As part of Civil Engineering 202 at UBC, our Community Based Learning Program (CBEL) is focused on delivering a water project for the Center of Sustainable Food Systems at the UBC Farm (our client). This project will investigate the main sources of water that flows into the UBC Farm land and the possible contaminants in the water. Afterwards, we will identify technologies that are available to remove these contaminants so the water is safe for irrigation at the farm. Then, we will consider some water storage options for the clean storm water and design conceptually a system of water storage, flow and use at the Farm. This project aims to make use of the storm water available naturally at the Farm and convert it into safe and usable water, emphasizing on the safe and sustainable improvements.
These improvements are particularly important at UBC Farm, whose 24 hectares of farm and forest land is dedicated to building a sustainable community and strong ecological support systems. Through academic research, learning, innovative collaboration with different faculties, community engagement and knowledge exchange, the Farm is a diverse and exciting environment for learning and practice of sustainability for people from different ages and backgrounds. We are proud to be working with UBC Farm in achieving their goals.
This project will benefit mostly the UBC Point Grey campus’s community, including residents who choose local produce available on campus. With clean and safe irrigation water, consumers will be provided with fresh produce, free of harmful chemicals. In the long term, the project will also benefit the city of Vancouver, because the more extensive use of storm water will decrease demand for filtered water provided by the city, and less energy is required to store and transport water to the UBC Farm from municipal filtration plants.
Our group consists of 6 members, all studying Civil Engineering at UBC, and mentored by Roein Manafi. From top right to bottom right: Farinaz Moayedi, Amy Do, Bryan Lui, Cameron Perkin and Paul Yan, as well as Agnes He (not photographed). Stay tuned on our blog for more updates about the progress of the project. We are open to any suggestions and feedback you may have so feel free to comment on our blog to help us with the project!
