Alternative Transportation
Located at the UBC Point Grey Campus on the Westbrook Mall and close to University Boulevard, The Friedman Building has excellent access to public transportation. Bike racks and shower facilities are provided to encourage bicycling.
Erosion and Sedimentation Control
During construction, various measures were implemented to limit the loss of soil through stormwater runoff and prevent sedimentation of storm sewer. Filter cloth was installed at trench drains and storm drains. Truck tires were power washed to prevent tracking dirt out of the project site. Gravel was placed on driveway to prevent erosion of soil as a result of local traffic. Excavated material that was to be reused on site was stockpiled and covered with tarp.
Light Pollution
The interior lighting was designed to limit light trespass through the windows. The exterior lighting was shielded and therefore uplighting was limited. These measures were in place to avoid unwanted ‘light shining in the window’ of adjacent buildings and also to improve night sky access.
Water Efficiency
No potable water is used for landscape irrigation. By selecting low-flow faucets, shower heads and toilets, this project reduces the amount of potable water use by 40%.
Energy & Atmosphere
Overall the building saves approximately 284 GJ of energy and reduces 73.4 tons of CO2 per year compared to the reference case. To further offset CO2 emissions, UBC Renew purchased Green Power Certificates equivalent to 100% of the buildings electrical consumption for 2 years. A comprehensive energy study for the project indicates that the renovated building is projected to use approximately 28% of the total energy consumption prior to the renovation.
Building Reuse
Friedman is a major renovation project and reused close to100% of existing structural and shell. A life cycle analysis suggests that the renovation consumes 70% less resources when compared to demolishing and constructing a comparable replacement building.
Waste Management
Major construction waste for this project is comprised of wood, concrete, metal, drywall and miscellaneous waste and garbage. This construction team diverted 77% of the project’s construction waste from the landfill through recycling and reuse.
Material Selection
The building’s installed new materials contain 18% recycled content and more than 10% of all the materials used are regionally manufactured and extracted. Sourcing materials with high recycled content increases the demand for such materials, therefore reducing impacts resulting from extraction and processing of new virgin materials. Use of local materials would reduce the environmental impacts resulting from transportation, especially the green house gas emissions.
Indoor Environmental Quality
The project team made extensive use of low VOC products including adhesives, sealants, paints & carpets. Volatile Organic Compounds vaporize at normal room temperature and contribute to sick building syndromes, building-related illnesses and chemical sensitivities. Urea-formaldehyde free millwork was also used throughout the building. Urea formaldehyde exists in some glues which decompose easily at room temperature. Formaldehyde emissions beyond a certain level can have toxic effects on humans, such as breathing difficulties, dizziness, skin irritation and nausea.
Studies have shown that an ample and pleasant view out of a window supports better outcomes of student learning. Reusing the existing building structure and envelope posted certain constraints on the placement and size of windows. However, the design team made every effort to ensure ample daylight enters the building. Most occupants will enjoy direct view to the outside.
