12 - Sustainability

Question 1

246 - Why is sustainability important to construction? (2)

Answer 1

1) From energy usage to emissions, the CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY has a HUGE IMPACT on the ENVIRONMENT. The construction industry account for 36% of worldwide energy usage, and 40% of CO2 emissions.
2) Construction can also RESULT IN HAZARDOUS WASTE, and the improper disposal of such waste can result in pollution that affects not just the environment, but also the health of people living in that area.

Question 2

247 - What do we mean by sustainable development? (2)

Answer 2

1) Sustainable development is defined within the BRUNDTLAND REPORT as; development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
2) The three principles of sustainability are SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL and ECONOMIC.

Question 3

248 - Can you define social, environmental and economic considerations in relation to sustainability? (3)

Answer 3

1) ENVIRONMENTAL - Preventing HARMFUL and potentially IRREVESIBLE IMPACTS on the environment by the careful use of natural resource, minimising waste and energy, protecting and enhancing the environment where possible. A measure of the carbon footprint of the building.
2) ECONOMIC - EFFICIENT USE of RESOURCE, including labour and ensuring the design and construction meets the current and functional needs of the users. Does the development represent overall value for money?
3) SOCIAL - The development should RESPOND to the NEEDS of the WIDER COMMUNITY. For example, a failure might be a fast-food restaurant being built next to a school; whereas a library being constructed next to a university would be considered more socially sustainable.

Question 4

349 - How do you measure sustainability? (2)

Answer 4

1) Sustainability can be measured by ASSESSING PERFORMANCE of social, environmental and economic principles.
2) Can also be measured using one of the CONSTRUCTION SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENTS (BREEAM, SKA, LEED).

Question 5

350 - What is the Paris Agreement? (2)

Answer 5

1) The Paris Agreement sets out a GLOBAL FRAMEWORK to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2degC and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5degC.
2) Under the Paris Agreement, each country must DETERMINE, PLAN and REGULARLY REPORT on the CONTRIBUTION that it undertakes to mitigate climate change.

Question 6

351 - What measures does your company take in relation to sustainability? (7)

Answer 6

1) Recycling points
2) Lights are switched on timers or sensors
3) LED lighting
4) Sun reflective glass film
5) Car share or using public transport where possible
6) Promoting the use of electric cars
7) Minimising travel

Question 7

352 - Name some of the technology available to help meet Part L of the building regulations? (Conservation of fuel and power)? (10)

Answer 7

1) Wind turbines
2) Photovoltaic cells
3) Ground source heat pumps
4) Rainwater harvesting
5) Solar thermal water heating
6) Green roofs
7) Sustainable urban drainage systems
8) Increase insulation - reduce heat loss through building fabric
9) Solar shading
10) Natural ventilation

Question 8

353 - Can you explain what green roofs are? (2)

Answer 8

1) Green roofs, also known as sedum roofs, grass roofs, or living roofs are roofs that are PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY COVERED WITH PLANTS AND VEGETATION.
2) The vegetation is usually planter over a drainage membrane that sits on top of the roof, along with additional layers such as root barriers and waterproofing products.

Question 9

354 - What is a U-value? (2)

Answer 9

1) U-values measure how EFFECTIVE a MATERIAL is an INSULATOR.
2) The lower the U-value, the better the material is as a heat insulator.

Question 10

355 - How do photovoltaics work? (4)

Answer 10

1) PVs CONVERT SUNLIGHT into electricity,
2) LIGHT energy STRIKES cells, ELECTRONS are KNOCKED LOOSE from ATOMS.
3) Positive and negative ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS CAPTURE ELECTRONS in the form of current.
4) The ENERGY IS STORED in batteries OR immediately USED to power the building.

Question 11

356 - How does a soakaway work? (2)

Answer 11

1) Soakaways are mainly created as a SOLUTION to STANDING SURFACE WATER.
2) They consist of a LARGE HOLE or PIT that receives surface water from a drainage pipe and HELPS the WATER to slowly PERCOLATE THROUGH the SOIL, reducing the risk of flooding.

Question 12

357 - How do ground source heat pumps work?

Answer 12

Ground source heat pump systems are made up of a GROUND LOOP (a network of pipes buried underground) and a HEAT PUMP at ground level. FLUIDS are PUMPED around the GROUND LOOP which ABSORB naturally occurring HEAT STORED IN THE GROUND. The LIQUID is COMPRESSED and goes THROUGH a HEAT EXCHANGER, which EXTRACTS the HEAT and TRANSFERS it to the HEAT PUMP. The heat is then TRANSFERRED to the HEATING SYSTEM in the building.

Question 13

358 - How does rainwater harvesting work? (3)

Answer 13

1) Rainwater harvesting involves COLLECTING RAINWATER from a building’s roof or other surfaces such as permeable pavements.
2) The rainwater then PASSES THROUGH A FILTER, which eliminates debris, and is stored in an underground or overground tank.
3) This saved water can then be PUMPED to places where it is needed. Domestic or commercial applications include;
a) Flushing toilets
b) Washing machines
c) Washing vehicles
d) Gardening and irrigation
e) Cleaning

Question 14

359 - Can you name some of the sustainability measuring systems? (4)

Answer 14

1) LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) - A green building certification scheme.
2) BREEAM (Building Research Establishment, Environmental Assessment Method).
3) SKA (operated by RICS, SKA rating is an environmental assessment tool for sustainable fitouts).
4) CEEQUAL (Civil Engineering, Infrastructure and Landscaping).

Question 15

360 - Can you tell me a little about BREEAM? (3)

Answer 15

1) Stands for BUILDING RESEARCH ESTABLISHMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT METHOD.
2) BREEAM is an INTERNATIONAL SCHEME that provides INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATION of the assessment of the sustainability performance of individual buildings and infrastructure projects.
3) Assessment and certification take place at several stages in the built environment life cycle, from design and construction through to operation and refurbishment.

Question 16

361 - What are the BREEAM headline assessment categories? (10)

Answer 16

1) Management
2) Health & wellbeing
3) Energy
4) Transport
5) Water
6) Materials
7) Waste
8) Land use and ecology
9) Pollution
10) Innovation

Question 17

362 - What are the key advantages of BREEAM certification? (5)

Answer 17

1) DEMONSTRATES level of achievement.
2) COMPLIANCE can LOWER environmental IMPACT.
3) Improves INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT (can increase productivity).
4) Can reduce OPERATING COSTS.
5) Improves MARKETABILITY of the client or developer.

Question 18

363 - What are the BREEAM rating thresholds? (6)

Answer 18

1) Outstanding - ≥85%
2) Excellent - ≥70%
3) Very Good - ≥55%
4) Good - ≥45%
5) Pass - ≥30%
6) Unclassified - <30%

Question 19

364 - Can you define the term ‘net zero carbon’ in the context of new build construction?

Answer 19

UK Green Building Council definition;
“When the AMOUNT of CARBON EMISSIONS associated with a building’s product and construction stages UP TO PRACTICAL COMPLETION is ZERO or NEGATIVE, through the use of offsets or the net export of on-site renewable energy.”

Question 20

365 - Can you define the term ‘net zero carbon’ in the context of operational energy for a building in use?

Answer 20

UK Green Building Council definition;
“When the AMOUNT of CARBON EMISSIONS associated with the building’s OPERATIONAL ENERGY on an ANNUAL BASIS is ZERO or NEGATIVE. A net zero carbon building is highly energy efficient and powered from on-site and / or off-site renewable energy sources, with any remaining carbon balance offset.”

Question 21

366 - How can solar gain be prevented in buildings? (4)

Answer 21

1) HORIZONTAL SHADING to glazing (Brise Soleil).
2) LIMITING the area of GLAZING.
3) ORIENTATING GLAZING away from south facing.
4) Use of REFLECTIVE GLAZING.

Question 22

367 - Which Building Regulations (Approved Documents) apply to sustainability?

Answer 22

Approved Document Part L - conservation of fuel and power

Question 23

368 - What is Passivhaus? (2)

Answer 23

1) Passivhaus is a PERFORMANCE-BASED set of DESIGN CRITERIA for VERY LOW ENERGY BUILDINGS, which can help create buildings which use around 90% LESS ENERGY than standard UK buildings.
2) Passivhaus design seeks to ELIMINATE the need for SPACE HEATING and cooling and is based on the principle of REDUCING HEATING LOSS to a minimum.

Question 24

369 - What is an Environmental Impact Assessment? (2)

Answer 24

1) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a PROCESS of EVALUATING the likely ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS of a proposed project or development.
2) The assessment will consider inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse.

Question 25

370 - What is the SBEM tool? (4)

Answer 25

1) Simplified Building Energy Model.
2) A GOVERNMENT-DEFINED PROCESS in accordance with Part L Building Control Regulations.
3) It is a CALCULATION of the ENERGY PERFORMANCE of new commercial / industrial / retail buildings.
4) It is also used to GENERATE ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFIATES for non-domestic buildings on construction and at the point of sale or rent.

Question 26

371 - What is a DEC? (3 - one with 3 sub-answers)

Answer 26

1) Display Energy Certificates (DECs) are designed to SHOW the ENERGY PERFORMANCE of PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
2) They use a SCALE that RUNS from ‘A’ TO ‘G’ - ‘A’ being the most efficient and ‘G’ being the least.
3) Public authorities MUST HAVE a DEC for a building if all the following are true;
a) It is at LEAST PARTIALLY OCCUPIED by a public authority (council, leisure centre, college, NHS trust etc.).
b) It has a total FLOOR AREA of OVER 250m2.
c) It is FREQUENTLY VISITED BY the PUBLIC.

Question 27

372 - What is an EPC?

Answer 27

Energy Performance Certificate

Question 28

373 - What does the EPC contain? (3)

Answer 28

1) The documents sets out the ENERGY EFFICIENCY of a PROPERTY on a TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM of A to G - A being the most efficient. An EPC provides an INDICATION of how much it will COST TO HEAT AND POWER a property. It also includes RECOMMENDATIONS to energy-efficient IMPROVEMENTS, the cost of carrying them out and the potential savings in pounds and pence that each one could generate,

Question 29

374 - Can you tell me what the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEEMS) mean in relation to energy performance ratings? (2)

Answer 29

1) MEES standards were introduced to SET a MINIMUM EPC RATING of E for RENTED RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
2) From April 2023, this THRESHOLD will also APPLY to EXISTING LEASES for COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS (subject to certain exemptions).

Question 30

375 - Can you explain what SUDS are?

Answer 30

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) are systems DESIGNED to EFFICIENTLY MANAGE the DRAINAGE OF SURFACE WATER in urban environments. SUDS can provide an alternative to, or addition to, traditional drainage systems where surface water is drained directly and quickly into underground piped drainage.

Question 31

376 - Can you provide some examples of SUDS? (7)

Answer 31

1) Filter strips and drains
2) Swales
3) Permeable surfaces
4) Basins and ponds
5) Underground storage
6) Green roofs
7) Rainwater harvesting