Sustainability

Question 1

Whare are some environmental assessment methods?

Answer 1

• BREEAM
• LEED
• SKA

Question 2

What does BREEAM, LEED and SKA stand for?

Answer 2

BREEAM - Building Research Establishment, Environmental Assessment Method
LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
SKA - a tool for sustainable fitouts (RICS METHOD!)

Question 3

How does BREEAM work?

Question 4

How does SKA work?

Question 5

What is an EPC?

Answer 5

Energy Performance Certificate

Question 6

What does an EPC contain?

Answer 6

Sets out the energy efficiency of a domestic property on a rating system of A - G

Question 7

What is a DEC?

Answer 7

Display Energy Certificate
- Must be used on all public buildings where the public enter and it’s over 250 sqm.

Question 8

What does a DEC contain?

Answer 8

Sets out the energy efficiency of a public building on a rating system of A - G

Question 9

What does SUDS stand for?

Answer 9

Sustainable Urban Drainage System

Question 10

What are some type of SUDS?

Answer 10

Green roofs
Basins
Ponds
Rainwater harvesting
Underground storage.

Question 11

Which building regulations apply to sustainability?

Answer 11

Approved Document L - Conservation of Fuel and Power.

Question 12

Can you tell me about BREEAM?

Answer 12

• Independant third party certification scheme.
• Assessing the sustainability performance of buildings and infrastructure projects
• Certification takes place at every stage of the process.

Question 13

What are the BREEAM headline assessment categories?

Answer 13

• Management
• H&S
• Water
• Waste
• Materials
• Pollution
• Innovation
• Transport
• Energy

Question 14

What are the BREEAM thresholds?

Answer 14

Outstanding more than 85%
Excellent more than 70%
Very good more than 55%
Good more than 45%
Pass more than 30%
Unclassified less than 30%

Question 15

What does net zero carbon mean?

Answer 15

When the amount of carbon dioxide emissions released on an annual basis is zero or negative.

Question 16

What is contaminated land?

Answer 16

Any land which appears to the local authority in whose area it is situated to be in such a condition, by reason of substances in, on or under the land that:

Significant harm is being caused, or there is a significant possibility of such harm being caused.

Question 17

What are the signs that a site might be contaminated?

Answer 17

o Leaks and spills from tanks and pipes
o Contaminated surface runoff and flooding
o Disposal of waste materials
o Demolition of buildings containing contaminated material, e.g. Asbestos
o Landfill on a site
o Bare ground
o Underground tanks

Question 18

What are some recyclable materials?

Answer 18

o Plasterboard
o Aggregates
o Metals
o Plastics
o Glass
o Wood
o Bricks

Question 19

What are some ways in which you can conserve water?

Answer 19

• Low-flow plumbing fixtures
• Rainwater Harvesting
• Re-using grey water
• Insulate piping
• Leak proofing

Question 20

What is meant by sustainable development?

Answer 20

It is defined as, meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

RICS three pillars of sustainability are Social, Enviromental and Economic.

Question 21

What are some of the UN’s sustainable development goals?

Answer 21

• No poverty
• Zero hunger
• Good health and well-being
• Quality education
• Gender equality
• Clean water

Question 22

What regulations/ legislations to companies have to follow in relation to sustainability?

Answer 22

• Building Regulations
• Wildlife and Countryside act
• Clean air act
• Building Act
• Conservation of habitats and protected species
• Site waste management Regulations
• Town and Country Planning
• Control of Asbestos Regs

Question 23

What is the Paris Agreement?

Answer 23

The Paris Agreement sets a global framework to avoid serious climate change by limiting global warming.

• Each country must, plan, report, contribute and mitigate.

Question 24

What are some measures your company takes in relation to sustainablily?

Answer 24

• Rain water harvesting in head office
• Waste management
• Recycling materials
• Care share
• LED lighting
• Minimising travel
• Promoting electric cars.

Question 25

What are some technologies available to help meet Part L?

Answer 25

• Wind turbines
• Solar panels
• Green roofs
• SUDS
• Natural ventilation
• thermal water heating
• Rainwater harvesting

Question 26

How do photovatics work?

Answer 26

• convert sunlight to electricity
• energy is stored in batteries

Question 27

How does a soakaway work?

Answer 27

Large hole or pit which receives surface water.
Helps the water slowly percolate through the soil to reduce the risk of flooding.

Question 28

How do ground source heat pumps work?

Answer 28

Take the heat from the earth’s core and transfers it to the heat exchanger which passes it to the heat pump, and this is then transferred to the building heating system.

Question 29

What is life cycle costing?

Answer 29

A method for measuring/managing the lifetime costs of any project or asset.
for example, if buying a car you’d need to know what it would cost + fuel, maintenance and residual value on disposal.

Question 30

What are some advantages of life cycle costing?

Answer 30

• Long term value - ensures that the project has the highest possible value, even if upfront costs are not reduced.
• Lifecycle cost credits are available in BREEAM.
• Reliable cost planning.

Question 31

What are some disadvantages of life cycle costing?

Answer 31

• Cost associated with defects cannot be predicted
• choosing wrong discount rate will heavily affect the accuracy.

Question 32

At Holborn, what design considerations had been taken at 150 Holborn?

Answer 32

Rainwater harvesting, solar panels, green roof, lots of natural light and less LEDS, natural ventilation.