General Level 1 Questions

Question 1

What are some of the advantages of a diverse team?

Answer 1

• Different ideas and new ways of thinking
• Different backgrounds and expereinces
• Promotes an inclusive workplace
• Adds to the company’s brand and sulture

Question 2

What is the difference between diversity and inclusion?

Answer 2

Diversity refers to the individual characteristics that make us different where inclusion is the process of making everyone feel welcome

Question 3

What makes a strong and effective team

Answer 3

• Mutual respect and trust
• A common sense of purpose and understanding of abjectives
• Inclusion
• An environment that promotes and facilitates open conversations and the sharing of knowledge and experience.
• A broad range of skills and personalities

Question 4

What are inclusive environments?

Answer 4

Recognition and accomodation of the different ways people use the built and natural environment.
They promote equal use by all without seperation.

Question 5

Are there any building regulations relevant to inclusive environments?

Answer 5

Building Regulations Part M

Question 6

Can you provide some infomormation about Approved Document M?

Answer 6

• Provides information about the ease of access both to and within a building
• Including things like pitch and dimensions of ramps, accessable height and width of stairs and corridors
• Access requiremnts to toilets, bathrooms and sinks

Question 7

What is the key regulation that legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in the wider scoiety?

Answer 7

Equality Act 2010

Question 8

What is the Equality Act 2010?

Answer 8

A discrimination law that protects all individuals from unfair treatment. It provides a legal framework to protect individuals rights and advance equality of opportunity

Question 9

What are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010?

Answer 9

• Age
• Disability
• Sex
• Martial status
• Race
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Religion
• Sexual orientation
• Gender reassingment

Question 10

Why is sustainability important to construction?

Answer 10

The built environment accounts for 36% of global energy consumption and 40% of CO2 emissions and often deals with hazordous waste.

Question 11

What are the three principles of sustainability?

Answer 11

Environmental: Preventing harmful and potentially irreversible impacts considering natural resources, minising waste, reducing energy and enhancing the environment where possible

Economic: Efficient use of resources including labour and materials and ensuring the design is fit for purpose and reprents value for the end use

Social: Meet the needs of the wider community, enhance social interactions by positively interacting with the local environment surrounding the it.

Question 12

How is sustainability measured?

Answer 12

By assessing the performance of the three principles of Social, Environmental and Economic
Using specific frameworks such as BREEAM or LEED

Question 13

Name some sustainable technologies available to help meet Part L of the building regulations

Answer 13

• Wind turbines
• PV panels
• Ground/Air source heat pumps
• Rainwater harvesting
• Green roofs
• Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS)
• Natural ventilation
• Insulation to reduce heat loss through a building external fabric

Question 14

Can you provide an example of a sustainable technology and how it works?

Answer 14

A soakaway is a solution to deal with standing water
They consist of a large hole or pit that receives surface water from a drainage pipe and helps the water slowly percolate throguh the soil, reducing the risk of flooding

Air Source Heat Pump
An air source heat pump works by absorbing heat from the air and transferring it to the heating and hot water system by using a refridgeration system simialr to that of a fridge but in reverse

Photovolatic (PV) Panels
PV’s convert sunlight into electricity. Light energy strikes cells and then electrons are knocked loose from atoms to create a current which is feed through an invertor to be used in battery storage or immediately to power the building

Question 14

What is BREEAM?

Answer 14

Building Research Establishment, Environmental Assessment Method

Internationally recognised scheme that provides independant third party certification on the sustainability performance and construction of buildings and infrastructure projects

Assessment categories include:
- Managment
- Health and Wellbeing
- Energy
- Transport
- Water
- Materials
- Waste
- Land use and ecology
- Pollution
- Innovation

Question 15

Which building regulations apply to sustainability?

Answer 15

Approved Document Part L - Conservation of Fuel and Power
Approved Document Part O - Overheating

Question 16

What is an environmental Impact Assessment?

Answer 16

The process of evaluating the likely environmental impact of a proposed project or development

The assessment will consider socio-economic, cultural and health impacts both positive ans negative

Question 17

What is an EPC and what does it contain?

Answer 17

Energy Performance Certificate

A traffic light assessment of the energy performance of a building
Indication of how much it will cost to heat and power a building
Recommendations for improving the energy effciiency including potential savings of implementation

Question 18

What is a SUDS? Please provide some examples.

Answer 18

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems

Designed to efficiently manage the drainage of surface water in the urban environmnet as an alternative or addition to traditional - drainage.

Examples include:
- Swales
- Permeable surfaces
- Basins and ponds
- Underground storage
- Green roofs
- Rainwater harvesting

Question 19

Can you name some other sustainability schemes other than BREEAM?

Answer 19

LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
SKA: Previously operated by RICS, Environmental assessment methodology and benchmarking tool for fit out projects

Question 20

What is the urban greening factor?

Answer 20

The Urban Greening Factor (UGF) is a planning tool to improve the provision of Green Infrastructure (GI) particularly in urban areas.
It is voluntary and can be used to contribute to Biodiversity Net Gain

Question 21

Can you name some legislation that effects sustainability?

Answer 21

Environment Act
Climate Change Act
Energy Act