Sustainability Flashcards
What does BREEAM stand for?
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
What is BREEAM?
An international independent sustainability assessment method for buildings, measuring the an assets social, economic and environmental sustainability performance, using standards developed by BRE.
There are 5 possible ratings from Pass to Outstanding
It can be used on existing and new assets
Name some of the BREEAM sustainability categories used for assessments?
Energy - looking at energy efficiency and carbon reduction
Health and Wellbeing - Comfort and H&S of users
Innovation
Land use - sustainable land use. Such as brownfield sites
Materials - responsibly sourced and low embodied energy
Management - sustainable management practices
Pollution - light, flooding, run off, noise, emissions to air, land and water
Transport - sustainable transport options
Waste - management of construction and life cycle waste
Water - sustainable water use in building and on site
Name some different BREEAM Standards?
Communities
Infrastructure
New Construction
In-Use
Refurbishment & Fit Out
how does BREEAM influence sustainability?
Stimulates demand for sustainable buildings
mitigates life cycle impacts of the buildings on the environment
Forces designers to consider the addition of sustainability in buildings to achieve a good rating
What is embodied energy?
The sum impact of greenhouse gas emmisions attributed to a material during its life cycle. (From extraction, transport, manufacture, build, operation and disposal).
What does BRE stand for?
When were they established?
Building Research Establishment
1921
What is Passivhaus?
The aim is to provide a high level of occupant comfort whilst using very little energy for heating and cooling and low running costs.
Stays cool in summer through building orientation and window shading.
Low running costs
Draught free and air tight.
High insulation and renewable heating sources.
Use of solar panels and MHVR
Very high levels of insulation
Triple glazing
No air leakages
No thermal bridges
Needs 90% less energy provided by sun, appliances and your body heat
Proposed Passivhaus must undergo energy modelling via the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP)
How would you go about getting a Passivhaus certified?
You would go to a UK consultant who can use the Passivhaus Planning Package to undergo energy modelling to ensure it is suitable for certification
Ways to retrofit existing properties?
Internal / External insulation Solar Panels MHVR system Air Pump Ground source heat pumps biomass boilers improve windows
How do Solar Panels Work
Uses heat from the sun to either heat hot water (Solar Thermal) or electric (Solar Electric)
How do Biomass Boilers work?
Burn woodchips and other biological matter to produce heat for heating systems
How do heat pumps work
Air source, works opposite to a fridge, takes warm air from outside to heat up internally
Ground Source, takes heat from the ground through pipes
Define Sustainable Development?
To meet the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Name some basics of sustainability?
Land use: - Greenfield (agricultural), Brownfield (previously developed),
Ecology
◼ Design / Construction: - Materials, Material resource efficiency, Embodied
energy
◼ Waste Management: - Recycling
◼ Operational / Energy Efficiency: - Services, Part L
◼ Renewable Energy: - Wind, Solar, etc.