Establishing the ‘campus as a living laboratory'

This chapter describes an expanded role for campus universities in the clean technology innovation system as living laboratories for clean technology demonstration, testing and commercialization. It discusses the experience of the University of British Columbia (UBC), which sought to institutionalize the concept of the campus as a living laboratory for clean technology innovation. The chapter focuses on the broader institutional context for this initiative and the lessons from the construction and integration of a CAD27 million combined heat and power (CHP) system into the campus infrastructure using a biomass gasification system developed by Nexterra and a gas turbine provided by Jenbacher, a GE company. In 1998 the university established the Sustainability Office (UBCSO), which was the effective precursor to the Living Laboratory initiative. Living laboratory model was established against a backdrop of campus innovation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The open call creates opportunities for global industrial partners to engage in longer term research and demonstration projects on the campus.