UBC Utilities

UBC Utilities has put together a package of information useful to Contractors and Consultants. It contains a description of processes and a checklist of requirements.
Please visit the UBC Utilities Design Review Package.

UBC Utilities Jurisdiction

UBC Utilities is part of UBC Land & Building Services. It is responsible for design, operation, maintenance, and overall stewardship for each of the following utility services:

water distribution
natural gas distribution
steam distribution
storm drainage
sanitary sewers
power utilities

The demarcation point of service defining UBC Utilities' responsibility is included in the respective sections as listed above.

UBC Utilities Contact Information

UBC Utilities
2040 West Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2
Telephone: 604.822.9445
Facsimile: 604.822.8833

Key positions in Utilities include:

Director
Manager, Steam Plant (Chief Engineer)
Manager, Electrical Utilities (Senior Electrical Engineer)
Manager, Mechanical Utilities (Senior Mechanical Engineer)
Mechanical Utilities Engineer
Senior Accounting Clerk
Lead Trades: Head Electrician, Head Plumber, Head Steamfitter, Head Utilities Maintenance Engineer

Designer Responsibility

The UBC Technical Guidelines establishes the minimum acceptable standards for the supply and installation of the underground utility services to the buildings on the campus. This is not a design manual. The designer is responsible to ensure that the standards stipulated herein are consistent with the project requirements and are adequate for the project design criteria. The designer shall define the project requirements in the project specification as part of the project tender document.

Where comments in UBC Technical Guidelines is interpreted to conflict with the industry Standards, Acts and Codes, the compliance with the Standards, Acts and Codes shall prevail and the designer shall bring these conflicts in writing to the attention of the responsible manager at UBC Utilities.

The consultant and / or contractor shall provide drawings in accordance with the Section 01720 of these guidelines. Upon completion of installation of any new or modified underground utility services, As-built record drawings of underground utility services shall be provided to Campus Planning & Development Records Department. As-built drawings shall show inverts at points of tie-in, changes in direction, entrance and exit to the manholes, etc. Service profiles shall be provided in congested areas indicating location of all services.

UBC Utilities Development Support Services

UBC Utilities' development support services and requirements for underground utility services are outlined in a comprehensive table (PDF). Support services and development requirements are defined in terms of UBC Board of Governors approval status.

Underground Utility Record Drawings

Record drawings for all underground utility services must be obtained from Facilities Planning - Records Section (telephone 604.822.9570).

Utility Service Connection Applications

A Service Connection Application is required to be submitted for any connection to a utility service by submitting a completed Service Connection Application.

For all application and other request forms go to: http://www.buildingoperations.ubc.ca/resources/policies-procedures-forms/

This application is not a permit and there is no fee for this. Its primary purpose to provide the design loads on UBC's utility systems, and it shall be considered to be approved along with the Development and/or Building Permit issued by Campus Planning.

Permits from the provincial Electric Safety Branch, Gas Safety Branch, Boiler Safety Branch, Excavation Permits (UBC Campus Planning) and Plumbing permits (UBC Campus Planning) are the responsibility of the project team.

Development Permit Approval by UBC Utilities

The Director of UBC Utilities has sole authority to authorize underground utility service aspects of any development. Sign-off of development permits by UBC Utilities is coordinated by the Manager of Development in Campus Planning & Development.

Locating Existing Underground Services

Once the applicable permits are approved and record drawings obtained, the Contractor (or in-house crew) performing construction is responsible to locate all underground services as per Master Municipal Construction Documents (MMCD) standards. Specifically, MMCD (2000 edition) Section 4.3.4 specifies:

Before commencing any Work at the Place of Work, the Contractor shall be responsible to locate all underground utilities and structures indicated on the Contract Drawings as being at the Place of Work. The Contractor shall also be responsible to consult with … corporation that provides electricity, telephone, or gas service in the area of the Place of Work, to locate any underground utilities of which they have records. The Contractor shall also locate any other utilities (e.g. water, sanitary, storm, steam) or underground structures that are reasonably apparent in an inspection of the Place of Work.

Furthermore, WCB standards including Part 20, Section 20.79 shall be strictly followed:

Before excavating or drilling with powered tools and equipment, the location of all underground utility services in the area must be accurately determined, and any danger to workers from the services must be controlled.
Excavation or drilling work in proximity to an underground service must be undertaken in conformity with the requirements of the owner of the service and with the requirements of the applicable regulations of the provincial or federal authority having jurisdiction.
Pointed tools must not be used to probe for underground gas and electrical services.
Powered equipment used for excavating must be operated so as to avoid damage to underground utility services or danger to workers.

As necessary, use of pipe locators and hand digging must be employed until all known services are located.

Once the project team has obtained permits, record drawings, and made all reasonable efforts to locate underground utility services, UBC Utilities will provide trades staff support to perform field inspections to assist in verifying locations, condition, and features of existing underground services (electricity, gas, steam, storm, sanitary, and water). Trades staff will be supported by UBC Utilities engineering and technical professionals.

Written requests (facsimile or email) shall be submitted as follows:

For electrical service: Manager, Electrical Utilities
For gas, steam, water, sanitary, or storm: Manager, Mechanical Utilities
Requests shall normally be submitted 3 working days in advance to enable scheduling of support crews.
Requests for telecommunication, street lights, and other services are not within the jurisdiction of UBC Utilities.

UBC Utilities reserves the right to charge a $300 fixed fee per utility service per site.

Shutdowns

UBC Utilities has sole authority and responsibility to perform shutdowns (or cross connections) of the systems within its jurisdiction. Shutdown of systems within UBC Utilities jurisdiction shall not be performed by Contractors.

To initiate a shutdown, written request must be made using the standard protocol and form.

To initiate a shutdown, written request must be made using the standard protocol and form.
The Shutdown form can be found at:
http://www.buildingoperations.ubc.ca/resources/policies-procedures-forms/.

Costs for shutdowns may be remunerated by establishing a Work Request through UBC Trouble Calls (telephone 604.822.2173; fax 604.822.3493, or email tc.buildingops@ubc.ca, or by arrangement with UBC Utilities can be done at a fixed fee. If the latter option is sought, the fixed fee is $200 per shutdown if work can be performed Monday through Friday, between the hours of 7:30-15:30. If shutdowns must be performed after hours or weekends, the fixed fee is $350 per shutdown.

The University of British Columbia