Sustainability Flashcards
What is circular economy?
In a circular economy, products and materials are reused wherever possible and residual waste kept to a minimum
What are the most common environmental issues experienced on construction sites?
Risk of Land Degradation
Risks to Flora and Fauna
Risks of Water Pollution
Air Pollution
Land contamination
Noise and Vibrations
High Energy usage and Emissions of CO2
High Wastage production into landfill
Release of dangerous gases / materials
What procedures does your firm implement to promote sustainability?
MM incorporate sustainability in STEP, STEP is an online business management system and common wat of working. Provides a process to follow. Under ‘DO’ – delivering the project if the project is developed in UK, capital cost or programme capital value: exceeding 10m then have to use the carbon portal tool. Under win proposal – confirm the tool is being used, or if not using then why.
Carbon portal – used to measure carbon savings on any project. MM have designed and produced own calculation templates for piling works, earthworks and diaphragm walls.
What regulations and codes of practice are you aware of that affect sustainability in construction?
Agricultural Land Act
Building Act 1984 – which enforces the building regulations
Clean Air Act – gives local authorities power to control air pollution
Climate Change Act 2008 – legally binding commitment to cut down emissions and greenhouse gases.
Energy Act 2011 -
Environmental Protection Act
Flood and Water Management Act
Wildlife and Countryside Act
What is the Paris Agreement?
- Legally binding international treaty concerning climate change adopted by nearly every nations following cop 21 and came into affect 2016.
- The goal is to limit global warming to well below 2°C whilst targeting levels below 1.5°C when compared to pre-industrial levels.
- Commitment from all major emitting countries to cut their climate pollution. & Creates a framework for the transparent monitoring and reporting of each individual countries progress.
Name some sustainable building methods?
Green roofs, solar panels, wind turbines, ASHP, rain water harvesting etc.
What is your understanding of the term ‘Green Roofs’?
Green roof is a roof covering that is partially or completely covered with vegetation that is placed over a waterproof membrane. Additional layers such as drainage layers, irrigation systems or root barriers may also be placed over the membrane.
Advantages – that they absorb rainwater, provide extra insulation and increase biodiversity by providing habitat for wildlife. Aesthetically pleasing.
What is a brown roof?
A brown roof is a style of green roof designed to naturally increase biodiversity. Rather than planting specific types of sedum or wildflowers, the substrate is left to self-vegetate from windblown and bird seed dispersal, creating an all-natural habitat for flora and fauna.
What are Photovoltaics and how do they work?
Allow the conversion of sunlight into electricity
What is a soakaway and how do they work?
A soakaway is a buried drainage feature which seeks to manage surface water on the site and infiltrate into the ground, rather than discharging to an offsite location such as a watercourse or sewer
Can you explain your understanding of the term carbon neutral?
Net zero carbon emissions.
Carbon neutral means that any CO2 released into the atmosphere from a company’s activities is balanced by an equivalent amount being removed
What is meant by the term solar gain?
- Solar gain is the name given to the increase in temperature in a space, object or structure due to solar radiation, i.e. the heat from the sun
- A building can retain this solar gain by having high thermal mass or can avoid it by using reflective materials and insulation
How can solar gain be managed in buildings?
- Limiting the size and area of openings such as doors and windows.
- Shading or orientating doors and windows from direct sunlight
- Using reflective materials on the glass and building fabric
- Insulating walls and roof spaces to prevent indirect solar gains into the building
How does a ground source heat pump work?
Extract heat energy from the ground
- Heat from the ground is absorbed at low temperatures into a fluid inside a loop of pipe (a ground loop) buried underground
- The fluid then passes through a compressor that raises it to a higher temperature, which can then heat water for the heating and hot water circuits of the house
- The cooled ground-loop fluid passes back into the ground where it absorbs further energy from the ground in a continuous process as long as heating is required.
Please explain your understanding of the term SUDS?
Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) are designed to manage stormwater locally (as close its source as possible), to mimic natural drainage and encourage its infiltration, attenuation and passive treatment.
What are the benefits of a BREEAM certified building?
The benefits of BREEAM certification are numerous, including improved energy efficiency, enhanced marketability and value, and a demonstration of the building’s environmental performance to stakeholders
What are the benefits of rainwater harvesting?
Rainwater harvesting is the simple process or technology used to conserve rainwater by collecting, storing, conveying and purifying of rainwater that runs off from rooftops, parks, roads, open grounds, etc. for later use.
Less cost. Helps in reducing the water bill. Decreases the demand for water. Reduces the need for imported water. Promotes both water and energy conservation. Improves the quality and quantity of groundwater. Does not require a filtration system for landscape irrigation.
What is an EPC?
Energy performance certificates are a rating scheme to summarise the energy efficiency of buildings. The building is given a rating between A - G, the EPC will also include tips the most cost effective ways to improve your homes energy rating.
What sustainable initiatives are you aware of that are implemented by the RICS?
ICMS 3 - ICMS allows costs and carbon emissions to be managed and potentially reduced.
Database Coalition Statement – RICS is leading on the development of free access to Built Environment Carbon Database in collaboration with organisations covering the breadth of the UK Built environment.
The International Building Operation Standard (IBOS) is a data-based approach that supports the measurement and management of buildings for strategic decision-making.
What is ICMS 3?
ICMS 3 –
International cost management standards
Alows costs and carbon emissions to be managed and potentially reduced.
ICMS can be used to classify, define, measure, record, analyse, present, and compare historical, current and future construction life cycle costs and carbon emissions of new build and major adaptation programmes and projects. This can be applied throughout the various stages of construction and/or after completion of construction through to the end of life or a shorter period of analysis.
What things do you implement to promote sustainability?
BREEAM
Waste management Plan.
Social Value implemented into the project.
Which regulation has the topic of sustainability?
Part L - Conservation of fuel and power
Overheating: Approved Document O - relating to overheating in residential dwellings and buildings such as care homes and student accommodation, this also takes effect in June. The key requirements are to limit unwanted solar gains in the summer months, and provide adequate means of removing heat from internal spaces.
Tell me more about Part L?
Building Regulations - Part L - Conservation of fuel and power –
With an aim for both newly-built and newly-modified properties to meet the target CO2 emissions limit, caveats of Part L are in place to minimise carbon emissions as a part of a drive towards a greener future.
Considerations covered by Part L include:
- The maximum permitted area of windows, doors and other openings
- The structure’s air permeability
- Insulation values of building elements
- Heating efficiency of boilers
- Insulation/controls for heating appliances & systems
- Hot water storage
- Lighting efficiency
- Solar heat gains
- Ventilation & air conditioning systems
What is sustainability?
Sustainable Development:
“Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.”
What statutory requirements one must consider for sustainability?
COSHH
Clean air Act
Environment Act
Site Management Plan
You mention the three pillars of Sustainable Development. Can you please explain and provide examples for each pillar?
There are 3 pillars, Economic development, Social Development and Environmental protection to achieve sustainable development. Its not just about the environment.
Economic development - job creation and stability, and circular economy.
Social Development - employee wellbeing, education (such as apprenticeship)
Environmental protection - responsible use of natural resources, better management of waste and minimizing carbon footprint (such as Encourage low-carbon design and local materials).
What building regulations deal with sustainability?
Part L conservation of fuel and power - covers sustainability in construction and provides guidance on energy efficency and CO2 emission limits (meet the target CO2 emissions limit)
Part O Overheating - limit unwanted solar gains in summer months.
How does sustainability impact on your role?
I provide cost implications of sustainable practices to allow the client to make an informed decision and compare against traditional materials. I provide life cycle costing and design life costs to allow the client to understand the use of the building.
What action do you take in your role to increase/ enhance sustainability ?
Provide costs for sustainable materials and systems to allow the client to make an informed decision, this also includes life cycle costing to understand the energy efficiency and maintenance. I also provide alternative suggestions to value engineering.
What systems are available to measure sustainability in the UK?
BREEAM (sustainability assessment against 9 weighted criteria’s), ISO 14001 series of international standards for environmental management.
What sustainable materials /technologies are you aware of?
There is the use of bamboo for structural material. It is fast growing and plenty. Also straw for insulation and using concrete from demolited buildings for foundation layer of roads.
What is BREEAM and how could you contribute to this assessment
BREEAM is Building research establishment environment assessment and is a sustainability assessment method evaluating all RIBA stages against 9 weighted criteria such as waste, energy, health and wellbeing etc.
I can assess the long term financial implications of sustainable choices, by considering life cycle costs. I can provide costs for sustainable materials and sustainable features such as ASHP and PV panels.
Can you name some assessments that can be used for assessing sustainability?
SKA - environmental assessment method, benchmark and standard for non-domestic fit outs, led and owned by RICS.
BREEAM - A method of assessing, rating and certifying the sustainability of buildings.
DREAM - Defence Related Environment Assessment Method - for new buiding and refurbs projects on defence estate.
CEEQUAL - Civil engineering environmental Quality Assurance and Award Scheme - evidence -based sustainability assessment rating and awards scheme for civil engineering, infrastructure, landscaping and public realm projects.
You mentioned ASHP and Solar panels, can you name some other forms of renewable energy?
Wind Turbines,
Geothermal unit (using heat from the earth)
GSHP - transfers heat from the ground outside your home to heat your radiators or underfloor heating. It can also heat water stored in a hot water cylinder, ready to use for your hot taps and showers.
What Act are the Building Regs enabled under?
Building Act 1984
It sets out the various rules and regulations surrounding the construction and maintenance of buildings, and helps to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of occupants is protected.
What is the assessment for checking Part L compliance called?
How is the assessment scored?
Standard Assessment Procedure
How is the assessment scored?
EPC: Scored A (efficient) to G (inefficient). The Display Energy Certificate is the public building equivalent of the EPC.
Are you aware of any impending changes to minimum energy efficiency standards?
to take effect in 2025
Currently, the minimum required energy efficiency rating for domestic rental property is E, but this expected to be C from 2025
What is the industry proposed Building Regulations Part Z?
If enacted, Part Z would ensure that embodied carbon is assessed on all projects, as part of a comprehensive whole life carbon assessment.
It would also ensure that the embodied carbon emissions are then capped on all major construction projects - initially through limits on upfront embodied carbon, but over time expanding to cover all aspects of embodied carbon.
Proposed Document Z is aligned with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Professional Statement ‘Whole life carbon assessment for the built environment’,
data will be submitted an stored on the Built Environment Carbon Database
What is renewable energy?
Renewable Energy - energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed.
- Sources - biomass, nuclear power, geothermal, wind energy, solar power, tidal and wave panel.
what is the UN global compact?
The UN Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption
You mentioned ASHP in your submission can you tell me about this?
ASHP - Extract heat energy from the air, even when cold outside and uses it to warm the home via radiators or underfloor heating. It can also heat water stored in a hot water cylinder.
Extract heat energy from the air, even when cold outside and uses it to warm the home via radiators or underfloor heating. It can also heat water stored in a hot water cylinder.
GSHP - transfers heat from the ground outside your home to heat your radiators or underfloor heating. It can also heat water stored in a hot water cylinder, ready to use for your hot taps and showers.
You mentioned Solar Panels in your submission can you tell me about this?
PV Panels and Solar Panels
- PV Panels - Devices that converts sunlight into electricity by using photovoltaic cells. Conversion of thermal energy into electricity.
- Solar Panels on the other hand convert radiation into heat.
Can you give me an example of a sustainable design solution?
Solar panels. They provide renewable energy, generating electricity by converting radiation from sunlight into electricity.
And are there any methods of assessing building sustainability
Yes BREEAM
Building research establishment environment assessment and is a sustainability assessment method evaluating all RIBA stages against 9 weighted criteria such as waste, energy, health and wellbeing etc.
can you define social, environmental and economic considerations in relation to sustainable sustainability?
- Environmental Sustainability: Managing natural resources to minimize negative impacts on the planet.
- Social Sustainability: Creating an equitable society with access to basic needs and opportunities.
- Economic Sustainability: Balancing economic growth with long-term stability.
What are the differences between ASHP and GSHP?
ASHP vs GSHP - The main difference between the two types of heat pumps is where they get heat from:
air source heat pumps (ASHPs) absorb heat from the air
whereas ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) absorb heat from the ground.
