Green Technology

Waste Biodigester designed and built by UBC Applied Science students

As a community design lab and accessible urban field research site for Applied Sciences design-build projects, the UBC Farm provides an ideal location for developing low-footprint habitat, structures, and green technology apparatus for diverse operational and experimental uses. With biomimicry as a design principle, the UBC Farm can help to close the loop on many linear systems currently operating on the UBC campus, and in so doing provide unique academic opportunities for grounded sustainability scholarship, research, and learning.

Recent examples of green technology initiatives at the UBC Farm involving both students and private sector partnerships include:

• A waste biodigester for UBC Farm compost, Applied Science
• Moveable chicken shelter for rotational livestock grazing, Civil Engineering (CIVL 201/202)
• Waste redirection site for the UBC Farm Harvest Hut, CIVL 201/202
• Gravity-fed irrigation for the Children’s Garden Greenhouse, CIVL 201/202 community service-learning (CSL)
• Portable drying racks, tables, and Children’s Program sinks made from salvaged and recycled materials, CIVL 201/202 CSL
• Cob shed for Children’s Programs built using locally available natural materials, Human Ecology (BIOL 345) CSL
• Feasibility research on implementing UBC Farm-led rooftop gardens for buildings on campus, Land, Food and Community II (LFS 350)
• Partnership with Clean Seed Capital Group for no-till seeder implement research
• Assessing feasibility of designing a CIRS Solar Aquatics biological waste water treatment-type facility for new UBC Farm centre- Phase 1: water quality testing (CIVL 202)

A connected series of student-designed cob structures serve as dynamic learning media for CSL, Children's Programs, and public workshops

The UBC Farm will continue to foster partnerships with academic, professional, private-sector, civil society, and government organizations in developing knowledge-intensive land, clean energy and material management strategies.  To fulfill an overarching objective of reducing our individual and collective footprints, the farm will pursue the responsible application and shared dissemination of innovative green technologies that have bearing on a wide range of biophysical and socioeconomic contexts.