1 - Sustainability

Question 1

What do you understand by the term ‘Sustainability’?

Answer 1

Existing in a way that meets our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Question 2

What are the three pillars of Sustainability?

Answer 2

Economic, Social and Environmental

Question 3

Can you give me an example of Economic sustainability?

Answer 3

• Local employment on construction sites in order to support and sustain the local economy

Question 4

Can you give me an example of Environmental Sustainability?

Answer 4

• Protecting the environment through an approach such as ensuring a net gain in biodiversity in a development

Question 5

Can you give me an examples of Social sustainability?

Answer 5

• Investing in people, their training and their development in order for them to support themselves and others better in the future

Question 6

Can you tell me about EPC and DEC?

Answer 6

The Energy Performance of Building Regulations requires EPCs to be displayed at sale, letting or advertising of a property.

Requires a Display Energy Certificate to be displayed in public buildings that have over 250m2 of usable space.

Question 7

Can you name some BREEAM scoring areas?

Answer 7

• Waste
• Land Use and Ecology
• Pollution
• Water
• Energy
• Innovation

Question 8

What are the BREEAM Scoring levels?

Answer 8

• Outstanding - 85%
• Excellent - 70%
• Very Good - 55%
• Good - 45%
• Pass - 30%
• Unclassified - Less than 30%

Question 9

What is CEEQUAL?

Answer 9

• Infrastructure equivalent to BREEAM

Question 10

What is SKA?

Answer 10

• RICS scoring criteria around commercial fit out
• Based on Good Practice Measures
• Awarded in Bronze, Silver and Gold

Question 11

What is ESG?

Answer 11

Environment, Social, Governance

Question 12

What are the principles of ESG?

Answer 12

That it is becoming ever more important to demonstrate these metrics, particularly with investors.

Question 13

What is the Future Buildings Standard?

Answer 13

• New update to part L and part F of the building regs
• Make homes more sustainable
• Feedback under review
• Potential move away from gas boilers to ASHP etc.

Question 14

What is the World Built Environment Forum?

Answer 14

• RICS initiative
• Advance discussions of critical importance
• Inspiring positive and sustainable change for a prosperous and inclusive future.
• Published the 2021 sustainability report

Question 15

What was in the WBEF sustainability report 2021

Answer 15

• Not doing good enough
• ‘Modest’ progress
• Embodied Carbon assessments largely not being done

Question 16

What is a BRUKL report?

Answer 16

• Produced to demonstrate compliance with Part L.
• Based upon an assessment using the SBEM process.
• Sometimes referred to by local planning authorities when checking compliance

Question 17

What is a SAP report?

Answer 17

• Standard Assessment Procedure report for domestic dwellings that shows their DER
• Dwelling Emission Rate
• Must be lower than Target Emission Rate

Question 18

What is the SBEM

Answer 18

• Simplified Building Energy Model
• Software tool developed by the BRE
• Used to calculate the BER (Building Emission Rate) which must be lower than the TER (Target Emission Rate) as per Part L.

Question 19

What is the main requirement under Part L?

Answer 19

To achieve a DER or BER less than the TER, measured in kg of carbon per m2 per year