Sustainability

Question 1

What is sustainability?
What is sustainable development?

Answer 1

Meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations’ to meet their own needs

Question 2

Why do we need sustainability?

Answer 2

Construction requires large consumption of resources
Waste
Carbon emissions

Question 3

What is a Waste Management Plan?

Answer 3

Document that describes the amount and type of waste from construction - how it will be re-used, recycled or disposed; projects over £300k

Question 4

Can you name types of environmental waste?

Answer 4

Dust
Sound pollution
Disposal of waste
Use of chemicals
Whole building process extraction/manufacture

Question 5

What is a G Value?

Answer 5

A measure of solar energy transmitted

Question 6

What is a green roof?

Answer 6

A roof of a building that is parially or completely covered by vegetation

Question 7

What’s a brown roof?

Answer 7

A roof where a substrate is left ot self vegetate - local seeds/birds/wildlife

Question 8

What is a blue roof?

Answer 8

A roof designed to temporarily store water and then release

Question 9

What are the advantages of green roofs?

Answer 9

Absorbs water (flooding)
Insulation
Improves air quality
Creates habitats for wildlife

Question 10

What is an Eco Foot Print?

Answer 10

A measure of the population’s demand for the earth’s eco systems

Question 11

What is Kyoto Protocol?

Answer 11

An international treaty that commits state parties to low greenhouse gases

Question 12

How can you minimise waste?
Or recycle waste?

Answer 12

Minimise waste generated
Exchange unwanted materials
Promote sustainable concepts

Question 13

What are the layers of a green/brown roof?

Answer 13

Vegetation
Substrate
Filter layer
Drainage board
Waterproofing

Question 14

What is an Extensive green roof?

Answer 14

It’s light weight and low maintenance

Question 15

What is an Intensive and Semi Intensive green roof?

Answer 15

Intensive means very dense and replicates normal ground

Semi Intensive is a deeper substrate and more planting systems

Question 16

What is BREEAM? (for non domestic only)

Answer 16

A measuring system ‘Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method’.

Question 17

What is LEED?

Answer 17

A measurement system ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’.
4 levels - certified, silver, gold, platinum

Question 18

What is the difference between BREEAM and LEED?

Answer 18

BREEAM is stricter
BREEAM has independent assessors

Question 19

What is SKA?

Answer 19

A measurement system from the RICS
Short for Skansen
For fitouts
Assessed 3 stages - design, construction, operation

Question 20

What is a U Value?

Answer 20

A measure of thermal resistance for a building

Question 21

Can you name some BREEAM criteria areas?

Answer 21

Waste - waste management
Materials - low environmental impact materials
Innovations - electrical charge points

Question 22

What are the BREEAM score thresholds?

Answer 22

<30 unclassified
>30 pass
45 good
55 very good
70 excellent
85 outstanding

Question 23

What are the advantages of BREEAM?

Answer 23

Lowers environmental impact
Reduces operating costs
Improves marketability

Question 24

What does Net Zero mean?

Answer 24

Where emissions are ‘0’ or the amount is offset

Question 25

Are there any sustainability policies?
What is the Climate Change Act?

Answer 25

Climate Change Act 2008 - 80% reduction in CO2 by 2050;
2019 update - net zero by 2050

Question 26

What are the Pillars of sustainability?

Answer 26

Economic - local labour
Environmental - green roofs
Social - public facilities

Question 27

What is a sustainable material?

Answer 27

Does not deplete natural resources or impacts the environment eg reclaimed wood/recycled plastic

Question 28

What is Contaminated Land?

Answer 28

Contains a substance harmful to people or buildings

Question 29

What is EPC?

Answer 29

Energy Performance Certificate

Information about a property’s energy use and costs
Recommendations
Rating A-G
Lasts 10 years

Question 30

How do PV Panels work?

Answer 30

Solar Thermal - heat water from suns heat
Photovoltaic - converts suns energy into electricity

Question 31

Some sustainable construction methods?

Answer 31

Local suppliers
Waste Management Plan
Implement sustainability requirements
Sustainable Options - green roofs
Solar Panels

Question 32

What is COP26?

Answer 32

Conference of the Parties

Glasgow
290 million to poorer countries
Policy reforms on agriculture

Question 33

What’s Embodied Carbon mean?

Answer 33

Consists of all emissions associated with Building Construction - extract/transport/manufacture

Question 34

Statutory requirements for sustainability?

Answer 34

Climate Change Act [refd earlier, 2008]
COSHH
Building Regulations
Control of Asbestos
Energy Performance Certificates

Question 35

Sustainability in industry?

Answer 35

Sustainability Report 21 - European waste is a big concern

COP26 - Residential sector - 22% carbon emissions; improve energy efficiency

Question 36

What does Net Zero mean?

Answer 36

Amount of greenhouse gas produced and amount removed from the atmosphere are offset

Question 37

What’s DEC?

Answer 37

Display Energy Certificate

Energy performance of non domestic buildings; 250m2+; A-G rating; CO2 emissions

Question 38

Level of uplift for BREEAM?

Answer 38

Are standard uplifts in BREEAM document, but would assess client project specifically ie level of specification