Sustainability Flashcards
What is sustainability?
Meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to do so.
What are Building Regulations?
Minimum standards for the design, construction and alterations to buildings.
Developed by government and approved by parliament.
They contain a list of requirements (Schedule 1) that are designed to ensure minimum standards for health, safety, welfare, convenience, energy efficiency etc.
A-R
Building Regs set out in Building Act 1984. Regs are made under Act and periodically updated - Government is responsible.
What part of Building Regs relates to sustainability?
Part L - Conservation of Fuel and Power
Limiting heat gains and losses
Providing and commissioning energy efficient fixed building services with effective controls
Providing the owner sufficient information about the building, the fixed building services and their maintenance requirements
What are the Parts of Building Regs?
A Structural Safety B Fire Safety C 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 Heat Producing Appliances K Protection From Falling L Conservation of Fuel and Power M Access to and Use of Buildings N Glazing Safety P Electrical Safety Q Security R Communication Networks 7 Workmanship and Materials
What is a Section 106?
An agreement used where there’s a requirement to mitigate any negative impacts of a development that the local authority cannot be dealt with through normal planning conditions.
Section 106 of XXX
What is a Section 278?
Where development requires works to be carried out on an existing highway and agreement will need to be completed between the employer and the County Council under Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980.
e.g. construction of new access / junction improvement
What is BREEAM?
Building Research Establishment Environment Assessment Method
What are the levels of certification?
Pass >30% Good >45% V.Good >55% Excellent >70% Outstanding >85%
Check these are still correct
What are the BREEAM categories?
Water Energy Waste Transport Pollution Materials Land Use and Ecology Management Innovation Health and Wellbeing
What is LEED?
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
An American based Environmental Assessment
How is LEED different from BREEAM?
Rating classifications BREEAM - Pass, Good, Excellent etc.
Rating classifications LEED - Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum
Number of credits BREEAM - 30-132
Number of credits LEED - 49-80
Evidence collection BREEAM - Assessor & Accredited Professional
Evidence collection LEED - Design Team or Accredited Professional
What is SKA?
It is an environmental assessment tool for sustainable office fit-outs. Owned and operated by the RICS. (Sustainability
What does SKA stand for?
What is a DEC?
Display Energy Certificate - Raise public awareness of energy use and to inform visitors to public buildings about the energy use of a building.
How is the UK Government improving sustainability?
Reduce carbon emissions by 50% Implement Site Waste Management Plans Water and Energy Conservation Introduction of Code for Sustainable Homes Sustainable Procurement Kyoto Protocol Paris Agreement (2 Degrees mark)
What is an Environmental Impact Assessment?
Assessment of possible positive or negative impacts that a proposed project may have on the environment, consisting of environmental, social and economic impacts.
How are BREEAM assessments carried out?
In 2 stages
Design stage assessment and interim certificate
Post construction assessment and final certificate
There is an optional pre-assessment report which can help designers understand where improvements can be made
What are the Government Common Minimum Standards?
They are referred to in the Government Construction Stragey and require an environmental assessment to be carried out on all public projects. Where BREEAM is used projects are to achieve ‘Excellent’.
What is the Lisbon Treaty and how does it affect sustainability?
It is an international agreement which forms the constitutional basis of the European Union
Article 191 of the Lisbon Treaty is the Union Environmental Policy, this sets carbon emissions target for all member states
Still relevant post Brexit??… What was UK’s target
What is the Kyoto Protocol?
An international treaty within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
What is the Paris Climate agreement?
An international agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaption and financing, starting in 2020.
It aims to;
Hold the average increase in global temperatures below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels
Increase abilities to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change
Make finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low emissions and climate resiliant development
What is a CIL?
A community infrastructure levy. Similar to a section 106 agreement however it is not necessary tied to the local area.
Types of SUDs?
Green roof
Swails
Attenuation tanks
Blue roof
SUDs = Sustainable drainage systems
What is CEEQUAL?
Civil Engineering Environmental Quality Assessment
What is the ISO standard for sustainability / Environemental?
ISO 14,000 & 26,000 (socially responsible)
What are the parts of Part L of Building Regs?
Part L1a - New dwellings
Part L1b - Existing dwellings
Part L2a - New non-dwellings
Part L2b - Existing non-dwellings
What part of Part L of Building Regs applies to your projects?
Part L2a - New non-dwellings
What are the Energy Performance Rregulation 2012?
Legislation that makes EPCs and DECs a legal requirement
What is the Energy Act 2011?
Legislation that gave rise to the Energy Efficiency Act 2015
This due to be updated in 2018 to introduce minimum energy performance standards for all rental properties.
What legislation governs CILs and Section 106 agreements?
The Planning Act 2008
What UK legislation enforces the Kyoto Protocol?
Climate Change Act 2008
What is the comitee on climate change?
A comitee which advises the Gov. on climate change that was introduced as part of the Climate Change Act 2008.
Reviews and sets targets every 5 years.
Give an example of each of the three branches of sustainability.
Social - Providing affordable housing as part of a residential development
Economic - Swift payment to improve cashflow through the supply chain?
Environmental - LED lighting to reduce energy consumption
What is BREEAM?
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment
An environmental assessment method
What is SKA rating?
It is an environmental assessment tool for sustainable office fit-outs.
Owned and operated by the RICS.
What BREEAM credits are being targeted on one of your projects and how?
Water (CREDITS?) - Rainwater harvesting
Ecology (CREDITS?) - Bird boxes
Transportation (CREDITS?) - Cycle facilities
What is a breathable building?
It is a natural ventilation system.
It relies on convection to draw air up through the centre of the building and out of an exhaust at the centre, in through vents in the façade.
How do you price a green roof?
Inverted insulation Membrane Ballast Drainage layer Soil Plants
Are you aware of any upcoming changes to BREEAM?
Yes, there is going to be a 2018 BREEAM update.
The changes can be summarised as follows;
Energy credits available for undertaking predictive modelling
Energy credits available for establishing operational energy targets
Energy credits available for committing to verifying operational energy use
20% of credits are not available in RIBA stages 1&2 (previously 15%)
Projects need more expert studies to achieve high ratings e.g. materials credits now require life cycle assessment
What is the EU Eco-design Directive?
It sets minimum mandatory requirements for energy related products and comes into force in September 2018
What is COP26
Confrence of Parties - 26th meeting to disucss and agree targets to reuce carbon emissions & improve sustainability
What is an EPC?
Energy Performance Certificate - Info on a home’s energy use and typical cost. Also a recommendation report with suggestions on how to reduce energy use and save money.
Required before a building is marketed for sale or rent
How is BREEAM enforced (not legally binding)
Buildings are designed to achieve BREEAM credits and can be set as a client brief item to achieve a specific rating.
Can be inclueded as a planning condition
What steps do you taking your business activity to ensure that your company operates in a sustainable manner?
Rarely print as largely electronic based.
WFH & car share to minimise travel costs
Eco friendly & locally produced marketing & merchendise products
Check environmental policy / sustainability policy
• Can you give me an example of a method of sustainable construction?
SUDs - Attenuation tanks to manage excess water run off - water storage
• Give an example of a sustainable product or technology that you have encountered?
SUDs PV Panels EV chargers Green roof Bise Soliel - in line with sun's orientation Hydrogen cells
• Is the Code for Sustainable Homes still a requirement?
No scrapped in 2015
Now picked up as part of building regs & BRE standards
• What are the levels for BREEAM? How are they achieved?
Outstanading - Over 85% Excellent - 70-85% Very Good - 55-70% Good - 45-55% Pass - 30-45%
• What Building Regulations parts cover sustainability?
Part L
• What current challenges is Covid and/or Brexit bringing to Sustainability?
Material shortages
Improved air quality in some places, reduced travel & made everyone think about what is really necessary
PPE protection that is non bio-degradable - helping to increase awareness on long term sustainability
Brexit - shortage of lorty drivers saw shortages in fuel in recent months may help encourage more elec car demand…. more demand for elec car charging stations & fast charge points required in all new homes from 2022. (Gov website July 2019(
What does MEES mean?
Min energy efficiecy standard - Resi rental - min E for rental propteties - Energy Act 2011
What is a U Value
Thermal efficiecy of a material
What is a G value
a measure of how much solar heat (infrared radiation) is allowed in through a particular part of a building.
What are the 3 Pillars of Sustainability
SEE -
Social - Neeeds of wide community- library next to uni not fast food
Environmental - preventing damage & irreversible to environment & natural resources - min waste & eneergy. Enhance & benefit
Economic - eficieint use of resource - labour, functional need of users. Value for money
UN 17 sustainability goals
No poverty
Net carbon zero
Carbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset, or buying enough carbon credits to make up the difference.
RICS futures report 2020
Detailing how community & industry are changing focus to technology & sustainable goals
- How does the RICS promote sustainability?
a. RICS SKA rating for internal fitouts
b. Sustainability reports
c. ICMS
d. New rules for firms/ members
- What is a Well rating?
a. Assessment rating for wellness of inhabitants.
b. More focused on end user -quality of air & water & food – CBRE office platinum 2021.
What is passive haus?
Passivhaus or ‘Passive House’ is an energy performance standard for dwellings, commercial, industrial and public buildings that can be adopted throughout the world.
This means that a traditional heating or cooling system is no longer essential.
The Passivhaus standard can be achieved by measures including:
Shading. Pre-cooling of the supply air. Natural ventilation. Air-tightness. Mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR). Insulation. Avoidance of thermal bridges. Passive solar gains. Exploitation of internal heat sources.
What does net zero mean?
Zero carbon emissions or carbon neutral - i.e. carbon credits awarded to offset carbon footprint
What are carbon emissions?
There are both natural and human sources of carbon dioxide emissions. Natural sources include decomposition, ocean release and respiration.
Human sources come from activities like burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation, deforestation.
What do you understand by EDGE - Economic dividends for gender equality?
EDGE is the leading global assessment methodology and business certification standard for gender and intersectional equity. It measures where organizations stand in terms of representation, pay equity, effectiveness of policies and practices to ensure equitable career flows as well as inclusiveness of their culture.
What do you understand by EDGE - Economic dividends for gender equality?
EDGE is the leading global assessment methodology and business certification standard for gender and intersectional equity. It measures where organizations stand in terms of representation, pay equity, effectiveness of policies and practices to ensure equitable career flows as well as inclusiveness of their culture.
What do you understand by IES (International Equality Standards) ?
ISO 26000
This standard aims to eliminate bias and promote equality through recommending that organizations have a balanced mix of men and women in governing structures and management, ensure both sexes are treated equally when it comes to recruitment, career opportunities and pay, and make sure the needs of men and women are given equal consideration in company decisions and activities.
In addition, ISO aims to encourage equal representation in standardization, to strengthen the participation of women in the development of ISO International Standards and to make them more relevant to women around the world.
