A new UBC research facility will help international decision-makers address global environmental matters such as depleting fish stocks.
The $10.6 million, 4,200-sq.-metre Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory (AERL) was officially opened today. It features a state-of-the-art Immersion Laboratory that simulates real-time underwater and coastal habitats, and houses the UBC Fisheries Centre — headed by internationally renowned global fisheries expert Daniel Pauly — and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability.
“This facility provides a much-needed new home for some of the world’s top experts in fisheries and environmental research, who have conducted leading-edge research in old trailers for the past 40 years,” says UBC President Martha Piper.
“They will now have access to the latest sophisticated tools to help them advise decision-makers on depleting fish stocks and other global crises.”
Integrating input of sensors tracking electronically tagged marine mammals, the Immersion Lab allows international decision-makers to see first-hand the impact of their choices, conduct real-time analysis of field data, and evaluate new scenarios.
President Piper was joined by Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell, Mr. James Moore, Member of Parliament for Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, and UBC Dean of Graduate Studies Frieda Granot.
The federal government, through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), and the provincial government, through the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund, each contributed $4.5 million in funding.
“The Government of Canada is committed to helping Canadians to enjoy a higher quality of life through improved energy conservation,” says Mr. Moore. “The construction of this new UBC laboratory will help the university save on its energy costs and contribute to a cleaner, healthier environment.”
“It’s thanks to first-rate facilities like the AERL that we can say with conviction that Canada is becoming a place where world-class researchers want to be,” says Dr. Eliot Phillipson, President and CEO of CFI. “A facility like this one, where the world’s brightest can work side by side with access to the most cutting-edge tools, positions Canada as a global leader in this critical area of research.”
“Research conducted at AERL will enable scientists to provide important data that will help protect both British Columbia’s and the world’s fragile ecosystem health,” says Minister Coell. “This lab will help establish our province as a world leader in aquatic ecosystems research.”
AERL brings together social and natural scientists, governments, non-governmental organizations, and Aboriginal and industry partners to address global environmental concerns.
The Aquatic Ecosystems Science Section, part of the Ecosystems Division of the BC Ministry of the Environment, will also be housed in the building. Other partners are the BC Fisheries Unit, Environment Canada’s Adaptations and Impact Research Department, and the BC Aboriginal Fisheries Commission.
“AERL will help develop solutions for a sustainable, valued, and protected interaction between the human and natural environments,” says Dean Granot. “It is a powerful and daring vision for the future, and we are excited to share it with the world.”
AERL incorporates numerous sustainability features, including recycled materials, a computer-controlled ventilation system, and extensive natural day lighting. Thanks to an energy-efficiency incentive from Natural Resources Canada’s Commercial Building Incentive Program, the facility is being assessed by the Canada Green Building Council for the Silver rating in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The LEED certification is awarded to leading-edge buildings that incorporate environmentally sustainable design, construction, and operational features to reduce environmental impact.
One of UBC’s 12 Faculties, Graduate Studies is home to over 100 researchers and 7,000 graduate students, which makes it one of the largest graduate schools in North America. The Faculty promotes interdisciplinary graduate education and research through close to 40 interdisciplinary schools, institutes, centres, colleges, and graduate degree programs.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. CFI’s mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians.
Natural Resources Canada’s Commercial Building Incentive Program (CBIP) provides financial incentives and design assistance to eligible building owners who construct new commercial, institutional or industrial buildings that are designed to be at least 25 per cent more energy-efficient than comparable structures built to the Model National Energy Code for Buildings. Eligible organizations can receive up to $60,000 based on building energy savings.
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