UBC’s Energy and Water Services unit manages and maintains a UBC-owned natural gas distribution system on campus. We purchase natural gas from Shell Energy North America. The gas arrives through four FortisBC intermediate pressure pipelines delivering gas at 100 pounds per square inch gauge (PSIG) line pressure.
Campus Gas Sources
There are three sources feeding the campus’s natural gas system. A 12-inch main (i.e. pipeline) delivers gas to the steam generating UBC powerhouse. Branch lines from this main also deliver gas to the UBC hospital and the University Endowment Lands housing areas on the east side of Wesbrook Mall.
A second main interconnects with the central campus through a branch line from the South campus. Natural gas is supplied to the South Campus by gas mains entering UBC via 16th Avenue at Wesbrook Mall.
The third natural gas main on the North side of campus runs along Chancellor Boulevard and supplies Cecil Green College and the Chancellor Place neighbourhood. The central, South and North Campus area mains are cross-connected and deliver gas at 15 PSIG line pressure.
Additional Mains
There’s also a fourth natural gas main to the Acadia Park area operating at 5 PSIG, which is independent from the other three mains on campus. All four campus gas mains are non-interruptible. Only one branch from the 12-inch main supplying the UBC powerhouse can be interrupted.
An independent distribution system owned, serviced and maintained by FortisBC supplies natural gas to the Wesbrook neighbourhood in the South Campus area, which includes residential and commercial buildings.