Get in your last few days of summer fun
As the summer draws to a close we’re getting ready for the energy and excitement of a new fall term. Staff from across the VPFO are gearing up for the new academic year with an exciting array of projects and announcements, including the completion of a new student residence, a funding announcement for the cutting edge Bioenergy Facility (BRDF) on the Vancouver Campus, and UBC’s first Campus Commuter Challenge partnership in the Okanagan.
Read on to learn more about how our innovative and award-winning work enables success at UBC.
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Our Stories
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Behind the scenes with Building Operations’ Soft Landscape division
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It’s not just the work of Mother Nature that’s responsible for bringing the university landscape to life. A dedicated staff of 35 gardeners, arborists, and horticulturists, divided into five crews, work year-round to maintain the university’s 172 hectares of varied landscapes. It’s a responsibility that requires detailed preparation, intense physical work, and the ability to adapt and plan for the changing seasons and climate.
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BRDF, UBC’s innovative heat and power facility boosted by federal investment
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A $20.4 million expansion of UBC’s innovative Bioenergy Facility (BRDF) will receive up to $7.6 million in support from the federal government’s low-carbon economy fund.
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Building Operations and Campus Security help UBC Studios update the Vancouver Campus Google Street View
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The UBC Vancouver campus’ Google Street View has long been outdated, mostly due to the campus not being open to private vehicles. We helped UBC Studios fix that — capturing over 15,000 8K 360 photos in the process. Watch the video and see how it’s done.
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IRP hosts first Workday Demonstration for HR and Finance Systems
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On July 30, the Integrated Renewal Program (IRP) hosted a major Workday demonstration and live streaming event. Over 800 individuals registered, and a further 300+ joined via livestream, all to get a first-hand view of some of Workday’s features and functionality, and the enhanced user experience derived from implementing this new integrated workplace solution.
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The new Exchange Residence at Gage South & UBC Bus Exchange featured in August issue of Award
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Resulting from a partnership between the University of British Columbia and TransLink, the new Exchange Residence at Gage South & UBC Bus Exchange demonstrates how one site can comfortably serve a full range of purposes.
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Pearle Lundeen and Stephanie Friesen from Building Operations modernize aging file-server
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This summer, Pearle Lundeen, Functional Analyst from Building Operations, and Arts Co-op and Master of Archival Studies student Stephanie Friesen successfully facilitated the modernization of UBC Facilities’ (Infrastructure Development, Energy & Water Services, and Building Operations) aging file-server. The server previously consisted of a daunting 900 user accounts and 6.7 terabytes of information.
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The Equity & Inclusion Office is seeking feedback on UBC’s Inclusion Action Plan
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The current draft of UBC’s Inclusion Action Plan is the result of months of engagements with a wide range of community members at UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan, and the plan is critical to advancing and reporting on inclusion efforts across the university. The inclusion of members of our community who have been marginalized or traditionally under-represented is key. Participate by joining one of several lunch-hour workshops, or review the draft and offer feedback online.
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UBCO launches first Campus Commuter Challenge
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The Sustainability Office in UBCO’s Campus Planning and Development unit is partnering with the City of Kelowna and BC Transit to launch the university’s first foray into the Campus Commuter Challenge. Register now to go green from September 24 to October 4!
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Information privacy when booking meeting rooms
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Did you know that when using Outlook, attaching documents to meeting invitations could result in confidential information being unintentionally shared? Attaching a document to a meeting invitation, and then inviting a UBC meeting room, means that anyone with access to that meeting room’s calendar can access the document. So, for example, confidential résumés or vendor propositions could end up with the wrong audience. To avoid this happening, save documents in a secure location and share the link with the intended recipients, or send them in a separate email.
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Safety & Risk Services rolls out name change
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Work has begun to implement the new departmental naming for Safety & Risk Services (previously Risk Management Services). You will see ongoing changes to the department website and collateral over the next few months.
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People of the VPFO
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“When I was much younger I was more adventurous: I circumnavigated South America — just myself and a backpack — for six months and crewed on a sailboat from San Diego to Tahiti.”
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Get to know Peter Smailes, Vice-President, Finance & Operations
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For almost 20 years, Peter has brought innovative leadership to UBC. From his early career on Bay Street to high adventure around the world, Peter is known for his ability to choose smart risk and walk though doors others may miss.
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David Pepin joins Building Operations as Continuous Improvement Project Manager
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David has over 15 years of experience working in change management, continuous improvement, and Lean Management. He has served several organizations in creating coaching plans and continuous improvement training.
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Chantal Bobyn joins Infrastructure Development as Senior Facilities Planner with Facilities Planning
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Chantal is a registered Architect (AIBC) with over 10 years of experience working on a variety of projects from high-rise buildings to tenant improvements and renovations.
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![[Account.CompanyName]](https://vpfo.ubc.ca/files/2019/07/streetview.png)
![[Account.CompanyName]](https://vpfo.ubc.ca/files/2019/08/irp-workday-demonstration.png)
