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APC Mock Qs > Sustainability > Flashcards

Sustainability Flashcards

1
Q

What are the most recent EU targets relating to sustainability?

A

The European Climate Law 2021

Reduce global emissions by at lease 37% of 1990 levels by 2020
Reduce global emissions by at least 57% of 1990 levels by 2030
Reduce global emissions by at least 80% of 1990 levels by 2050

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2
Q

What are the most recent UK targets relating to sustainability?

A

Net zero carbon by 2050
40 Gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030
End sales of new petrol and diesal cars by 2030
No new gas boilers sold by 2035

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3
Q

Where are the UKs sustainability targets set out?

A

Climate Change Act 2008 as amended 2021

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4
Q

What are MEES and how does it affect your role?

A

Minimum energy efficient standards

  • Required to understand Landlord responsibility with regards to energy performance
  • Alterations -> reasonable to reject if negatively affecting MEES
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5
Q

What are the key dates for MEES?

A

1st April 2018 - Landlord cannot let or renew a lease with EPC below E
1st April 2023 - Landlord cannot continue letting a building with EPC below E
1st April 2027 - Minimum EPC C required
1st APril 2030 - Minimum EPC B required

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6
Q

What buildings are exempt from MEES?

A

EPC’s required for all buildings over 50sq m apart from:

Tenancies over 99 years
Tenancies under 6 months
Listed buildings
Buildings with no heating
Religious buildings
Temporary buildings
Buildings due to be demolished / redeveloped

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7
Q

What are the benfits of Evora sustainable reporting?

A
  • assists with integrating sustainability into management
  • Increase awareness and improve sustainability perceptions
  • Assists with implementing and improving sustainability within properties
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8
Q

Can you tell me a about a recommendation you have given to a Client based off Evora reporting?

A
  • Throughout COVID-19 we recommended to Clients to reduce plant running times based off low occupation and high use/running costs
  • EVORA reporting showed that the boilet at Farringdon Point was running ineffciently and therefore, after liaising with M&E consultants, we recommended installing direct electric water heaters. This was possible as there was a minimal requirement for hot water from the tenants - i.e showers and taps
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9
Q

What are you actively looking to do in your buildings to promote sustainability?

A
  • Reduce energy consumption - helped through EVORA
  • Improve waste management - reduction in waste consumption
  • Improve well-being
  • Encourage differing modes of transport (i.e have suitable bike storage) / install electric car chargers
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10
Q

Can you give an example of a sustainable feature on a building?

A
  • Green roof
  • Good natural light
  • Renewable technologies
  • LED lighting
  • Low flow plumbing fixtures
  • Rainwater harvesting/storm water management
  • Good insulation - reduce heating and cooling costs
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11
Q

What sustainability legislation are you aware of?

A
  • Climate change act 2008 as amended 2019
  • Climate change Act 2008
  • Energy Act 2011
  • Environmental Protection Act 1990
  • Environment Act 1995
  • Energy Efficiency Regulations 2015
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12
Q

What does the Climate Chage Act 2008 as amended 2019 do?

A

increase targets to net zero carbon by 2050

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13
Q

What does the Climate CHange Act 2008 do?

A

Uks response to tackling and responding to climate change. Reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gasses

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14
Q

What does the Environment Act 1995 do?

A

created new agencies and set standards for environmental management

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15
Q

What does the Energy Act 2011 do?

A

increased implementation of energy efficiency measures for commercial property. The Green Deal.

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16
Q

What was the green deal?

A

Initiative that gave landlords and tenants the oppertunities to pay for energy efficient improvements, through savings on their energy bills

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17
Q

What is the Environmental Protection Act 1990?

A

improves control of pollution arising from certain industrial processes

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18
Q

What is the energy efficient regulations 2015?

A

measures to improve the energy efficiency in private rented property. MEES

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19
Q

How do you apply for MEES exemption and how long does it last?

A

Register online and provide property address, type of exemption being registered, copy of a valid EPC and supporting documentation as evidence for exemption.
- Lasts 5 years.

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20
Q

Can you force a tenant to make sustainability changes to their demise?

A

No, unless they have a green lease whereby you can enforce under a clause within the lease.

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21
Q

What is Workmans environmental policy?

A

net zero carbon by 2030 in own directly managed operations
Minimise energy, water and waste consumed wherever possible
Promote usage of re-useable materials
Identify and comply with legal requirements
Move away from petrl and diesal cars and seek to reduce journeys made

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22
Q

What must the front page of an EPC contain

A
  • Address of property and floor area
  • EPC certificate number
  • Technical information on the proeprtys energy provision
  • Estimation of running costs
  • Performance Rating
  • Benchmarking information
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23
Q

What is sustainable development?

A

‘Sustainable development means the ability to meet our own needs without prejudicing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’

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24
Q

What are initiatives which can be implemented to enhance the sustainability of properties?

A

Upgrading lighting to LED.
Install solar panels.
Low flow water pressure for taps
EV car chargers

25
Q

How is sustainability affecting property

A

Sustainable properties can increase capital value
Sustainable properties can lower operating costs
Less efficient properties increase the demand for energy production and therefore negatively impact the environment
Global sustainability targets require properties to become more sustainable

26
Q

What is net zero

A

The balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced and the amount removed by the atmosphere

27
Q

What are the main greenhouse gases for property?

A

Carbon emissions from gas (such as gas boilers)

28
Q

What does BREEAM do?

A

Measure of sustainable credentials of newly constructed or newly refurbished buildings

29
Q

What are the different types of BREEAM accreditation

A

New construction
Refurbishment and fit-out
In-use – certification of already operational assets
Communities – framework to support communities

30
Q

What properties are exempt from MEES?

A

Tenancies over 99 years
Tenancies under 99 years
Religious buildings
Temporary structures
Buildings due to demolished / refurbished
Buildings that don’t provide heating or cooling
Listed buildings

31
Q

What are the fines for not having an EPC?

A

Dwelling - £200
Non-dwelling – 12% of RV (£500 - £5000)

32
Q

Fines for MEES non-compliance?

A

Under 3 months = 10% RV (£5,000 - £50,000)
Over 3 months = 20% of RV (£10,000 - £150,000)
Incorrect / misleading info = £5,000

33
Q

Who levies the fines for EPC non-compliance?

A

Local Council

34
Q

How is BREEAM measured?

A

Energy
Land Use
Water
Health and Wellbeing
Pollution
Transport
Materials
Waste
Management

35
Q

Define green roof and its benefits

A

Living roof that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane
- Improve drainage system
- Better insulation (boost thermal performance)
- Increase life span of the roof
- Improve air quality
- Support wildlife
But:
Expensive, high maintenance and increase weight load on roof

36
Q

LG7 compliant lighting – what is it?

A

Lighting Guide 7: Lighting an Office Environment
Guide issued by the Society of Light and Lighting

37
Q

Name another building certification

A

LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Provides a framework for healthy, high efficient, and cost-saving green buildings

38
Q

What is ESG?

A

In the RICS Guidance Note Sustainability and ESG in Commercial Property Valuation and Strategic Advice, ESG is defined as:
‘The criteria that together establish the framework for assessing the impact of the sustainability and ethical practices of a company on its financial performance and operations.

39
Q

What are the three pillars of ESG?

A

ESG comprises three pillars: environmental, social and governance, all of which collectively contribute to effective performance, with positive benefits for the wider markets, society and world as a whole.

40
Q

Why is ESG a hot topic?

A

ESG is a natural progression from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and reflects an increasing requirement from financial institutions and investors for ESG factors to be reflected in decision making and performance metrics.

It is also partly a response to COP 26 and the UK Government’s 2050 net zero carbon target, as well as helping to build resilient, future-proofed investments.

41
Q

Thinking about property, how is ESG measured?

A

There are a wide range of rating systems measuring the sustainability and ESG credentials of property:
* Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)
* Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB)
* Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES)

42
Q

What is BREEAM?

A

A building’s environmental impact is rated by BREEAM assessors by reference to nine environmental weightings including energy consumption, water use, transport links, waste management and health & wellbeing.

43
Q

Under what legislation are EPCs required?

A

Minimum Efficiency Standards (MEES)

44
Q

Are EPCs required for all buildings?

A

No there are some exemptions

45
Q

Where can you find an EPC?

A

Non domestic EPC government website

46
Q

How long is an EPC valid for?

A

10 years

47
Q

What changes come into effect next April (2023)?

A

The minimum level of energy efficiency provisions will mean that, subject to certain requirements and exemptions: a) from 1 April 2018, landlords of non-domestic private rented properties (including public sector landlords) may not grant a tenancy to new or existing tenants if their property has an EPC rating of band F or G (shown on a valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property). b) from 1 April 2023, landlords must not continue letting a non-domestic property which is already let if that property has an EPC rating of band F or G.

48
Q

What actions would you recommend to a client should a draft EPC come back as an F?

A

Epc plus etc

49
Q

What is combined heat and power?

A

highly efficient process that captures and utilises the heat that is a by-product of electrcity generation

50
Q

What is a ground source heat pump?

A

Renewable heating system that harness natural heat from underground by pumping water through it in pipes.

Uses electricity but less eelctrical energy than the heat they produce

51
Q

What is solar gain?

A

Heating a building directly from the sun through an opening such as a window or indirectly through the fabric of the building

52
Q

You ensure all EPCs are up to date and valid, how do you do that?

A

Our firm has a tracker which is updated manually when a new EPC is lodged. We then get updates on properties when one is falling due or when there is a low EPC.

EPC are validated on the government non-domestic and domestic EPC register

53
Q

There are some changes coming to MEES, what do you think the impact of this will be on your Clients portfolio?

A

My portfolio not much effect, but in general, this will incur additional costs for landlords to ensure properties have a minimum E rating to continue to be let.
Will also be many fines for non-compliance
Overall, additional costs to landlord is the overarching impact

54
Q

You say your portfolio that would not have any problems, why not?

A

Majority of the EPCs are compliant with the new MEES changes due on 1st April 2023.
Only one property off the top of my head, for which we have installed LEDs and are lodging a new EPC

55
Q

What sort of works would you recommend to a Client to bring it up to an acceptable level?

A

EPC or EPC + report will detail the recommendations/works required to improve rating
Such as LED lights, improve insulation, remove gas boilers. Double glaze windows

56
Q

Does this apply to both commercial and residential property?

A

Yes

57
Q

What properties is an EPC not required for?

A

Tenancies over 99 years
Tenancies under 6 months
Religious buildings
Temporary structures
Buildings that do not provide heating or cooling
Buildings due to be demolished or refurbished
Residential dwellings not in occupation for more than 4 months of the year

58
Q

What penalties are associated with non-compliance? What are they based on?

A

10% of RV if non-compliant for under 3 months (min 5,000 max 50,000)
20% of RV is non compliant for over 3 months (min 10,000 max 150,000)

59
Q

What is BNG?

A

Biodiversity net gain
Leaves the environment in a better condition than before (namely in connection to developments)

APC Mock Qs (13 decks)

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