully competed for the first time in Recyclemania, an annual eight-week competition between universities and colleges across North America to see who can recycle the most and reduce the most waste. From Feb 6 to Apr  2, over 41 million kilograms of recyclables and organic materials were recovered by 630 colleges and universities.

UVic performed especially well in the organic waste diversion category–in other words, in keeping food waste out of the garbage. UVic had the highest organic waste diversion rate (per capita) among participating Canadian Universities, and was 38th overall. In the overall contest, which did not take into account organic waste diversion, UVic placed 79th out of 288 schools in the Competition division. “As this was UVic’s first year in the competition, we’re looking forward to improving our standings and recruiting even more recyclemaniacs next year” says Nadia Ariff, Waste Reduction Coordinator. For a full list of results, visit http://www.recyclemaniacs.org/results.aspx.

Waste Audio Video

If you’ve ever wondered what goes in our campus garbage cans, check out a video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBhxiXG9Ons> that shows Facilities Management staff and UVic students conducting a waste audit. It may sound like a messy job but determining what goes into the campus waste stream is critical to helping the University achieve its targeted landfill diversion rate of 75%.

Please help us sort it out! For more information about campus waste reduction initiatives, contact wastenot@uvic.ca.

The University of Victoria’s Administrative Services Building is the fourth campus facility to achieve the gold-level standard in environmental design and sustainability. Earlier this month, the Canada Green Building Council officially recognized the building, opened in late 2008, with gold-level certification in its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building program. UVic’s Medical Sciences, Engineering/Computer Science and Social Sciences and Mathematics buildings previously achieved LEED gold status.

“This building is a model of both sustainability and innovative design, incorporating creative use of wood and other materials,” says Neil Connelly, director of campus planning and sustainability. “We are very pleased to be recognized with LEED gold certification. UVic’s green building and renovation program is an important part of the university’s broader commitment to sustainability.”

The 3,900 square-metre $16.3 million building accommodates the university's executive team as well as services such as accounting, research, pension and payroll, and institutional planning and analysis.

“The goal was to support the university’s sustainability policy, and to create a building that provides a healthy work environment,” says Michael McNaught, director of post-secondary projects for CEI Architecture and the project’s design architect. “It is also an example of how a truly collaborative process with the university led to highly rewarding outcome for all involved,” adds Jim Aalders, CEI partner in charge of the project.

The building incorporates a number of innovative and sustainable design features, including:

• ·                     A glass atrium between two wings that is flooded with natural light;
• ·                     Natural ventilation, and overhangs and sunshades on south and west facades, eliminating the need for air conditioning;
• ·                     An aggressive waste management plan that diverted 96 per cent of construction waste from the landfill;
• ·                     Toilet fixtures that use recycled water from the university’s aquatic research facility.

 All new University of Victoria building and renovation projects incorporate sustainability initiatives, including efficient energy and water management measures, locally sourced materials, natural landscaping, storm water management systems and enhanced indoor air quality.

April 15th & 19th, UVic will be hosting free E-Recycle events for the student move-out period. These events will be hosted by Microserve and Waste Reduction Services. They will be located next to the Student Union Building on the Felicita's side.  During these times, anybody from the campus community can drop off their unwanted personal electronics (no UVic owned items accepted) for recycling, free of charge.

The first 25 people each day will receive a coupon for a FREE slice of Hot House Pizza redeemable at University Centre.

Don't miss this worthwhile event!

The following items will be accepted for recycling:

• all computers and computer accessories
• televisions / monitors
• printers / fax machines
• scanners
• non-cellular phones
• audio and video playback / recording systems

Unacceptable items include:

• gaming systems
• cell phones
• CD's / DVD's

Please only dispose of PERSONAL electronic items, any UVic owned electronics need to be disposed of through the proper channels. Please contact the Waste Reduction Unit at wastenot@uvic.ca if you have any questions about the University's e-recycling procedures.

Facts:

Electronics are currently banned from the landfill. They contain toxic materials such as lead and mercury that can be poisonous to the surrounding environment when disposed of in an irresponsible manner.

All the electronics collected during this event will be recycled through BC's Electronic Product Stewardship Program. This program ensures that the products are recycled into their individual components in a manner that protects the environment as well as worker's health and safety.

22 suites are earmarked for graduate and mature students. Each suite features an open plan bedroom/dining and study area plus private bathroom and kitchenette. The remaining 84 beds in the building are dormitory-style. 

The South Tower is targeted to achieve gold-level certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating Standards' program.

The Project Manager for this residence was Betsy Moyer.

The following Snow removal maps are available for the University of Victoria.

• Accessibility map
• Roads and emergency access lanes map
• Pathway and buildings map

For more information or to make a service request, please see the Grounds service section of this web site.

The University of Victoria’s Social Sciences and Mathematics Building is the third campus facility to achieve the gold-level standard in environmental design and sustainability. This week the Canada Green Building Council officially recognized the building, opened in 2008, with gold-level certification in its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building program. UVic’s Medical Sciences and Engineering/Computer Science Buildings previously achieved LEED gold status.

“This building benefited from an integrated design process that emphasized sustainability in planning, construction and operations, and we are very pleased to be recognized with LEED gold certification,” says Neil Connelly, director of campus planning and sustainability. “UVic’s green building and renovation program is one part of the university’s broader commitment to sustainability.”

The Social Sciences and Mathematics Building provides 9,090 square metres of office, classroom and research lab space for the departments of geography, political science, mathematics and statistics, the School of Environmental Studies and the UVic/Environment Canada Water & Climate Impacts Research Centre (W-CIRC), as well as lecture theatre space and meeting rooms. It is located on a former parking lot.

The building’s two green roofs and several patio gardens help insulate and capture rain and moisture. Other sustainability features include energy efficient lighting, natural ventilation, facilities for cyclists including showers and lockers, and the use of treated wastewater in toilets and urinals. The lobby areas feature the first architectural application of pine-beetle damaged wood in British Columbia, while the courtyard contains the Ian Ross Memorial Garden, a living laboratory of native plants. A complete list of sustainability features is available at http://communications.uvic.ca/releases/release.php?display=back&id=118.

UVic is also targeting LEED gold certification for its recently completed First Peoples House, and for the new South Tower student residence building, slated to open in January 2011. All new campus building and renovation projects incorporate sustainability initiatives, including efficient energy and water management measures, locally sourced materials, natural landscaping, storm water management systems and enhanced indoor air quality.