UNBC's Bioenergy Plant is located on the close-knit campus which aims to be the “greenest” university in Canada. The plant’s primary purpose is to reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating UNBC's buildings. The biomass gasification plant uses locally-sourced sawmill residue, a sustainable fuel supply with a high-energy output, to power 71% of the total campus heat demand. The project sets a number of sustainable precedents as the first university building in British Columbia, and only the second industrial building in Canada, to achieve LEED Platinum certification - surpassing its LEED Gold target.
This project is exemplary for bringing local energy production into view and so elevating public consciousness around ownership and responsibility. An elegant building whose expression is rooted in ‘place’; a fabulous example of what more communities in Canada should be doing.
Canada Green Building Award Jury Comment