The University of British Columbia (UBC) has been recognized as a national leader in inclusive building design. The MacIsaac Health Building has received the 2026 BOMA Canada Rick Hansen Accessibility Award, recognizing the highest Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) rating achieved by a BOMA Canada member building in the past year.
The MacIsaac Health Building was recognized for creating an environment that supports people with mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive disabilities through thoughtful design and an ongoing commitment to removing barriers.
“Accessibility is a fundamental component of how we plan, design, deliver, and maintain buildings at UBC. The MacIsaac Health Building reflects our commitment to creating environments where students, faculty, staff and visitors can participate fully, independently and with dignity”, said John Metras, chief campus operations officer pro tem. “This recognition highlights the collaborative efforts of many partners who helped advance accessibility as a core project objective from the earliest stages of planning and design.”
The MacIsaac Health Building is a six-storey, approximately 25,100-square-metre academic and health sciences facility that opened in December 2025. As an integrated hub for health, learning and research, the building brings together Student Health & Wellbeing, the MacIsaac School of Nursing, the School of Kinesiology, a team-based primary care teaching clinic and interdisciplinary research programs under one roof.
Developed in close collaboration with Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy ̓ əm), the project incorporates Indigenous perspectives throughout the design, including a welcoming public realm, native plantings and artworks by Musqueam artists. The building was designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, target Zero Carbon Building certification and meet leading accessibility standards.
Accessibility features incorporated throughout the facility include universal washrooms, accessible teaching and research spaces, assistive listening systems, visual fire alarms, adjustable lighting and acoustic treatments that support a broad range of user needs.
