New Home for Social Sciences, Mathematics Opens At UVic

Government of British Columbia News Release

VICTORIA – The University of Victoria’s $37.7-million social sciences and mathematics building will officially open today, providing state-of-the-art space for students and researchers under two sustainable green roofs, Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell announced.

“Increasing student spaces, research facilities and access is part of our commitment to being the best-educated jurisdiction on the continent,” Coell said. “By having environmentally sound buildings on B.C.’s campuses, we are taking action on climate change and leading the way in sustainability.”

The building’s two green roofs and several patio gardens help insulate and capture rain and moisture. Other features include using grey water for watering greenery, energy efficient lighting, natural ventilation and recycled materials in its construction. It was built to gold standards under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system.

The building’s 9,090 square metres holds classrooms, offices, lecture theatres, research labs and meeting rooms and can accommodate 1,054 students. It houses four academic units: geography, environmental studies, political science and mathematics. The building is also home to the Water & Climate Impacts Research Centre, which studies such areas as floods and droughts, groundwater systems, river and lake ice, forest hydrology, alpine and reservoir water supplies, and aquatic ecology.

“This building is contributing significantly to easing a long-standing space crunch on campus and provides researchers with facilities that are among the best in the country,” said UVic president David Turpin. “I want to thank the Province of British Columbia for its generous support for this beautiful new building whose construction reflects the same sustainable values as the research being conducted in its laboratories.”

The Province contributed $24.84 million towards the building, which was completed in February. Since 2001, the Province has provided more than $1.5 billion in new funding for capital projects on campuses throughout B.C., and allocated $600 million more for capital projects over the next three years.

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