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Growing forward at the UBC Botanical Garden : "... and leaf-ing the past behind"

University of British Columbia. Sustainability Office

This report proposes an initiative to redevelop and expand the UBC Botanical Garden (UBCBG). The mission statement and goals of the UBCBG were considered, and multiple site visits were conducted to explore the current state of the garden. The UBCBG was found to be lacking with respect to the overarching goals of the garden; research space is limited, integration with UBC is inadequate, parking is inadequate, sustainability considerations are lacking, the demographic appeal is constrained, and infrastructure is dated. This proposal seeks to address these concerns as economically as possible, in order to improve the experience for garden staff and visitors. The specific goals of this project are to attract new guests, increase revenue, improve access and integration, and facilitate research. There were a multitude of possible solutions to these issues, and after careful analysis, several solutions were selected. The selection process considered the expected benefits, the cost, and the impact on the Botanical Garden. The solutions that were selected to be most effective are a multi-use building, signage improvements, transportation upgrades, as well as storm water collection, geothermal energy recovery, and an intensive green roof. The multi-use building, the Innovative Research Institute for Sprouting (IRIS) Centre, will be located between the parking lot and the existing building and will house basement-level research labs, a café, a multi-purpose atrium, an information centre, a living learning centre, study space, hydroponic systems, and an aquaponic greenhouse. All of these features, and more, are detailed extensively in this report. These features culminate in a building that appeals to the staff, students, and visitors of all ages. The environmental considerations will prove a sustainable step forward for the garden. It will retain storm water for irrigation use, recover geothermal energy for heating, mitigate erosion near the garden, and implement green roof technology. These developments will allow the garden to operate more efficiently; potable water use and heating cost will decrease substantially. The transportation upgrades include creating better access by constructing a roundabout that will reduce traffic speeds while improving overall efficiency. Additionally, a pedestrian tunnel will be constructed to improve accessibility throughout the garden and a pedestrian bridge will improve access. By improving signage, the garden can be better identified and realize improved integration with the campus. In conclusion, this report will identify a comprehensive plan to ensure a beneficial redevelopment of the UBC Botanical Garden that addresses the most urgent concerns facing it today. It is consistent with the mission statement of the Botanical Garden and will ensure that they continue to grow 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.”

Text

University of British Columbia. CIVL 445; UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Student Report

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0108848

Applied Science, Faculty of; Civil Engineering, Department of

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/