Sustainability

Question 1

What are the BREEAM classifications and Credits?

Answer 1

Number of Credits: 30-132
Rating classifications:
* Unclassified
* Pass
* Good
* Very Good
* Excellent
* Outstanding

Question 2

What are the LEED classifications and credits?

Answer 2

Certified (40–49 points)
Silver (50–59 points)
Gold (60–79 points)
Platinum (80+ points)

Question 3

What is BREEAM?

Answer 3

• BREEAM, which stands for Building Research Establishments Environmental Assessment Method, is a way of rating the sustainable performance of a building.
• A method of assessing, rating and certifying a building sustainability.

Question 4

What is Part L and what does it entail?

Answer 4

Part L Conservation of Fuel and Power.
* It is broken down in 4 parts.
o Part L1 A = Conservation of Fuel and Power in a new Dweling.
o Part L1 B = Conservation of Fuel and Power in an Existing Dwelling.
o Part L2 A = Conservation of Fuel and Power in a new non-domestic.
o Part L2 B = Conservation of Fuel and Power in an existing non-domestic.

• In 2022 - the U value ratings were tightened, especially for timber windows. U value reduced to 1.4 from 1.6

Question 5

How is a building rated under BREEAM?

Answer 5

• Against nine criteria:

1. Energy.
2. Land use.
3. Water.
4. Health and Wellbeing.
5. Pollution.
6. Transport.
7. Materials.
8. Waste.
9. Management.

Question 6

What is the process of getting a BREEAM Rating?

Answer 6

1. An assessment should be carried out at design stage to receive an interim certificate.
2. A second assessment should be carried out post construction to receive the final certificate.

Question 7

What is an Energy Performance Certificate?

Answer 7

It gives a property a rating based on its energy efficiency, from A – G

Question 8

What renewable technologies do you know off?

Answer 8

Photo-voltaic panels
Wind power
Wave power
Thermal power (ground sourced heat pump)

Question 9

What is a Passivehaus?

Answer 9

• A Fabric first approach, whereby the materials used to insulate a building mitigate the requirement for space heating, whilst also creating good indoor quality. Achieved through Good insulation, air tightness and solar gains

Question 10

What rating service does the RICS provide with regards to assessing sustainability?

Answer 10

RICS Fit out Rating (SKA) which is an environmental assessment tool for sustainable fit outs. It can be used on any non-domestic fit out project, informally or by professionals, with similar criteria to BREEAM.

Question 11

What Statutory Requirements do you know about relating to Sustainability?

Answer 11

Climate Change Act 2008.
Energy Protection Act 2005.
COSHH.
Paris Agreement
Building Regs.
Energy Performance Certificates.
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2008.

Question 12

What is the Carbon Trust?

Answer 12

An organisation aimed at helping other organisations reduce their carbon emissions, through improving their energy efficient and carbon management.

Question 13

What is Embodied carbon?

Answer 13

• Embodied carbon is considering all the carbon the will be used in the creating of a product. From sourcing the materials, manufacture, delivery, construction, and disposal.

Question 14

What is cross ventilation?

Answer 14

Cross ventilation occurs where there are pressure differences between one side of a building and the other. Typically, this is a wind-driven effect in which air is drawn into the building on the high pressure windward side and is drawn out of the building on the low pressure leeward side.

Question 15

What is stack ventilation?

Answer 15

Cooler outside air is drawn into buildings at a lower level, it is warmed by sources of heat within the building (such as people, equipment, heating and solar gain), and then rises through the building to vent out at a higher level.

Question 16

What are SUDS?

Answer 16

Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) are systems designed to efficiently manage the drainage of surface water in the urban environment.

Question 17

What are the benefits of SUDS?

Answer 17

1. Reducing flooding.
2. Reducing the demand on existing drainage systems (potentially making a development viable in an area where it might otherwise not be viable).
3. Enhancing water quality.
4. Reducing pollution.
5. Providing habitats for wildlife.
6. Providing local amenity.
7. Recharging groundwater and watercourses resulting in a reduced risk of drought.

Question 18

What are SUDS techniques?

Answer 18

1. Filter strips and drains.
2. Swales.
3. Permeable surfaces.
4. Basins and ponds.
5. Underground storage.
6. Wetlands.
7. Green roofs.
8. Rainwater harvesting.

Question 19

What did you learn at the sustainability 101 training?

Answer 19

One of Mace’s business strategies is be responsible.
Net carbon zero
Carbon offset procedures.

Question 20

What is the aim of the Paris agreement?

Answer 20

The Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature goal is to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels; and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 °C, recognizing that this would substantially reduce the risks and impacts of climate change

Question 21

What is the RICS doing regarding sustainability?

Answer 21

RICS has published the futures report which details sustainability including:

• established the RICS building carbon database - a free to use publicly available resource for building professionals to benchmark their designs and have access to more detailed comparative data on carbon emissions.
• Launched a professional statement on whole life carbon assessment for the build environment which sets out specific mandatory principles and supporting guidance for the assessment of environmental performance.

Question 22

What is a SWMP?

Answer 22

• Describes how materials will be managed efficiently and disposed of legally during construction
• Explains how reuse and recycling will be maximised
• Should initially be prepared before construction begins

Question 23

When are EPC’s a legal requirement?

Answer 23

When selling or letting a property