Thunderbird residence repairs 2024/25

Thunderbird Residence

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.

Thunderbird residence, which opened nearly 30 years ago in 1995, requires a number of repairs to the building envelope to maintain a good quality of living for residents.

We anticipate two renovation phases over the coming years, with Phase One beginning in May 2024 and Phase Two beginning in May 2025.

Applying to live at Thunderbird?

If you’re planning to add Thunderbird residence to your preferences in your residence application, you should know that residents of this area will likely be impacted by this ongoing repair/renovation project. We want you to make an informed decision when you apply.

Project Details—Phase One repairs

Phase One begins in May 2024.

We will add further detail to this page about Phase Two in Winter Session 2024/25.

Location

Phase One repairs will be conducted at the 2000 block of Thunderbird residence, located at the corner of Thunderbird Boulevard and Thunderbird Crescent.

Repairs will primarily be taking place within the confines of the 2000 block courtyard.

Construction Timeline

Phase One repairs begin in May 2024.

Phase One repairs are expected to be complete in late-August 2024.

Ongoing 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.

Noise and disruptions for Thunderbird residents

Residents of Thunderbird should expect to hear noise, primarily from the operation of handheld construction tools and equipment, but also from some heavy equipment and industrial traffic.

There will also be some access changes within Thunderbird, along with an increased level of dust. Vehicle traffic disruptions in the area may occur, but will be limited.

2000 block residents who are not being relocated will experience construction noise and increased levels of dust. Some residents will also experience temporary changes to building access, including the building elevator, which will not provide access to levels 3 and 4.
1000 block residents will experience some construction noise, given their proximity to the 2000 block.
3000, 4000 and 5000 block residents may experience some distant construction noise.

In general, residents will be less affected if their units do not face directly toward the repair/renovation area and if their access is not rerouted by the repair work.

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?

Are you offering a discount?

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. Students living in the 1000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 blocks at Thunderbird are not eligible for discounted fees during the Phase One repairs. Students living in the 2000 block will receive specific information, which will depend on whether they need to relocate for the duration of the work or not.

How noisy will my room be?

While noise from the repair 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 Thunderbird might experience some noise disruptions in their unit or another part of their residence area, but residents of the 3000, 4000 and 5000 blocks will experience very limited impacts.

Will some residents need to move out?

We have identified a small number of rooms/units in the 2000 block that will be affected to such a degree that we will need to temporarily relocate the residents to a comparable room/unit in another residence area. We have contacted these residents directly.

Are there any safety concerns?

Safe, prudent construction practices are always followed, and residents who will be living in the 2000 block while repairs are taking place are asked to observe any and all signage and guidance. Additionally, the repair work being carried out is to the building envelope (i.e., the building components that separate the indoors from the outdoors, such as exterior walls) to protect the building from the environment. No areas at Thunderbird were identified as imminent safety concerns.

What resources are available for residents who feel adversely impacted by the repair work?

Free ear plugs will be available for students at the Thunderbird front desk.
Residents can contact their RLM for additional strategies to help minimize the impact of noise and disruptions.
If after attempting available interventions, a student still feels excessively impacted by the work, Student Housing will try to relocate those residents permanently, pending availability, to another Year Round residence area.

Have additional questions? Email thunderbirdrepairs@housing.ubc.ca.