The Pulp and Paper Center has been a hub for inter-disciplinary and cross faculty education and research activities since its opening in 1986. For more than three decades, the center has facilitated numerous award-winning researchers in pulping and papermaking technology that has left significant impacts on forest product industry across Canada.
Under the new leadership of Dr. Orlando Rojas, BioProducts Institute (BPI) has successfully received over $3.1M early 2020 to renovate the third floor of the aging facilities to accommodate state-of-the-art research equipment. The funding is provided by the Faculties of Applied Science, Science and Forestry, the Office of the Provost, and the Routine Capital Program jointly funded by UBC and BC Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training.
The renovation began in November 2020 and completed early July 2021. Major improvements include electrical and plumbing upgrade, replacement of the fume hood, and refurbishment of the lab #308. The laboratory is completely redone from ceiling to floor and has new furniture and workstations installed.
Moving is currently in progress. Researchers who had been relocated to the Wesbrook building during the renovation have now returned to PPC. Most of the offices and classrooms have new furniture installed now and the common areas such as the kitchen and the hallway will be upgraded by the end of 2021. This is of course an important step in creating a state of art facility and a hub for biobased activities on campus and beyond. We welcome you all to drop by to take a tour.
We want to acknowledge and give a big hand to the wonderful team who made this renovation project successful - Ron Loewen (Capital Manager, APSC Dean's Office), Melissa McKinnon (Research Project Manager, APSC Dean's Office), Hilde Schepens (Project Manager, Infrastructure Development), Teresa Syrnyk (Senior Planner, Infrastructure Development), Barbara Gordon (Capital Projects Manager, Infrastructure Development), Mark Donald-Jones (Facility Manager, Building Operations), Emil Gustafsson (Senior Research Project Manager, BPI), and last but never least George Soong (Safety and Operations Officer, PPC). Great job, team!
