SUSTAINABILITY

Question 1

What does the NPPF say about sustainable development?

Answer 1

Sets out a presumption in favour of sustainable development.

Economic, social and environmental

Question 2

What are the most recent EU / UK targets relating to sustainability?

Answer 2

European Green Deal (2019) - to make the EU the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

UK Net Zero by 2050 (Climate Change Act 2008 Amendment 2019).

Question 3

What is the Paris Agreement?

Answer 3

Paris Agreement COP21 - to limit global warming to well below 2°C (preferably 1.5) compared to pre-industrial levels.

Question 4

What was the Kyoto Protocol and what were its targets?

Answer 4

Kyoto Protocol 1997 - targets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5% below 1990 levels

Question 5

Explain your understanding of COP26.

Answer 5

Conference of parties.

Commitment to phase down coal

Countries agreed to keep the 1.5°C global warming target alive.

Over 100 countries pledged to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030

Question 6

What did the UK Climate Change Act 2008 do?

Answer 6

To reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels.

Amendment 2019 net zero 2050.

Question 7

What does Net Zero mean? When does the UK need to achieve this by?

Answer 7

Net Zero means balancing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted with the amount removed from the atmosphere, effectively resulting in no net increase in emissions.

The UK aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Question 8

What are carbon budgets?

Answer 8

Limits (budgets) on the amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted over a specific period.

Set to keep global warming within a certain temperature threshold, like 1.5°C or 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

Question 9

What is the renewable heat incentive?

Answer 9

(RHI) was a UK government scheme that provided financial incentives to households and businesses for using renewable heating technologies

Question 10

Can you explain your understanding of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES)?

What are the key dates for MEES?

What falls outside of MEES?

Answer 10

Regulation designed to improve the energy efficiency of privately rented properties.

2020 all commercial properties had to have a minimum of E.

2025 all new leases will need to be C

2028 all existing leases to C

Falls outside:

Listed buildings
Temporary buildings
Where its not possible without exceeding cost cap of £3,500

Question 11

What is included in an EPC?

Answer 11

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Energy costs

Question 12

What is a DEC?

When is a DEC required?

Answer 12

Display Energy Certificate (DEC) shows the actual energy usage of a building and its operational efficiency over time. It is based on the actual energy consumption

Question 13

What is BREEAM/SKArating/LEED/Passivhaus?

Answer 13

Building Research Establishment Environmental assessment method.

SKA rating similar to BREEAM

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Passivhaus is a certification for energy efficiency. Airtightness, insulation MVHR

Question 14

What is ESOS?

Answer 14

Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme.

Energy assessment scheme designed to help large organisations identify energy savings opportunities

Question 15

What is the Climate Change Levy?

Answer 15

A tax on energy use for businesses to encourage energy efficiency.

Question 16

How did Climate Change Levy CCL rates change?

Answer 16

Climate Change Levy (CCL)

Rates evolve as part of broader climate and energy strategies, including potential adjustments to align with net-zero targets.

Question 17

What RICS guidance relates to sustainability? Tell me about WLCA.

Answer 17

RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment:

Guidance on assessing the carbon footprint of buildings over their entire lifecycle, promoting low-carbon design and construction practices.

Promoting consistency in terms of measurement of carbon emissions from buildings.

Question 17

What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals?

Answer 17

17 global goals established in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

e.g. Clean Water, No Poverty, Gender equality, Climate Action

Question 18

Explain the proposals under the Future Homes Standard and Future Buildings Standard.

Answer 18

Key Proposals:

Reduced Carbon Emissions

Energy Efficiency

Low-Carbon Heating:

Zero Carbon Ready - Homes will be designed to be “zero carbon ready,” meaning they can achieve zero carbon emissions with the addition of renewable energy technologies.

Question 19

Explain a key theme discussed in the RICS and World Built Environment Forum Sustainability Report 2021

Answer 19

RICS and World Built Environment Forum Sustainability Report 2021 is the urgent need for a holistic approach to sustainability in the built environment

Question 20

How have you carried out capital cost and value engineering exercises to determine the impact of sustainability issues on design and construction processes?

Answer 20

In whole plan viability appraisals I have tested the impact on varying degree of construction costs to improve sustainability.

Many councils are proposing policies to enforce higher standards.

In Coventry - we used a 5% uplift for houses and 7% for apartments. This was for over the Future Homes standard to be net zero in operation.

Question 21

How have you carried out life cycle cost exercises which take account of sustainability issues?

Answer 21

We build in to our general advice - the significance of long term savings on using technology.

Question 22

Explain your understanding the measures undertaken by governments and international bodies to encourage the reduction of the environmental impact of development.

Answer 22

Future Homes Standard 2025 to enforce the improvement of sustainability in buildings through building regs.

MEES enforcing commercial buildings to be C rated by 2025.

NPPF presumption in favour of sustainable development.

Question 23

St Cuthberts, Carlisle

Explain your understanding of the current and future requirements of building regulations in terms of sustainability features.

How do you build this into advice to clients?

Answer 23

Current building regulations require a certain amount of insulation and EPC rating of E.

2025 future homes standard incoming.

This currently forms part of an uplift to build costs in appraisals in this time frame.

Question 24

Explain your assumptions in relation to the value of homes with additional sustainability features?

Answer 24

There is some published research into uplfits in values that are achieved with an Eco Home.

We have seen evidence of varying degrees but in the region of 5-10 uplift in value.

Can be realised more in larger homes where people can afford it (Savills)

Question 25

Tell me about the purpose and content of the sustainability statement.

What sustainability measures were considered for the development?

In your experience what are the most successful sustainability features for residential uses.

Answer 25

To demonstrate Citu’s compliance with LCCs sustainability targets, focusing on energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and water usage.

Leeds - Key measures include:

Low Carbon tech - requirement of 10% of the total energy to be provided by Solar

C02 emission’s to be 20% below the building regs level. Citu homes were passivhaus standard.

Successful Sustainability Features:

Energy-Efficient Design - insulation etc

Sustainable Materials - Embodies Carbon

Use of PV, Heat pumps, electric boilers.

Question 26

What do you know of the new Net Zero Carbon Building Standard Pilot Document

Answer 26

The Pilot Version of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (The Standard) was launched in September 2024.

Contains the technical details on how a building should meet the Standard, including what limits and targets it needs to meet, the technical evidence needed to demonstrate this and how it should be reported.

Question 27

Whats the difference between operational and embodied carbon?

Answer 27

Operational carbon refers to the emissions produced during the USE of a building, mainly from energy consumption for heating, cooling, lighting, and powering appliances.

Embodied carbon refers to the emissions generated during the production, transportation, and construction of the building materials, as well as any emissions from the demolition and disposal of the building at the end of its life.