Sustainability Flashcards
What are the three pillars of sustainability
“Social – Ensuring there is a local benefit e.g. local labour use investment in schools etc.
Economic – through the use of sustainable technologies it reduces running costs of properties
Environmental – The reduction of carbon emissions and waste”
What are building regulations
Legislation that must be adhered to
Can you name a couple of sections/parts of Building Regs
“Part B - Fire Safety
Part L - Conservation of Fuel & Power
Part F - Ventilation
Part M - Access and use of building”
Are you aware of imminent sustainability updates expected and how will it affect your clients
“Reduction in CO2 emissions by 31% on domestic properties.
Increases Part L & F requirements along with a new Part 0 - Overheating
It will drive capital costs up until the technology and fabric costs adjust to meet demand
It will reduce operational expenditure of the plots and cost to heat”
Are you aware of the future homes standards
Future Homes Standards 2025 are the next step after 2022 improvements a set of standards that will complement the Building Regulations to ensure new homes built from 2025 will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes delivered under current regulations
What is an EPC
Energy Performance Certificate
How often are EPC’s needed
Should be provided at PC and done every 10 years by landlords
You have identified Part L cost allowances, what do these consist of
“This is an assumed scope for an allowance of replacing the existing gas boiler with an ASHP
Or implementation of fabric changes
Triple glazing
Enhanced insulation
Until client is able to define scope we can only make an allowance based on reasonable assumption”
What do you understand bio-diversity net gain to be and how is it implemented
“An approach to development, and/or land management, that aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than it was beforehand
It is measured by;
- Pre development habitat survey
- Post development habitat survey
- Pre & post habitat data converted into credits
- Difference between pre and post habitat data is presented as a percentage”
What is a S.106 through planning
A section 106 agreement is an agreement between a developer and a local planning authority about measures that the developer must take to reduce their impact on the community
What is S.106 money used
They can be used to support the provision of services and infrastructure, such as highways, recreational facilities, education, health and affordable housing
What is BREEAM
Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method
It is an environmental assessment method
How are BREEAM developments scored
"Pass >30 Good >45 Very Good >55 Excellent >70 Outstanding >85"
What is included in a BREEAM assessment
BREEAM awards points or ‘Credits’ and groups the environmental impacts as follows
– Energy: operational energy and carbon dioxide (CO2)
– Management: management policy, commissioning, site management and procurement
– Health and Wellbeing: indoor and external issues (noise, light, air, quality etc)
– Transport: transport-related CO2 and location related factors
– Water consumption and efficiency
– Materials: embodied impacts of building materials, including lifecycle impacts like embodied carbon dioxide
– Waste: construction resource efficiency and operational waste management and minimisation
– Pollution: external air and water pollution
– Land Use: type of site and building footprint
– Ecology: ecological value, conservation and enhancement of the site
How is sustainability defined
Meeting the needs of our own without compromising the needs of tomorrow
How is sustainability measured in relation to finished buildings
“EPC
U-values”
what is meant by fabric first approach
“Increased floor insulation
Increased wall insulation
triple glazing
Better U-value doors
Better air tightness”
what is a brownfield site
Former factory/ had development on it
what is a green belt site
Cant be developed part of protected green area
what is a green field site
Never been developed but can be
how is sustainability dealt with through the planning system
“SEASA
Strategic Environmental Assessment Sustainability Appraisal
process where the local plan considers the best way to improve the three pillars of sustainability
and mitigate negative impacts the plan might have”
“What is an EPC
What does it present and when is it required”
“EPC - Energy Performance Certificate
It is presented upon completion of a scheme
Is based upon the energy efficiency of the build
Scored A-G”
“What is a SAP
When is it required how is it scored”
“SAP - Standard Assessment Procedure
Provides forecast energy performance of elements of build 1-100+ higher the number better the performance”
What section of building regs deal with sustainability
“Part L & Part F
Part L - Conservation of fuel and Power
Part F - Ventilation”
Can you advise on sustainable products used in the construction industry and used on one of your schemes
“ASHP - Used in lieu of a traditional boiler
a. outside air blown over refrigerant refrigerant warms up turns into gas
b. passed through a compressor which adds more heat
c. Compressed hot gas passes the heat to water or air”
What KPI’s do you track for sustainability
“Site waste management plan
Amount of material being recycled
Reused
Social benefit of scheme
To local economy etc”
What is SUDS
Sustainable urban drainage systems
What are a type of SUDS
“Swale
Permeable Paving
Attenuation
Oversized pipes”
What is the SUDS hierarchy
“Into the ground
Surface water body
Surface water sewer or other system
Combined sewer”
What is the MMC Framework
“Framework of 7 categories
for MMC in home building
It ranges from off site and near site pre manufacturing to site based improvements
It is used to provide builders with better understanding of terminology
Enable better access to mortgage, finance and assurance
What are the categories of the MMC framework
“1 - 3D primary structural system - Full units pods, can be stacked and loaded
2 - 2D Primary structural system - Timber frame, steel frame
3 - Non systemised primary structure - Timber trusses
4 - Structural and no structural - 3D printing
5 - Non structural assemblies and sub assemblies - Bathroom Pods
6 - Traditional built led labour reduction/ productivity improvements - Brick slips
7 - Site labour reduction/ improvements - Exoskeletons”
What initiatives are being introduced for non residential developments similar to future homes and building standards
Future Building Standards to be introduced in 2025. Part L & F introduced in the interim to reduce CO2 by 27% on road to FBS 2025 75-80% reduction
What is embodied and operational carbon
“Embodied carbon - The carbon used in the manufacturing process to make the materials
Operational Carbon - Is the carbon emitted from the in-use operation of the building”
What is the building safety act
Royal assent June 2022
Designed to give residents more power to hold builders and developers to account with toughen sanctions
Enhanced regulatory regimes for building safety and construction products
Give residents a stronger voice.
Applies to buildings that are at least 18 metres in height or have at least 7 storeys and have at least two residential units”
What does the building safety act do
”- Ensures clearly identified people are responsible for design, build and occupation of high rise buildings
- Building Safety regulator is introduced to hold to account those who break rules
- Give residence a stronger voice
- Extend rights of compensation to 15 years
- Change culture on design and construction to enable high quality safe homes”
What is the building safety regulator
“Implement new more stringent regulatory regime
Oversee the safety and performance of all buildings
Assist and encourage competence among the industry”
Why is sustainability so important and why should we be concerned
Global warming
Construction contributes to 40% of up CO2 emissions
Can you explain what the building regulations are?
Set of mandatory documents that sen minimum standards for design
What is Part L what does it include
Part L - Conservation of fuel and power
It sets the standards for the energy performance and carbon emissions of new and existing buildings
What is Part F - Ventilation
Guidance on building ventilation, including building air quality and preventing condensation in domestic or non-domestic buildings
What was code for sustainable homes & what replaced it
Code for sustainable homes was environmental assessment method for rating and certifying the performance of new homes
Replaced with technical housing standards to rationalise the many differing existing standards and reduce red tape associated with planning and house building
Who benefits from the EPC
Homeowner - Lower bills
Client - Can sell as energy efficient
What are the building safety acts gateways?
Planning Gateway one – at the planning application stage
Gateway two – before building work starts
Gateway three – when building work is completed
What is building safety act gateway 1
‘planning Gateway one’ introduced via secondary legislation
Ensures the consideration of fire safety matters as they relate to land use planning are incorporated at the planning stage
What is building safety act gateway 2
Will replace the building control deposit of plans stage, before building work starts, for higher-risk buildings
Stop/go point and building control approval must be obtained from the Building Safety Regulator before relevant building work starts
must demonstrate how the proposals comply with building regulations requirements
What is building safety act gateway 3
At the current completion/final certificate stage when relevant building work is complete
Stop/go point, building control approval must be obtained from the Building Safety Regulator before registering and commencing occupation of a higher-risk building
Complies with building regulations requirements to provide assurance that buildings are safe to occupy
What is a blue roof
A blue roof is a roof that is generally flat is is and designed to retain water above the waterproofs membrane
