Application to Property and Construction Flashcards
What RICS guidance relates to sustainability?
RICS Policy Position Paper ‘Retrofitting to Decarbonise Existing Housing Stock’ 2020 UN Sustainable Development Goals
How can an EPC impact upon value or use of a building?
- RICS March 2018 MEES Impact on UK Property Management and Valuation
- Impact on market value unclear but RICS Valuation Global Standards states risk to due diligence
- Valuers to understand cost of upgrade works required to upgrade
How do you assess a building’s sustainability characteristics?
EPC - domestic properties and non-domestic properties
Tell me about sustainable design / construction considerations / materials.
- Timber Frame - carbon absorbing however fire risk
- Modular construction e.g. pre-cast stairs, bathroom pods, modular apartment blocks. Quicker on site, less movements of parts, less defects, less waste
What improvable features would you be looking for and how do these relate to different property types / ages?
- SMART features - better understanding of energy use therefore more aware. Not possible in thick wall / poor signal properties
- Double glazing - not in listed properties, possible in all other
- Insulated roofs - easy fix, difficult to retrofit apartment blocks where communal ownership
- Change fuel usage / energy strategy
What is Off Site Manufacture (OSM)?
- Construction of part or whole property off site e.g. factory
- Bathroom pods, kitchens, modular houses
Tell me about tenant / lender / investor considerations in relation to sustainability.
- MEES set minimum energy efficiency level for domestic private rented properties
- Regulations to all private rented properties that are let on specific types of tenancy, legally required to have EPC
- Property needs an EPC band of at least E
Explain your understanding of the Green Deal.
- Green Deal makes energy saving improvements to your home and best way to pay for them
- Improvements: insulation, heating, drought proofing, double glazing, renewable energy generation
How can building conservation relate to sustainability?
- EPC not required for listed building or property in a conservation area if energy improvements would unacceptably alter the property’s character or appearance
- This instance the building is exempt from MEES and landlord still able to let even with EPC rating of F or G
What features would you recommend in the context of a listed property that is exempt from the EPC requirements?
- Drought proofing
- Insulating roofs
- Refurbishing or replacing shutters / window treatments
Tell me about RICS guidance on Life Cycle Costs.
- RICS Professional Standards Whole Life Carbon Assessment Built Environment
- Emissions in completion, use, regulated and unregulated
What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals?
Global Goals adopted by all UN Member States in 2015 to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure people enjoy peace and prosperity:
1 No poverty
2 Zero hunger
3 Good health and well being
4 Quality Education
5 Gender equality
6 Clean water and sanitation
7 Affordable and clean energy
8 Decent work and economic growth
9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure
10 Reduced inequalities
11 Sustainable cities and communities
12 Responsible consumption and production
13 Climate action
14 Life below water
15 Life on land
16 Peace justice and strong institutions
17 Partnership for Goals
How many UN Sustainable Development Goals are there?
17
What is the target achievement date?
Adopted September 2015 to be achieved by 2030
How are RICS working towards the UNs Sustainable Development Goals?
- RICS works with the UN to make implementation of SDGs business as usual
- Advancing Responsible Business in Land, Construction, Real Estate use and Investment aligns with SDGs
- Provides toolbox of SDGs and relates resources
- Real life case studies showing implementation
- Self-assessment checklist with 15 key action indicators
What is the RICS Value the Planet campaign?
Promotes preservation of planet through implementation of UN SDGs
* Sustainable business checklist
* RICS net zero policy position paper
* Responsible business report
* UN SDGs
How can the private sector work towards the UNs Sustainable Development Goals?
Sustainable Business Checklist:
* Land governance
* Transparency anti-corruption
* Respect workers’ rights
* Environmental stewardship
* Quality design and construction
* Strategic site use
* Refurbishment and retrofitting
* Waste management conservation
* Brownfield regeneration
What are SUDs?
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems:
* Catchment areas naturally
* Infiltration into ground
* Four pillars: water quantity, quality, amenity, biodiversity
What is net biodiversity gain?
- Intervention that results in net improvement to biodiversity for a defined area of land
- Difference between pre and post development habitat (%)
What do each of ISO 14001 and 50001 relate to?
- 4001: criteria for environmental management system. Designed for any type of organisation
- 5001: energy management model of continual improvement. Provides framework for organisations
What is an Environmental Management System (EMS)?
Provides a framework for environmental performance to be monitored, controlled and improved
What is sustainable procurement?
Process whereby organisations meet needs for goods, services, works and utilities in a way that achieves value for money on whole life basis, society, economy and minimises damage to environment
What is social value?
Quantification of relative importance that people place on changes experienced in life. Examples of social value are experience increasing confidence or living next to a park
What does the term whole life carbon mean?
Whole life carbon reflects emissions over a projects’ expected life cycle. Constitutues a whole life approach. In practical application, carbon emission in use, regulated and non-regulated
What opportunities to decarbonise exist in the building life cycle?
- Design - scheme that can be built using sustainable technologies e.g. modular affecting building heights of frame height. Design to support renewable transport
- Construction - material selection e.g. timber or recycled steel
- Insulation quality in façade or glazing
What is a post-occupancy evaluation?
Rigorous evaluation of building performance after they have been occupied for a period of time to reveal information on technical, function, social and economic performance and impact on occupants health and wellbeing
What is an Environmental Impact Assessment and when would one be carried out?
- Enables LPA to understand environmental effects of a development before deciding whether to proceed
- Schedule 1 projects where always carried out e.g. power plants, railway lines
- Schedule 2 projects where of a certain size
What methods of construction are more sustainable?
- Modular construction
- Reduces time on site
- Reduces defects
- Reduces vehicle movements
What are Modern Methods of Construction?
- Timber frame
- Cross laminated timber
- Modular construction
What is PAS 2035?
- Key document in framework of new and existing standards on how to conduct effective energy retrofits to existing buildings
- Drives a whole house approach with fabric first
What further changes are proposed to minimum energy standards relating to private residential property?
- Minimum EPC rating E to let a building from 1 April 2018 onwards
- Implemented:
a) New leases from 1 April 2018 including lease renewals / extensions
b) Existing leases from 1 April 2023 for commercial properties and 1 April 2020 for residential properties
