May 23rd - Vancouver
BioTech
BioTech is a water treatment company
in Vancouver that works with local mining companies to extract metals from
their water waste that is created during the mining process. Earlier forms of treating mining water called
Lime Sludge can only recover roughly 70% of the usable water that can be redistributed
as needed in the mining process.
However, it creates a sludge that is often dumped into the local soil,
creating a hazardous environment and a continuous pollution cycle. However, with BioTech’s unique on-site water treatment
system, they are able to recover roughly around 99% of that usable water,
creating virtually no waste. The metals
that are recovered are then sold to local mills that are able reuse those metals
in various projects. This is how BioTech
is able to create new on-site water treatment facilities, thus improving the
health of the environment. This company
has developed a way to improve water quality in the mining process and draw
precious metals that are often discarded or unable to be recovered.
UBC (Housing and the CIRS)
UBC is
known as one of the most beautiful campus in the North America. They have developed a unique student housing
complex that allows students to live a downtown experience, with walkable
streets and high density development.
While the prices may seem higher than average, this gorgeous new complex
allows for sustainable living in a beautifully designed student housing
complex. The development includes
several green spaces as well as campus building with solar panels for
electricity usage, as well as several retention ponds to collect rain water,
and designated spaces for anyone utilizing the “Car 2 Go” car sharing system.
The CIRS is the home of the “most
sustainable building in North America”.
This facility is made of local materials with plenty of natural lighting,
bio-swells, and even a diner with all compostable materials and foods. One of the noteworthy green initiatives is
their own water filtration system that utilizes a soil and plant system that
provides the facility water for consumption. The lobby houses a large energy
consumption display educating students and visitors on the building energy
usage and consumption as well as production.
Features like this give a firsthand demonstration of sustainability in
action.
The HiVE
The Hive
is an office sharing facility that allows small businesses or individuals to
rent out convenient downtown office space to operate out of. They describe themselves as, “Home to
artists, designers, small social enterprises, mid-size NGOs, green businesses,
IT experts, self employed, start ups, independent contractors... the HiVE is a
shared workspace with a dynamic cafe-like studio culture.” When they first began the HiVE, they
only offered office sites to only sustainability driven business; however,
while it’s not required or preferred anymore, the tenants are by default
sustainably oriented.
The
building itself is filled with sustainable elements that allow them to educate
by example. Their building itself is an
old warehouse that has been retrofitted into this unique office space. They use all local materials and try to obtain
as much recycled or reclaimed furniture and building materials as
possible. Their reception desk is made
of reclaimed beams that were a portion of the original building. They carpet squares they are planning on
laying down was recovered from FireFox’s old facility. They also have a set of wooden mailboxes that
was originally used in the Chinese American Embassy. They have made a bike rack along one long
wall that allows tenants to house their bikes as they work, and have even made
a “privacy wall” out of old phone books, which is not only functional, but looks
amazing!
The
manager explained that the level of trust and respect each tenant shows one
another is very unique. One particular
tenant was concerned about other tenants being in such close quarters, and stealing
his ideas. However, she explained that
due to that trust and respect, it simply isn’t an issue. Many have applied to rent office space within
the HiVE and to date, no one has been turned down. They spend a great deal of time growing
relationships within the different “offices” and do many mingling exercise. The Hive offers wonderful opportunities to
their tenants such as pot-lucks, group activities and more. One of the appeals to The Hive is the
different company’s ability to learn from other business owners and co-workers. This gives the small businesses the opportunity
to not only expand their business ideas, but their customer base as well. The Hive is one of a handful of office
sharing facilities in Vancouver, but all have the same goal, and demonstrated
the easy and convenient solutions to working down town, without the frustration
of being in charge of their own facility.
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