Sustainability Flashcards
What does BREEAM stand for?
- BREEAM, which stands for Building Research Establishments Environmental Assessment Method, is a way of rating the sustainable performance of a building.
- A method of assessing, rating and certifying a building sustainability.
Why sustainability is important?
Sustainability improves the quality of our lives, protects our ecosystem and preserves natural resources for future generations. In the corporate world, sustainability is associated with an organization’s holistic approach, taking into account everything, from manufacturing to logistics to customer service. Going green and sustainable is not only beneficial for the company; it also maximizes the benefits from an environmental focus in the long-term.
What are the three pillars of sustainability?
economic, environmental, and socia
What action do you take in your role to increase sustainability?
I joined the MCC carbon working group to be able to prepare the carbon calulation of the building based on the data from the cost plan.
Provide 2 examples of sustainable technology.
- LED light technology.
- Solar power.
- green roofs
- SELF-POWERED BUILDINGS
What legislation is in place to improve sustainability and can you
give me a specific example of how this happens?
- Climate Change Act 2008.
- Energy Protection Act 2005.
- COSHH.
- Paris Agreement
- Building Regs.
- Energy Performance Certificates.
- Control of Asbestos Regulations 2008.
The Climate Change Act commits the UK government by law to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% of 1990 levels (net zero) by 2050. This impact on construction work methodology and material used to build a building
What can be done onsite to improve sustainability?
- Waste Management, i.e. the segregation of waste for recycling.
- Just in time Deliveries.
- Waste Management Plans.
- Zero net carbon building
- implementing susrainability assessments such as BREAM or WELL
How is a building rated under BREEAM?
- Energy.
- Land use & Ecology
- Water.
- Health and Wellbeing.
- Pollution.
- Transport.
- Resources
- Resilience
- Management.
What is the process of getting a BREEAM Rating?
- An assessment should be carried out at design stage to receive an interim certificate.
- A second assessment should be carried out post construction to receive the final certificate.
What is an Energy Performance Certificate?
It gives a property a rating based on its energy efficiency, from A – G.
Can you name some of the building regulations?
A: Structure
B: Fire safety
C: Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture
D: Toxic substances
E: Resistance to sound
F: Ventilation
G: Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency
H: Drainage and waste disposal
J: Combustion appliances and fuel storage sytem
K: Protection from falling, collision and impact
L: Conservation of fuel and power
M: Access to and use of buildings
P: Electrical safety
Q: Security in dwellings
R: High speed electronic communications networks
What renewable technologies do you know off?
- Photo-voltaic panels
- Wind power
- Wave power
- Thermal power (ground sourced heat pump)
What rating service does the RICS provide with regards to assessing sustainability?
RICS Fit out Rating (SKA) which is an environmental assessment tool for sustainable fit outs. It can be used on any non-domestic fit out project, informally or by professionals, with similar criteria to BREEAM.
What is the Carbon Trust?
An organisation aimed at helping other organisations reduce their carbon emissions, through improving their energy efficient and carbon management.
What is Embodied carbon?
• Embodied carbon is considering all the carbon the will be used in the creating of a product. From sourcing the materials, manufacture, delivery, construction, and disposal.
What is cross ventilation?
Cross ventilation occurs where there are pressure differences between one side of a building and the other. Typically, this is a wind-driven effect in which air is drawn into the building on the high pressure windward side and is drawn out of the building on the low pressure leeward side.
What are SUDS?
Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) are systems designed to efficiently manage the drainage of surface water in the urban environment.
What are the benefits of SUDS?
- Reducing flooding.
- Reducing the demand on existing drainage systems (potentially making a development viable in an area where it might otherwise not be viable).
- Enhancing water quality.
- Reducing pollution.
- Providing habitats for wildlife.
- Providing local amenity.
- -Recharging groundwater and watercourses resulting in a reduced risk of drought.
What are SUDS techniques?
- Filter strips and drains.
- Swales.
- Permeable surfaces.
- Basins and ponds.
- Underground storage.
- Wetlands.
- Green roofs.
- Rainwater harvesting.
What is a blue roof?
A blue roof is a roof designed for the retention of rainwater above the waterproofing element of the roof. This is as opposed to more conventional roofs which allow for rainwater to drain from the roof. Blue roofs are typically flat, without any fall, with control devices regulate drainage outlets that enable water to be retained or drained.
What are the benefits of green roofs?
- Decreased surface water runoff
- Decreased heating and cooling demands for the building
- Increased local biodiversity
- Increased durability and lifespan of the roof
- Improved local air quality
- Psychological benefits
- Mitigation of the Urban Heat Island effect.
What are the disadvantages of green roofs?
- Increased capital costs.
- Increased structural loads.
- Specialist contractors required.
- Maintenance requirements.
- The lack of quantifiable data on the benefits of green roofs.
- The lack of technical information about how to build them.
- Lack of incentives.
What is an EIA?
The purpose of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is to ensure that the environmental effects of a proposed development are properly considered. An EIA provides the local planning authority with better information about certain types of project, enabling them to make a more informed decision about whether permission should be granted and to allow imposition of more appropriate conditions and obligations to mitigate possible negative impacts.
When are EIAs necessary?
The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 sets out a requirement to carry out an EIA as part of the planning application process for certain projects (generally those which are large or environmentally complex).
What is within an EIA?
- A description of the proposed development and its use.
- An estimate of the likely residues and emissions resulting from the construction and operation of the development (water, air and soil pollution, noise, vibration, light, heat, radiation, etc.).
- An assessment of how the development complies with planning policy.
- An assessment of environmental opportunities and constraints.
- An assessment of appropriate alternatives. This may include an assessment of possible alternative sites, so it is important that this is done during the very early stages of a project - not as a process of post-rationalisation after the client has already selected a site.
- An assessment of the likely impacts of the development.
What are the differences between green, blue and brown roofs?
- A green extensive roof is planted for ecological and aesthetic purposes. Normally does not require as deep substrate as intensive. Requires less maintenance.
- A green intensive roof is where typically bigger plants are grown and there is paving or decked areas. This requires deeper substrate.
- A brown roof is where the planting is based on the original site had the building not been there.
- A blue roof is one that stores water, can include open water surfaces, storage within or beneath a porous media or modular surface or below a raised decking surface or cover.
