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RICS APC QS - Mandatory Competencies > 8. Sustainability > Flashcards

8. Sustainability Flashcards

1
Q

What is sustainability?

A

Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Butland Report - UN 1987 ‘Our Common Future’

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2
Q

Why is sustainability important?

A

Earth’s resources are finite - unsustainable land-use, buildings, construction and growing populations are responsible for depleting natural resources and loss of biodiversity and habitat.

This impacts future generations to meet their own needs

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3
Q

What is the relationship between sustainability and built environment?

A

Built Environment - man-made structures, features, and facilities viewed collectively as an environment in which people live and work.

Construction:
Materials – non-renewable
Waste disposal – contamination and pollution
Transportation and CO2 emissions.

Buildings:
Carbon Emissions

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4
Q

What are the three pillars of sustainability?

A

The three pillars represent the different factors required to achieve sustainability, including social, economical and environmental factors.

If one pillar is weak then the whole system is unsustainable.

Social sustainability - ability of a social system, such as a country, family, or organization, to function at a defined level of social well being and harmony indefinitely.

Economical sustainability - is the ability of an economy to support a defined level of economic production indefinitely.

Environmental sustainability - ability of the environment to support defined level of environmental quality and natural resource extraction rates indefinitely.

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5
Q

What is the RICS doing regarding sustainability?

A

RICS Futures Report 2020

RICS approach to responding to change that is happening across different markets, sectors and economies.

Building Passport - data platform hosting al building related data including; design and planning through to demolition.

RICS Building Carbon Database - public resource for comparative data on carbon emissions.

RICS Professional Statement on Whole-Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment

RICS training Tool Kit for property valuation professionals to factor sustainability costs into valuation process.

RICS World Built Environment Forum - expert insights to managing urbanisaiton, population growth, climate change and other issues to create better space for future generations.

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6
Q

How can sustainability be incorporated into design?

A 
Optimise site potential
Minimise non-renewable materials
Environmental preferable/recycled materials 
Enhance indoor environment quality
Flexible design concepts
Future proofing design
Protect and conserve water
Optimise operational and maintenance practices
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7
Q

What are the different methods which can be used to improve sustainability?

A

Regulations
Environmental Assessment Methods
Sustainable technologies
Waste Management and Pollution

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8
Q

What Sustainability regulations are you aware of?

A

Climate Change Act 2008
Building Regulations Part L
Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012
Environmental Protection Act 1990
Town and County Planning Regulations 2017

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9
Q

What is the Climate Change Act 2008?

A

UK framework to reduce carbon emission to zero by 2050.

Amended in 2019.
Previously 80% only from 1990 levels.
Kyoto Protocol – developed nations agreed to reduce CO2 emission based on 1990 levels.

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10
Q

What is Building Regulations Part L Conservation Fuel and Power?

A

Guidance on Regulations for the conservation of fuel and power in dwellings and non-domestic dwellings.

4 Separate Parts:
Part L1 A = New Dwelling.
Part L1 B = Existing Dwelling.
Part L2 A = New non-domestic.
Part L2 B = Existing non-domestic.
Fixed Standards for:
Carbon Index Ratings
Solar Emissions 
Heating and Ventilation Systems 
Space Heating Controls
Air Conditioning Systems
Other Fuel and Power Systems
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11
Q

What are Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)?

A

Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012 Part 2 - EPCs required where a building is to be sold or rented out.

Incorporated into Building Regulations Part L as of 2016 amendments.

Calculates energy efficiency on a carbon emissions based index, giving rating from A very efficient - G very inefficient.

Valid for 10 years and must be made available free of charge to tenants.

Obtaining EPC is responsibility of party undertaking the construction works.

Can help drive improvement of energy efficiency.

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12
Q

What are Display Energy Certificates (DEC)?

A

Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012 Part 3 - DECs required where building occupied by public authorities and frequently visited by the public.

Show the energy performance of a building based on actual energy consumption. A most efficient - G least efficient.

Floor area larger than 250m2 (valid for 10 years)
Where larger than 1000m2 (valid for 1 year only)

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13
Q

What is Environmental Protection Act 1990?

A

UK act of parliament covering waste management and control of emissions into the environment.

Part 1 - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affair Established in 2008

Part II - Regulating and licensing the acceptable disposal of controlled waste on land.

Part IIA - Scheme of identification and compulsory remedial action for contaminated land.

Part III - Statutory Nuisances

Part IV - Litter

Part VI - Statutory Notification, Risk Assessment for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

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14
Q

What is Town and County Planning Regulations 2017?

A

Requirement for Environmental Impact Assessments.

The Secretary of State or an inspector must not grant planning permission without EIA carried out.

Purpose is to protect the environment ensuring local authority is aware of impact on environment when deciding to grant planning permission for a project

Environmental Impact Assessment must assess:
Population and human health;
Biodiversity,
Land, soil, water, air and climate;
material assets, cultural heritage and the landscape

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15
Q

What are Environmental Assessment Methods?

A

Assessments of a building’s energy performance:

Occupant factors:
Energy
Health and wellbeing
Transport
Water
Land use

Site factors:
Pollution
Waste Management
Materials

Tool used to identify and increase areas of energy efficiency performance.

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16
Q

What are the different Environmental Assessment Methods you know?

A

BREEAM – Building, Research, Establishment, Environmental Assessment Method

LEED – Leadership, Energy, Environmental Design.

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17
Q

What is BREEAM?

A

Building, Research, Establishment, Environmental Assessment Method
Established 1990 in UK as Non-Profit
Most adopted EAM world-wide

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18
Q

What are the different BREEAM categories?

A 
Governance 
Social and economic wellbeing
Resource and Energy
Land use and Ecology  
Transport and Movement
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19
Q

What is the BREEAM Rating System?

A 
30% - PASS
45% - GOOD
55% - VERY GOOD
70% - EXCELLENT 
85% - OUTSTANDING
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20
Q

What is LEED?

A

Leadership, Energy, Environmental Design.
2nd most adopted EAM in world
US Green Building Council 2000 as Non-Profit

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21
Q

What are the different LEED categories?

A 
Location & Transportation.
Sustainable Sites. 
Water Efficiency. 
Energy & Atmosphere. 
Material & Resources. 
Indoor Environmental Quality. 
Innovation. 
Regional Priority.
Integrative Process
22
Q

What is the LEED Rating System?

A

40-49 Points - Certified
50=59 Points- Silver
60-79 Points - Gold
80+ Points - Platinum

23
Q

What is the similarities between LEED and BREEAM?

A

Credit Systems

Rating Schemes for different sectors

24
Q

What is the differences between LEED and BREEAM?

A

BREEAM targets - CO2 reduction.
BREEAM awards credits - Life Cycle Costing
LEED targets - Indoor Air Quality
BREEAM - scope larger and less defined.
LEED - easier achievement but more expensive.

25
Q

What Innovative Sustainability Technologies are you aware of?

A 
Photovoltaic Panels.
Green roofs
Ground and Air source heat pumps.
Wind Turbines
Rainwater harvesting 
Biomass boilers 
MVHR
26
Q

How do Photovoltaic Panels work?

A

Photons, or particles of light, to knock electrons free from atoms, generating a flow of electricity.

Different Types of Solar Panels:

Monocrystalline - individual solar cells contain silicon wafer that is made of a single crystal of silicon.

Polycrystalline - seed crystal is placed into molten silica, cooling process causes multiple crystals to form.

Film panels - thin layer of a photovoltaic substance onto a solid surface, like glass

27
Q

What are Green Roofs?

A

Roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane

28
Q

What are the advantages of green roofs?

A

Decreased surface water runoff
Decreased building heating and cooling demands Increased local biodiversity
Increased durability and lifespan of the roof
Improved local air quality

29
Q

What are the disadvantages of green roofs?

A

Increased capital costs.
Increased structural loads.
Maintenance requirements.

30
Q

What are Blue Roofs?

A

Roof of a building that is designed explicitly to provide initial temporary water storage and then gradual release of stored water, typically rainfall

31
Q

What are Ground and Air source heat pumps?

A

ASHPs - Takes heat from the air and boosts it to a higher temperature using a heat pump.

GSHPs - A mixture of water and anti-freeze is pumped around the ground loop and absorbs the naturally occurring heat stored in the ground.

32
Q

What are Wind Turbines?

A

Devices that converts the wind’s kinetic energy into electrical energy.

33
Q

What is Rainwater Harvesting?

A

Collection and storage or surface run-off water, where filtered and then pumped directly to the appliances.

Domestic or commercial applications include:
Flushing toilets
Washing machines
Washing vehicles
Gardening and irrigation
Showers
Sinks
Baths
34
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of RHS?

A

Advantages:
Reduce water bills by around 50%
Increase chances of planning approval
Prevent flooding through acting as SUDS

Disadvantages;
Capital Costs
Maintenance
Unpredictable rainfall

35
Q

What is a Biomass boiler?

A

Work by burning biological matter and outputting the resulting heat for use in heating systems. Wood pellets, chips, logs or other biological materials

36
Q

What is MVHR?

A

Provides fresh filtered air into a building whilst retaining most of the energy that has already been used in heating the building.

37
Q

How can Waste Management improve sustainability?

A

Recycling – reduces landfill.

Disposal of hazardous materials – reduced contamination disposal.

38
Q

What is a SWMP?

A

Outline how materials will be managed efficiently, and how waste will be disposed of legally.

Should explain how the re-use and recycling of materials will be maximised.

39
Q

What is the waste hierarchy?

A 
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Recovery
Disposal
40
Q

What is Embodied carbon?

A

Considers all the carbon the used in the creating a product. From sourcing the materials, manufacture, delivery, construction, and disposal.

41
Q

How can you reduce carbon emissions/pollution?

A 
Renewable sources of energy
Recycling
Waste Management and Contamination 
Sustainable Technologies
Locally sources materials, plants and labour 
Efficiently operating buildings
42
Q

What is the Carbon Trust?

A

An organisation aimed at helping other organisations reduce carbon emissions, through improving their energy efficient and carbon management.

43
Q

What is carbon estimating?

A

Looking at an element and calculating the full carbon footprint from production to disposal.

44
Q

What is Contaminated land?

A

Land which appears to be in a condition that could cause harm to a Human, or the environment.

45
Q

How do you identify contaminate land?

A

Undertake a desktop study
Invasive samples and test the quality of the land.
Remediate the area.

46
Q

Who pays for remediation of contaminated land?

A

Person who contaminated land or;
The current owner or;
Local Authority or Environmental Agency

47
Q

Are there any RICS Guidance notes for contaminated land?

A

RICS Contamination the environment and Sustainability - Practice Standard & Guidance Note:

Duties and liabilities
Determine and quantify liability
Implications for asset management
Which advisors are available and should be appointed
Steps to minimise or eliminate liability
Likelihood of ongoing, new or potential liability

48
Q

Explain some key sustainability issues?

A 
Climate change
Resource depletion
Travel and transport
Water conservation and usage
Waste Management
Flooding
49
Q

What are SUDS?

A

Systems designed to efficiently manage the drainage of surface water in the urban environment.

50
Q

What are SUDS techniques?

A 
Filter strips and drains.
Permeable surfaces.
Basins and ponds.
Underground storage
Green roofs.
Rainwater harvesting.
51
Q

What are the benefits of SUDS?

A

Reduce risk of flooding
Reduce demand on existing drainage systems
Providing habitats for wildlife.
Providing local amenity.

RICS APC QS - Mandatory Competencies (10 decks)

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