Sustainability Flashcards
Why is sustainability important to construction?
- Construction industry has a huge impact on the environment, accounting for 36% worldwide energy usage, 40% CO2 emissions
- Construction can also result in hazardous waste, where improper disposal results in pollution - affects health and environment
What do we mean by sustainable development?
Brundtland Report:
- Meeting needs of the present without compromising on ability of future generations to meet their own needs
- 3 pillars are social, environmental and economic
Can you define social, environmental and economic considerations in relation to sustainability?
Social
- Meeting needs of wider community (i.e. libraries, healthcare)
Environmental
- Prevent harmful and potentially irreversible impacts on environment, i.e. minimising waste and energy usage, protecting and enhancing environment
Economic
- Efficient use of resource, including labour
- Meeting financial needs to support self and business
Can you define the term ‘net zero carbon’ in the context of new build construction?
UKGBC (UK Green Building Council):
- When carbon omissions associated with building’s product and construction stages up to PC is zero or negative, through use of offsets / net export of on-site renewable energy
Can you define the term ‘net zero carbon’ in the context of operational energy for a building in use?
UKGBC:
- When carbon emissions associated with operational energy on annual basis is 0 or negative
- Net zero carbon building highly efficient and powered from on-site and/or off-site renewable energy sources, offsetting any remaining carbon balance
What is your understanding of the term carbon neutral / net zero carbon?
- Equal balance between carbon emitted and carbon absorbed from atmosphere
- Important measure for businesses and projects to consider global warming and environment
What sustainable initiatives are you aware of that are being implemented by the RICS?
- SKA ratings, encouraging green codes of practice for commercial properties
- ‘Value the Planet’ campaign, committed to forming climate change expert panel to implement UN’s sustainable development goals
- Responsible Business Report with solutions for companies to operate in greener capacity (including higher recycling rates, reducing energy, transport and water use)
What do you implement to promote sustainability?
- Only printing where necessary
- Car sharing
- Recycling
- Use of second hand items
- Minimising waste where possible
- Cloud based storage systems in lieu of paper
When’s the best point of design to consider modern methods of construction?
Earlier the better, to minimise programme delays in redesign, cost surprises
What is the threshold for a waste management plan?
£300k in JCT (this obtains BREEAM credits too)
What Building Regulations apply to sustainability?
- Approved document part L - conservation of fuel and power
- Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations (requires EPCs produced, quantifies energy efficiency, DECs for commercial buildings over 500sqm)
Key pieces of legislation affecting sustainability in construction?
- Agricultural land act
- Building act
- Clean air act 1993
- Climate change act 2008
- Environmental protection act 1990
What is the agricultural land act?
Enables land to be acquired for particular purpose (i.e. use as woodlands, control pests and weeds, support agricultural activities)
What is the building act?
- Primary UK legislation enabling Building Regulations to be enforced
- Assists in conservation of fuel and power, prevent waste, misuse, water contamination, ensure those in and around buildings are kept safe
What is the clean air act?
Provides local authorities in England with measures to control air pollution
What is the climate change act?
- Legally binding framework to tackle climate change
- Imposed targets to cut greenhouse emissions compared with 1990 levels - 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050
Different forms of taxation relating to sustainability?
- Landfill tax - environmental tax payable in addition to landfill rates charged by private disposal companies. Introduced to encourage alternative methods of disposal
- Landfill tax charged by weight, depends on whether waste is inert or active
What is the Paris Agreement?
- Sets out global framework to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees, trying to limit to 1.5 degrees
- Adopted by nearly every nation, came into effect in 2016
- Each country must determine, plan and regularly report on contribution and mitigations for climate change
What is COP?
- Conference of the Parties, attended by countries in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - treaty agreed in 1994
- COP27 was 27th meeting in 2022
What happened at COP27?
- Breakthrough agreement providing loss and damage funding for vulnerable countries hit hard by floods, droughts and other climate disasters
- Clear intention to keep 1.5 degrees within reach, requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before 2025 at latest, reducing by 43% by 2030
- Focus on accountability with commitments made by sectors, businesses and institutions
- More financial support for developing countries towards low emissions and climate resilient development
- Pivot towards implementation of actions
Core principles of Planning and Decision making around sustainability?
- Use creative processes
- Proactive steps taken to achieve sustainable development
- Secure development of high quality built assets
- Account for character of surrounding area, conserve heritage
- Support climate-resilient and low-carbon economy
- Conserve and enhance natural ventilation, reduce pollution
- Encourage use of brownfield sites
- Maximise use of public transport, cycling, walking
- Support health, social and cultural wellbeing
