Sustainability

Question 1

What is the definition of sustainability?

Answer 1

Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

Question 2

When is an EPC required?

Answer 2

Before a property is let or sold

Question 3

What year is the UK expected to be zero carbon neutral?

Answer 3

2050

Question 4

What Act relates to the carbon neutral target?

Answer 4

Climate Change Act 2008

Question 5

What is the minimum energy efficiency rating for residential units and when is it effective?

Answer 5

From 1 April 2020: All existing domestic tenancies will be required to achieve a minimum EPC rating of E.

Question 6

How often should an EPC be carried out?

Answer 6

Carried out once a decade

Question 7

What does BREEAM Stand for?

Answer 7

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method

Question 8

Can you tell me about any Climate Change Conventions or Protocols you are aware of?

Answer 8

UN, Kyoto treaty summit, Paris Agreement

Question 9

What is the Paris Agreement?

Answer 9

The main aim of the Paris Agreement is to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C.

Question 10

What did the UK Climate Change Act 2008 do?

Answer 10

Relates to the UK’s binding commitment to cut carbon emissions by 80% from 1990 levels to 2050.

Question 11

What is the future Homes standard?

Answer 11

The new Future Homes Standard should ensure that all new homes built from 2025 will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes delivered under current regulations.

Question 12

What does part L cover?

Answer 12

*Conservation of fuel and powerfor new build dwellings and commercial buildings

*Requirements for Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP calculations)-converting energy used into tonnes of carbon

*Sets Carbon Emission Targets for dwelling

*The maximum permitted area of windows, doors and other openings.
*The structure’s air permeability.
*Insulation values of building elements.
*Heating efficiency of boilers.
*Hot water storage.
*Lighting efficiency.
*Solar heat gains.
*Ventilation & air conditioning systems

Question 13

What does the Environment Bill 2020 cover?

Answer 13

Net Zero Strategy -Build Back Greener (October 2021)

No new gas boilers by 2035

*Grow heat pump supply market
*Boiler upgrade scheme
*Phasing out coal and oil
*EPC rating -increasing to

Question 14

o Can you explain what ‘net-zero carbon’ means?

Answer 14

Net zero means that any carbon emissions created are balanced (kind of cancelled out) by taking the same amount out of the atmosphere.

Question 15

What are the MEES

Answer 15

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, 2015

Outline the minimum EPC rating a Property must have in order to be leased:

April 2018 - all NEW commercial and Residential leases must have an EPC rating of E or more

April 2020 - all existing residential leases must have an EPC rating of E or more

April 2023 - all existing commercial leases must have an EPC rating of E or more

Question 16

What are the potential changes to the MEES

Answer 16

Minimum MEES threshold will rise in 2027 to a C and by 2030 to a B

Question 17

What is net zero?

Answer 17

Carbon neutrality - when the carbon emissions produced are balanced with those being taken out of the atmosphere

Question 18

When does a property NOT need an EPC

Answer 18

• listed buildings
• buildings which have no heating etc
• religious buildings
• temporary buildings
• buildings due to be demolished
• resi units not occupied more than 4 months a year

Question 19

How long is an EPC valid for

Answer 19

10 years so long as the building remains unaltered

Question 20

What must be included on an EPC certificate

Answer 20

A
- Address of the property and floor area
- EPC certificate reference number
- Technical information on the property’s energy provision
- Estimation of running costs
- An energy performance rating from A+ - G
- Benchmarking Information

Question 21

What is the RICS doing to promote sustainability?

Answer 21

RICS is one of 49 globally prominent organisations that have developed ICMS 3 – a world first for cost and carbon management in construction, from concept to completion and beyond.

ICMS offers a high-level framework against which life cycle costs and carbon emissions can be classified,
defined, measured, recorded, analysed, presented and compared.

Part 2 sets out the hierarchical
framework. It has four levels:
* Level 1: Projects or Sub-Projects
* Level 2: Categories
* Level 3: Groups
* Level 4: Sub-Groups

Built Environment Carbon Database - envisioned to be the leading source of information for carbon estimating

ILMS - International Land Measurement Standards - promoting better governance of land

Annual Sustainability Report

APC - further training and info

RICS itself wants to be a sustainable business going forward

Question 22

What does Clarion wish to achieve?

Answer 22

Sustainability is essential as a part of the development process, with this being taken seriously at Clarion with our 2040 aims ensuring an EPC rating of C as a minimum by 2025 and the aspiration to achieve net zero carbon on all future projects.