Mandatory Competency - Flash Cards - Sustanibility
What does COP stand for?
Conference of the parties - attended by those that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - Treaty agreed in 1994.
What is COP 28?
Conference of parties, annual UN climate meeting, governments discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change. Agreed to transition away from fossil fuels.
What is the Paris agreement?
At the COP 21 meeting in 2015, parties agreed to prevent temp rising 1.5 over pre industrial levels.
Please explain your understanding of the term sustainability?
To meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
What are the key principles of sustainability?
Social - healthy communities. Economical - Strong, competitive. Environmental - Protecting natural environment.
What are the core principles of Planning and Decision making around sustainability?
NPPF - Creative, proactivity, high quality, consider surroundings, support climate resilience and low carbon, conserve natural environment, use brownfield.
What are the most common environmental issues experienced on construction sites?
Water pollution, air and noise pollution, energy consumption, carbon emissions, land contamination, damage to habitats, waste, gases.
What are the key pieces of legislation that affect sustainability in construction?
Agricultural Land Act, Building Act (Part L), Clean Air Act, Climate Change Act.
What is the climate change act?
This is a legally binding framework to tackle climate change. It imposed targets to cut greenhouse emissions compared with 1990 levels 34% by 2020 and 100% by 2050
What is the clean air act?
This legislation provides local authorities within England to introduce measures in order to control air pollution.
What is the agricultural land act?
Enables land to be acquired for a particular purpose for example to control pests and weeds, for use as woodlands or to support agricultural activities
What are the Key Building Regulations that relate to sustainability in construction?
Building Regulations Part L — Conservation of Fuel and Power. Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations.
What does the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations require?
EPCs to be produced, quantities energy efficiently, required when buildings are built, sold or rented, commercial buildings over 500sqm need to display a display energy certificate.
What are the different forms of taxation relating to sustainability?
Landfill tax.
What different code of practice are you aware of for measuring sustainability?
BREEAM, SKA Ratings, LEED (Life Cycle Assessment)
What is BREEAM?
Sets best practice standards for the environmental performance of buildings through specification, design, construction and operation.
What is SKA Ratings?
RICS Environmental assessment method for non-domestic fit outs such as office refurbishments.
What is LEED?
It is a USA equivalent of BREEAM
What procedures does your firm implement to promote sustainability?
Recycling of cardboard, paper and plastics. Cycle to work schemes.
What is the Paris Agreement?
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty concerning climate change adopted in 2016. The goal of the Paris Agreement is to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius whilst targeting levels below 1.5 degrees Celsius when compared to pre-industrial levels.
Name some sustainable building methods?
Use of recycled materials such as reclaimed timber, recycled tiles and plastics. GSHP, ASHP, SOLAR.
What is your understanding of the term ‘Green Roofs’?
A green roof is a roof covering that is partially or completely covered with vegetation that is placed over a waterproof membrane
What are Photovoltaics and how do they work?
When photos hit solar modules within the solar panel they cause electrons to flow through the bottom layer, movement generates electricity.
What is a soakaway and how do they work?
Soakaways offer a means of surface water drainage attenuation.
