1 - Sustainability Flashcards
What do you understand by the term ‘Sustainability’?
Existing in a way that meets our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
What are the three pillars of Sustainability?
Economic, Social and Environmental
Can you give me an example of Economic sustainability?
- Local employment on construction sites in order to support and sustain the local economy
Can you give me an example of Environmental Sustainability?
- Protecting the environment through an approach such as ensuring a net gain in biodiversity in a development
Can you give me an examples of Social sustainability?
- Investing in people, their training and their development in order for them to support themselves and others better in the future
Can you tell me about EPC and DEC?
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.
Can you name some BREEAM scoring areas?
- Waste
- Land Use and Ecology
- Pollution
- Water
- Energy
- Management
- Innovation
- Transport
- Health and Wellbeing
- Materials
What are the BREEAM Scoring levels?
- Outstanding - 85%
- Excellent - 70%
- Very Good - 55%
- Good - 45%
- Pass - 30%
- Unclassified - Less than 30%
What is CEEQUAL?
- Infrastructure equivalent to BREEAM
What is SKA?
- RICS scoring criteria around commercial fit out
- Based on Good Practice Measures
- Awarded in Bronze, Silver and Gold
What is ESG?
Environment, Social, Governance
What are the principles of ESG?
Standards of a companies behaviour which can be assessed by a socially / environmentally conscious investor
What is the Future Buildings Standard?
- 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.
What is the World Built Environment Forum?
- RICS initiative
- Advance discussions of critical importance
- Inspiring positive and sustainable change for a prosperous and inclusive future.
- Published the 2021 sustainability report
What was in the WBEF sustainability report 2021
- Not doing good enough
- ‘Modest’ progress
- Embodied Carbon assessments largely not being done
What is a BRUKL report?
- 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
What is a SAP report?
- Standard Assessment Procedure report for domestic dwellings that shows their DER
- Dwelling Emission Rate
- Must be lower than Target Emission Rate
What is the SBEM
- 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.
What is the main requirement under Part L?
To achieve a DER or BER less than the TER, measured in kg of carbon per m2 per year
Why is sustainability important?
From energy use to emissions the industry has a huge impact on the environment.
Can result in hazardous waste
What is the Paris Agreement?
Limiting warming to below 2 degrees
Countries must report on progress
What measures do Stace take for Sustainability?
Recycling bins
Lights are on timers
Help out in local community
Promote use of public transport.
What are green roofs?
Sedum / Grass / Living roofs are roofs partially or completely covered in plants.
The plants sit on top of a drainage membrane along with roof barriers and waterproofing products.
What is a U-Value?
Measures the effectiveness of an insulator. Lower the better.
How does a soakaway work?
A large underground tank that receives water from drainage pipes and helps water percolate through soil.
How does a ground source heat pump work?
Fluid pumped around ground loop
Absorb natural heat in the ground
Liquid is compressed and goes through a heat exchanger through the heat pump.
This then goes to the heating system.
How does rainwater harvesting work?
Rainwater is collected
Goes through a filter to a tank
This can be used for toilets / washing machines
What Building Regs apply to sustainability?
Approved Document L - Conservation of Fuel and Power.
What is Passivhaus?
Performance based set of design criteria which aims for buildings to use 90% less energy than a the UK standard.
What are SUDS?
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems
Provide alternative or in addition to drainage so water can quickly and directly go into underground piped drainage.
Can you give some SUDS examples?
Permeable surfaces
Rainwater harvesting
Soakaway
Underground storage
Basin and ponds
What did you learn from the ‘Value of BREEAM’ CPD?
BREEAM does the following:
- Increases asset value
- Reduces operating costs
- Improves worker productivity
- Improves corporate image
What are the differences between BREEAM, WELL, LEED & SKA
BREEAM, LEED and WELL apply to all phases of the build and cover new builds and fit-out/refurbishment, where as SKA is project driven and only covers fit-out/refurbishment
What does BREEAM Stand for?
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology
What is WELL?
A standard focussing on health and wellbeing.
Contains 10 concepts relevant to human health.
There are mandatory conditions and optimisation conditions that allows you to achieve a high score.
What is WiredScore?
Measures quality / resilience of digital infrastructure, mobile coverage, internet service provider choice, and whether critical digital infrastructure is safe and secure from physical damage.
- Based on connectivity, readiness and infrastructure - Gold, Silver, Platinum rating
Changes under Part L
- Use of Standard Assessment Procedure to measure BER for new homes
- Homes to be 31% more energy efficient than previous standards
- Other buildings to be 27% more efficient than previous standards.
What is the RICS Carbon Data Base?
- Platform offering consistent carbon data
- Online store of project and product assessments to standardise measurement and reduction of emissions.
What is the 2050 target?
- Global warming to 1.5 degrees
- Emissions cut to 45% of 1980’s level
- Net zero by 2050
What sustainable acts are there?
Climate Change Act 2008
Energy Act 2011
Part L
Energy Performance of Buildings Regs 2012
What is the RICS doing for sustainability?
- Developed carbon database
- RICS / RoC encourage members to dind sustainable solutions
- Annual sustainability reports
- SKA Rating
What would you advise the client to reduce their carbon?
- Construction method
- Materials
- Buildability
- Certifications
- KPI of sustainability
What is a Site Waste Management Plan?
Document that details waste, how much waste and how it will be disposed / reused or recycled.
WELL Concepts?
Water
Air
Nourishment
Light
Movement
Community
Thermal
Sound
Materials
Mind
Name some approved documents ?
A - Structure
B - Fire
L - Conservation of Fuel and Energy
M - Access and use of buildings
F - Ventilation
