C. K. Choi Building

The C. K. Choi Building is an educational building on the campus of the University of British Columbia (UBC) known for its sustainable design features.^[1][2][3] Named for businessman and philanthropist Dr. Cheung-Kok Choi,^[4][5] the building houses UBC's Institute of Asian Research. The architecture of the building implements Asian motifs.^[6][7][8][9]

C.K. Choi Building
C. K. Choi Building, street facade, c.2010
UBC Campus, Vancouver, BC, Canada
General information
Type	University Office Building
Address	1855 West Mall, UBC, Vancouver
Country	Canada
Coordinates	49.267132°N 123.258405°W / 49.267132; -123.258405
Current tenants	Institute of Asian Research
Completed	1996
Owner	University of British Columbia
Technical details
Floor count	3 storeys
Floor area	34,400 sq.ft.
Design and construction
Architecture firm	Matsuzaki Wright Architects
Website
www.iar.ubc.ca

Institute of Asian Research

Main article: Institute of Asian Research

The Institute of Asian Research, headquartered in the C. K. Choi building, is a research institute founded in 1978 as a major Canadian research centre for Asia.

Design team

C.K. Choi Memorial Bell at the building's south plaza

• Architects + Sustainability: Matsuzaki Wright^[7]
• Landscape Architects: Cornelia Hahn Oberlander
• Structural Engineers: Read Jones Christoffersen
• Mechanical Engineers: Keen Engineering Co. Ltd. (now Stantec)
• Electrical Engineers: Robert Freundlich & Associates Ltd.
• Owner: University of British Columbia, Freda Pagani, Campus Planning and Development
• Owner's Sustainability Advisor: Bob Berkebile, BNIM

Sustainable features

West elevation and preserved stand of evergreen trees providing afternoon shade

Graywater trench around the building

The C. K. Choi building was designed to be sustainable and energy-efficient.^[10][11] Its sustainable features include:

• Location: built on an existing parking lot surrounded by large trees to reduce heat gain
• Form: narrow profile to minimize site impact and provide natural light inside
• Recycling: approximately 50% of building materials were recycled or re-used
• Sanitation: composting toilets were initially used,^[12] but were removed when the compost was found to be detrimental to the environment
• Stormwater: the building's gutters collect water in a tank for irrigation purposes^[13]
• Energy: sensors turn off lights when not in use, heavy use of insulation preserves indoor temperature, steam vault utilizes waste heat
• Finishes: most interior surfaces use minimal material, such as unpainted metal and a lack of suspended ceilings
• Air quality: carpet adhesives and solvent finishes were not used in construction, to minimize air pollution
• Ventilation: ventilation is non-mechanical and provides fresh air from windows
• Heat: surplus heat radiating into the ground is collected and utilized
• Electricity: uses only surplus electricity from adjacent buildings^[8]

Exposed structure and minimal use of applied interior finishes can be seen

Awards

• 1996 BC Hydro Energy Smart Award^[14]
• 1996 British Columbia Earth Award, Building Owners and Managers Association^[15]
• 1997 Building Award of Excellence, Consulting Engineers of British Columbia^[16]
• 1998 List of Canadian awards, Architectural Institute of British Columbia
• 1998 Award for Innovation Excellence, Architectural Institute of British Columbia (Matsuzaki Wright Architects Inc.)^[14]
• 2000 Earth Day 2000 Top Ten Award, American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment^[17]