To maintain, improve and expand our campus facilities to continue to provide a strong student experience, construction, renovation and repair work at UBC is an everyday activity.
The sprinkler system in the Acadia Park Highrise (built in 1967) is fully functional but is reaching the end of its serviceable life. From May to August 2026, we will be replacing the system throughout the building, in units and common areas.
The building remains safe for every resident, and this project is a proactive and required step to ensure the continued safety of residents and modernize the system.
To move forward effectively, the project requires the staged relocation of Highrise residents, either to other units at Acadia Park or to lower floors in the Highrise, as work proceeds in stages up the building. We sincerely appreciate the patience, understanding, cooperation and feedback from the Highrise community, which we acknowledge is significantly affected.
Project overview
Map
Summer 2026 timeline
May 2026: Repairs completed on Floors 1–3.
June 2026: Repairs completed on the remaining floors in the building, with work progressing in stages, starting with Floor 4 and ending on the Penthouse level (Floor 15).
Late August 2026: Primary repairs are expected to be complete.
Daily work schedule
Construction typically occurs during UBC’s standard approved hours of work: Monday–Friday, 7:30 am–7 pm, and Saturday, 9 am–5 pm.
Some workers will arrive on-site before the construction start time to begin getting ready for their day.
Construction hours may be extended (e.g., earlier start time; extended to Sundays) to ensure the project is completed on time.
Daily noise and disruptions
During approved hours of work:
- Highrise residents should expect to hear noise, primarily from the operation of handheld construction tools and equipment.
- One of the two elevators will be reserved for the use of construction personnel.
- Highrise residents may notice some dust related to construction work in the ground level lobby and the elevator used by construction personnel.
- We anticipate some limited impacts related to this project for the wider Acadia Park community, including some construction-related noise and work vehicles near the Highrise and commonsblock.
As you are likely aware, construction at UBC is an everyday activity, and safe, prudent construction practices are always followed. Nevertheless, while UBC can reduce the impact to residents and the campus community, it cannot be avoided altogether.
Questions?
Why do residents need to relocate?
We have planned the project in such a way that the building can remain occupied, completing the work in sequence by floor, with each floor impacted for approximately three weeks while out of use. The nature of the work involved in each unit is comprehensive, requiring our contractor to:
- Cut out and remove sections of ceiling drywall.
- Cut apart and remove copper sprinkler system pipes, which contain water.
- Reinstall and activate the new sprinkler system.
- Replace the ceiling drywall.
- Patch, paint and restore the unit to a livable condition.
This work is expected to produce significant dust and mess and requires ease of movement throughout the workspace to be completed efficiently.
To ensure that we are not risking damage to residents’ personal belongings and that the work proceeds according to a set schedule—which provides predictability for all residents in the building—it is unfortunately not feasible for residents to leave any belongings in their current units and relocate temporarily (except for Penthouse level residents, where the work will be less invasive).
Moving residents permanently to a new unit also means they only have to move once.
What should I expect on my weekend relocation dates?
While we are still working out the details, we anticipate that you will have from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon on your relocation weekend to complete your move, moving all your furniture and belongings and fully vacating your current unit.
We will have staff on hand to coordinate elevator use so moves can be completed in an orderly way. Packing boxes and moving carts will also be available to support residents with the move. Additional details about the move will be provided throughout the project.
What if I am not able to move on the dates scheduled for my floor?
We recognize that some Highrise residents will be away for parts of the summer while these moves are taking place. If you will be away or unavailable to move on the dates scheduled for your floor, please email family@housing.ubc.ca to let us know as soon as possible, so we can work with you to find a solution that works for your individual circumstances
If I don’t like the unit I am moved to, can I move out without penalty?
While typically residents are required to provide one month’s notice to cancel their contract, under these circumstances we can permit short notice cancellations for Acadia Park Highrise residents impacted by this project, to allow you to move out of Acadia Park without penalty.
Are you offering a discount for Highrise residents?
Construction at UBC, including renovations and repairs, is an everyday occurrence that we should all be prepared for—and that the UBC community will ultimately benefit from. Residents who are required to relocate will receive a one time credit to help offset any costs associated with moving; the specific details were communicated to residents directly.
How noisy will my unit be during work hours?
While noise from the replacement work will be kept within reasonable limits, every person responds to noise and disruption differently. With that in mind, we cannot anticipate how noisy your particular room will be or how the noise will affect you.
Will any units not be affected?
Any resident of the Acadia Park Highrise might experience some noise in their unit or another part of their residence area.
Are there any safety concerns?
- Construction work: Safe, prudent construction practices are always followed, and residents who will be living in the Acadia Park Highrise while repairs are taking place are asked to observe any and all signage and guidance.
- Building and sprinkler system: The sprinkler system in the Acadia Park Highrise (built in 1967) is fully functional but is reaching the end of its serviceable life. The building remains safe for every resident, and this project is a proactive and required step to ensure the continued safety of residents and modernize the system.
Is there any risk of flooding during the work?
The risk of flooding during the work is minimal. The current sprinkler system is controlled by zones and the relevant zones will be turned off during the work. We also have rapid response procedures in place to quickly shut water off in the unlikely event an incident occurs.
What if damage to residents' belonging happens during the project?
Given residents will be moving out of units ahead of work taking place, it is unlikely that damage would occur. Should that happen, it will be addressed through our standard incident/claims process.
Additional questions?
If you are are a Highrise resident, and your question isn’t answered above, please refer to the latest project emails/updates from Student Housing (sent from family@housing.ubc.ca), where we have communicated more detailed and specific information.
If you have any remaining questions, please email us at family@housing.ubc.ca.