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Sustainability Academies 

The Sustainability Academy concept directly links to the need for research, innovation and collaborative efforts to achieve a sustainable region, building on and strengthening existing Metro Vancouver efforts in the areas of education, research, training and community outreach.

Sustainability Academies are a model for collaboration, exchange of ideas and the implementation of innovative practices. The model is intended to be flexible depending on the partners and the opportunities for programming.

The Academy concept will attract partnerships with academia, the private sector and other government agencies, with the overarching objective of creating a network of academies committed to innovation and sustainability. Each of the proposed Academies will have a unique theme and focus on critical service areas including wastewater management, water supply, parks, air quality and food systems and will be located at key Metro Vancouver sites. The Academies can be new facilities, upgraded existing facilities and programming or virtual academies.

ANNACIS WASTEWATER CENTRE (AWC)
1400 Lindsey Place
Delta, BC
V3M 6V1
VIDEO


To be used on other parts of the MV website.
Overview

The Annacis Wastewater Centre is the first of Metro Vancouver’s Academies to be built. It is a unique facility that blends research, education and training opportunities in a building and its surroundings while exemplifying leadership in sustainability.

The AWC will provide top-quality laboratory facilities for research, teaching space and access to various in-plant wastewater streams for manufacturers and suppliers of equipment to demonstrate processes, as well as pilot facilities for optimizing full scale processes. In addition, AWC contains multi-purpose meeting rooms and a classroom providing space for public discourse, education, training and other professional services.

The Annacis Wastewater Centre will provide longterm benefits for Canadian’s by enabling partners from various agencies and organizations to respond to the multiple challenges related to energy use, water, materials, environment, sustainability and integration of wastewater systems.

Vision & Programming

The vision centres on a place of excellence in wastewater research and development, training and education – a place that challenges us to transform our approach to managing and treating wastewater, promoting energy reduction, reuse of materials and mitigating environmental impacts.

The Annacis Wastewater Centre’s programming will promote excellence in research and development and professional service by undertaking activities such as:

  • Building a strong interdisciplinary research program that provides progressive adaptable developments to manage, treat and reduce wastewater. This program will provide outstanding training opportunities for students, post-doctoral fellows and practising professionals
  • Providing pilot facilities for optimizing full scale processes
  • Exploring integrated wastewater management approaches, technology selection and verification on a larger more integrated scale
  • Providing space and access to various inplant wastewater streams for manufacturers and suppliers of equipment to demonstrate processes
  • Providing facilities for operator training to address local and provincial needs
  • Integrating research and development efforts with high quality applied learning, through partnerships with educational institutions throughout the province including the K-12 sector as well as well as post secondary institutions
  • Providing local, national and international leadership in analysis of issues affecting wastewater management
Function By Design

Click to view artist renderings of the AWC

The Annacis Wastewater Centre is a 1700 square metre new facility designed to meet the changing needs of the wastewater sector.

INSTRUCTIONAL SPACE
The Multipurpose Room accommodates a variety of functions and configurations.

  • The space is a single large subdividable rectangular space
  • In the future, folding full height acoustical partitions will enable simultaneous use in subdivided rooms
  • The room is furnished with fully retractable theatre-quality raked seating, which can operate independently in each half, or configured as a single large assembly hall arrangement. With the theatre seating retracted the room may be configured as a conference-type facility with seating at tables. With the theatre seating extended, the space may be used as a large assembly hall suitable for delivery of lectures and presentations

The Science Classroom is an instructional room to accommodate groups of students - typical cohort of 30 in a classroom setting. The room will be equipped with:

  • Instructor's demonstration station equipped with lab fixtures
  • Science lab stations
  • A prep room-allowing an instructor to prepare lab exercises/also used as a workstation

RESEARCH HALL
The research hall is designed to be a flexible industrial quality space capable of accommodating pilot plants and academic research projects as well as for industry wishing to test and/or demonstrate technology. The research hall will be equipped with:

WASTEWATER PROCESS COMMODITIES FROM THE ANNACIS ISLAND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT:

COMMODITY FLOW RATE PRESSURE CONNECTION STYLE
Primary Effluent 100 L/m 470 kPa; 3" Cam-lock
Secondary Effluent 570 L/m 570 kPa 3" Cam-lock
Centrate 50 L/m 350 kPa 3" Cam-lock
Centrate 50 L/m 350 kPa 2" Cam-lock
  • Researchers can connect to the various commodities at five locations
  • Power – Researchers have access to 600V - 3 phase and 208V - 3 phase power in the Research Hall's overhead cable tray. In addition there are 120V single phase receptacles distributed along the interior walls
  • Roll up door and overhead bridge crane (5 Tonne) for delivery and positioning of equipment
  • Wireless Internet throughout 
  • Potable water hose bibs located in each quadrant
  • Emergency shower and eyewash

EXTERIOR RESEARCH AREA

  • The outdoor research area will accommodate pilot plants that require a sewage source, a connection to sanitary sewer for discharge of effluent, 600V – 3 phase power, 208V – 3 phase power, 120V – 1 phase power, and compressed air supply. There may be multiple pilot plants installed and operating at any given time.
  • Pilot plants will be connected to these services by temporary hoses and cables. Connection points for these services are provided on the outside wall of the building.

RESEARCH LAB
The lab will be located adjacent to the research hall. This facility is considered to be a field station support facility but will be equipped with sufficient lab equipment to enable researchers and technicians to monitor and analyse data on site.

STUDENT OFFICE
The student office contains workstations with lockable storage space to enable use by multiple student groups.

WORKSHOP/TOOLCRIB
A small workshop is located within the research area to provide capability on-site for minor maintenance/repair of equipment.

RECEPTION/LOBBY AREA
The reception lobby is a significant space, allowing visitors to gain an immediate understanding of the building organization. The space serves the following functions:

  • A visual and physical link to all areas of the building
  • Foyer for events and networking
  • Can be linked via a glass sliding door to the multipurpose room creating a larger space
  • Catering kitchen for events

DISPLAY AREA
The display area is intended to be a venue to display new equipment and technologies as well as provide educational information about the centre and the various programs.

OBSERVATION AREAS
The indoor and outdoor Research Hall Observation areas enable visitors to observe activities in the Research Hall.

The observation glass partition for the mechanical room enables visitors to learn about the various components of the mechanical system and how they function together to provide the desired level of service to the AWC occupants.

Research & Development

In partnership with UBC, other organizations and the private sector Metro Vancouver is building the programming for the Annacis Wastewater Centre focusing on areas of research, technology development, training and education. One of the first research initiatives to come to the Annacis Wastewater Centre will be the UBC award winning process to recover phosphorous from wastewater and turn it into commercially viable and environmentally friendly fertilizer. This is an example of leading-edge Canadian technology working to solve a global problem.

A Green and Sustainable Solution to Global Phosphorus Depletion

The Annacis Wastewater Centre will provide the opportunity to conduct research and technology development in a variety of cross-disciplinary areas including:

  • Integrated resource recovery
  • Waste-to-energy
  • Nutrient removal
  • Process optimization
  • Odour control
  • Greenhouse gas reduction
  • Contaminant removal
  • Bioremediation

The Centre will also provide access and services to a larger expanding green technology research and development market sector, helping to create employment and establish key markets for Canadian technologies.