Energy & Environment
Dr. Kendal Bushe elected Fellow of the Combustion Institute
March 19, 2024
In recognition of his contributions to the field of combustion research and technology, Associate Professor W. Kendal Bushe has been elected a Fellow of the Combustion Institute. Dr. Bushe is one of nineteen international researchers in the Institute’s 2024 class of Fellows, and is acknowledged for his work on “innovative research on the theory and […]
Dr. Amanda Giang named Canada Research Chair in Environmental Modelling for Policy
March 13, 2024
Assistant Professor Amanda Giang has been named the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Environmental Modelling for Policy. The Government of Canada announced the new and renewed Research Chairs on March 13, 2024, providing $191 million for 230 chairs at post-secondary institutions nationwide, alongside $9 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans […]
Driving an electric car is cheaper in some parts of Canada than others
March 11, 2024
This article originally appeared on UBC News. Electric vehicles are a critical part of Canada’s climate strategy, but a new UBC study highlights how it’s cheaper in some regions than others to drive electric—making it more challenging for certain households to make the switch. Location, location, location The researchers analyzed how far people need to drive their electric […]
UBC Engineering Spotlight: Patrick Kirchen – Developing Sensors And Tools To Monitor Emissions
February 28, 2024
UBC Engineering | “My research helps industry figure out the practical, immediate things we can do to improve emissions.” When I was a kid, I liked to tinker with things – bikes, vehicles, whatever was around. I realized at a certain point that as an engineer, I could go beyond tinkering to designing and building […]
German President visits UBC Hydrogen Testbed
May 3, 2023
Last week, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier toured Dr. Walter Mérida’s Smart Hydrogen Energy District (SHED), as part of his visit to Canada. SHED is a unique testbed that re-envisions how hydrogen technologies, energy storage and renewable energy generation could be integrated into infrastructure solutions. SHED is scheduled to open shortly, transforming the area next to Thunderbird […]
Millions of Kitchens – Are they Safe: PhD student explores energy use and air pollution through photography
February 14, 2023
A new photography exhibit by Mechanical Engineering PhD student and Liu Scholar Mrinmoy Chakraborty explores the kinds of residential energy sources used in rural India and their effect on indoor air pollution. Usually, he investigates this issue using numerical simulations and field studies under the co-supervision of Dr. Amanda Giang and Dr. Naomi Zimmerman, but […]
Tackling urban freight emissions with improved measurements & models
January 16, 2023
Photo by Andy Li on Unsplash Researchers Dr. Amanda Giang and Dr. Patrick Kirchen are working to improve urban freight systems emissions through mitigation planning in a new five-year project. Looking at marine, road and rail freight transport, they will develop planning tools that integrate real-world data, allowing government and industry to make informed decisions […]
Business Wire talks to Dr. Amanda Giang about joint UBC and Clear Seas Study to Provide Path to Zero-Impact Marine Shipping
November 9, 2022
Mechanical Engineering and Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability faculty member Amanda Giang talks to Business Wire about the study she is leading with IRES colleague Dr. Terre Satterfield. They are partnering with the Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping and the National Research Council of Canada’s Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Research Centre to examine […]
UBC team deploys pollution-sniffing mobile lab
August 11, 2022
Watch out, Vancouver. The PLUME van is coming soon to a location near you. An “air pollution lab on wheels,” PLUME will be used to measure concentrations of air pollutants across the city including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ground-level ozone, black carbon, methane, volatile organic compounds, and various sizes of ultrafine particles that can affect […]
New publication relates CO2 levels with indoor temperature comfort
July 25, 2022
Could how comfortable building occupants find their indoor temperature be predicted by including measurements of carbon dioxide levels in the room? Yes, according to a new paper from UBC’s Building Decisions Research Group. Moreover, researchers found that the more carbon dioxide is present, the less comfortable people are with the temperature. Before the pandemic, Mechanical […]









