University of British Columbia unveils zero-carbon MacIsaac Health Building

The University of British Columbia (UBC) has completed the MacIsaac Health Building on its Vancouver campus, marking the first project at the location to achieve the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) Zero Carbon Building—Design Standard v2 certification.

Designed by Perkins&Will in partnership with Schmidt Hammer Lassen, the 25,000 m² facility serves as a primary campus entrance and houses nursing, kinesiology, research, and student health services. The building also earned LEED Gold certification.

To minimize environmental impact, the project utilized mass timber construction, low-carbon concrete mixes, and modular components to reduce waste. The design features a high-performance envelope, natural ventilation strategies, and heat-recovery systems to lower energy demand. The structure incorporates exposed timber elements throughout the interior to provide biofile qualities and reference Pacific Northwest building traditions.