M - Sustainability Flashcards
What does BREEAM stand for
Building Research Establishment, Environmental Assessment Method
Can you give some examples of sustainable construction methods or materials
- Solar panels
- Wind turbines
- Air source heat pumps
- Rain water harvesting
- Automated building systems
- Use of recycled materials - reclaimed timber, recycled tiles and plastics
Benefits of BREEAM to a client
- Client may require it to show that they are meeting their corporate social responsibility
- May receive Public/Private Funding
- Demonstrate an acceptable level of sustainability performance to regulatory approval bodies
- Provide a marketable, sustainable asset
What is BREEAM
Assessment that takes places at several stages in the built environment life cycle
Assessment categories include:
- Management
- Materials
- Health & Wellbeing
- Energy
- Transport
- Water
- Waste
- Land Use and Ecology
- Pollution
- Innovation
How is it scored when undertaking the assessment?
Ratings
- Outstanding
- Excellent
- Very good
- good
- pass
- unclassified
Can you name any other environment assessment methodologies?
- LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
- SKA
- WELL
Differences between the assessment methods?
BREEAM
- Came first
- Licensed assessor
- All building types
LEED
- No assessor (design team collects evidence and submits)
- All building types
SKA
- Launched by RICS
- Project driven
- Licensed assessor
- Only covers fit-out/Refurb
WELL
- Wellbeing led
- Licensed assessor
- All building types
COP 28
28th United Nations Climate Change Conference - Countries come together to address climate change (UNCCC) (UAE)
Focus Areas:
Emission reduction - Strategies to reduce emissions
Finance - Financial mechanisms to reduce GHG
Loss and damage fund - a fund to help countries/nations affected by climate related disasters
Ambition - Greater ambition in emission reduction targets
What is the Paris agreement?
- International agreement on climate change
- Agreed at COP 21 in 2016
- Central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
UK Government NZC target
NZC by 2050
Definition of Sustainability
‘Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’
What is the key legislation driver in terms of sustainability?
Net Zero Carbon
Net Zero Carbon
-GHG emissions created are balanced by taking the same amount out of the atmosphere
- So we’ll reach net zero when the amount of carbon emissions we add is no more than the amount taken away.
Carbon Neutral
Similar to NZC but focussed on carbon reduction and balancing of emissions with reductions through design and offsetting if necessary.
How does sustainability effect cost plans and budgets?
Need to make additional cost allowances and budgets for these works
