The UBC Aquatic Centre, located on the University of British Columbia’s Point Grey campus in Vancouver, was developed for UBC Properties Trust to provide a modern, high-performance destination for sport and recreation. The project’s primary objective was to deliver a sustainable aquatic facility that reduces water and energy consumption while enhancing long-term operational efficiency and community value.
CIMA+ played a key role by providing sustainability consulting and LEED project management from the early design stages. The team led the development of the project’s sustainability strategy, including detailed analysis of water use, energy impacts on the environment and system performance, to identify practical, cost-effective solutions. CIMA+ also supported funding efforts to help realize this system, working closely with stakeholders to secure external resources.
Delivering a strategy hinged on high-performance and sustainability
A major innovation was the integration of a large-scale rainwater harvesting system, designed to significantly reduce potable water demand and improve stormwater management. Designed through detailed analysis of water use, roof area and cistern sizing, the system captures and reuses rainwater for facility operations. It delivers measurable efficiency gains and contributes to more resilient, sustainable infrastructure for the university.
Achieving LEED Gold certification, this project sets the bar for sustainable aquatic facility design, delivering environmental benefits while supporting resilient infrastructure and long-term community use.