Sustainability

Question 1

Why is sustainability important to construction?

Answer 1

• Construction makes up around 6% of global GDP
• Climate change, resource consumption and water management are all environmental issues that must be carefully considered when working towards sustainability in construction.

Question 2

What are the typical environmental issues that are faced on site?

Answer 2

Dust
Noise pollution
Use of chemicals
Historic use of asbestos
Disposal of waste
Sewage treatment

Question 3

What regulations and codes of practice govern the construction industry’s approach to sustainability?

Answer 3

• Building Regulations L - Conservation of fuel and power: Approved Document L
• EPCs / DECs
• Site Waste Management plans
• BREEAM, WELL etc.

Question 4

What do we mean by sustainable development?

Answer 4

Sustainable development is development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

The three principles of sustainability are social, environmental and economic.

Question 5

Can you define social, environmental and economic considerations in relation to sustainability?

Answer 5

Environmental:
Preventing harmful and potentially irreversible impacts on the environment by the careful use of natural resource, minimizing waste and energy, protecting and enhancing the environment where possible. A measure of the carbon footprint of the building.

Economic:
Efficient use of resource, including labour and ensuring the design and construction meets the current and functional needs of the users. Does the development represent overall value for money?

Social:
The development should respond to the needs of the wider community. For example, a failure might be a fast-food restaurant being built next to a school, whereas a library being constructed next to a university would be considered more socially sustainable.

Question 6

How do you measure sustainability?

Answer 6

• Sustainability can be measured by assessing performance of social, environmental and economic principles.
• Can also be measured using one of the construction sustainability assessments (BREEAM, WELL)

Question 7

What is the Paris agreement?

Answer 7

• The Paris Agreement sets out a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5.
• Under the Paris agreement. each country must determine, plan and regularly report on the contribution that it undertakes to mitigate climate change.

Question 8

What are the Sustainable Development Goals?

Answer 8

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals established by the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals aim to address a wide range of global challenges, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice.

Examples include:
- No Poverty: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
- Zero Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
- Good Health and Well-Being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
- Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
- Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
- Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
- Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.
- Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
- Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Question 9

What measures does your company take in relation to sustainability?

Answer 9

• Recycling points
• Lights are on sensors
• LED lighting
• Christmas gift tree donation

Question 10

Name some of the technology available to help meet Part L of the building regs (conservation of fuel and power).

Answer 10

• Wind turbines
• Photovoltaic Cells
• Ground source heat pumps
• Rainwater harvesting
• Increase insulation
• Solar shading
• Natural ventilation
• Green roofs

Question 11

Can you explain what green roofs are.

Answer 11

• Roofs that are partially or completely covered with plants or vegetation.
• It is usually planted over a drainage membrane that sits on top of the roof, along with additional layers such as root barriers and waterproofing products.

Question 12

What is a U value?

Answer 12

U-values measure how effective a material is as an insulator.
The lower it is, the better the material is as a heat insulator.

Question 13

How do PV panels work?

Answer 13

• PVs convert sunlight into electricity
• Light energy strikes cells, electrons are knocked loose from atoms
• Positive and negative electrical conductors capture electrons in the form of current
• The energy is stored in batteries or immediately used to power the building.

Question 14

How do ground source heat pumps work?

Answer 14

Ground source heat pumps absorb the energy from the sun warming the ground. They comprise of a series of pipes buried underground which extract this solar energy. This energy is then converted into heat for use in the home.

Question 15

Can you name some of the sustainability measuring systems?

Answer 15

• BREEAM (British Research Establishment, Environmental Assessment Method)
• SKA (Operated by RICS, SKA rating is an environmental assessment tool for sustainable fit outs)
• WELL (The WELL Building Standard, developed by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI))

Question 16

Can you tell me a little bit about WELL?

Answer 16

The WELL Building Standard, developed by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), is a global rating system focused on enhancing human health and well-being through the built environment. Unlike other sustainability certifications that primarily focus on environmental impact, WELL emphasizes the health and wellness of building occupants.

WELL certification evaluates buildings based on several core concepts, including:

Air: Ensuring high indoor air quality.
Water: Providing clean and accessible water.
Nourishment: Promoting healthy eating habits.
Light: Optimizing lighting to improve productivity and comfort.
Movement: Encouraging physical activity.
Thermal Comfort: Maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures.
Sound: Reducing noise pollution.
Materials: Using safe and sustainable building materials.
Mind: Supporting mental health and well-being.
Community: Fostering a sense of community and social interaction123.
WELL aligns with many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and integrates scientific research and best practices to create spaces that support overall health and well-being

WELL Silver: Awarded to projects that achieve a minimum level of performance across all required categories.
WELL Gold: Given to projects that exceed the minimum requirements and achieve higher performance levels in several categories.
WELL Platinum: The highest level of certification, awarded to projects that demonstrate exceptional performance across all categories

Question 17

Can you tell me a little bit about BREEAM?

Answer 17

• Stands for British Research Establishment, Environmental Assessment Method
• BREEAM is an international scheme that provides independent third-party certification of the assessment of sustainability performance of individual buildings, communities and infrastructure projects.
• Assessment and certification takes place at several stages in the built environment life cycle, from design and construction through to operation and refurbishment.

Question 18

What are the BREEAM headline assessment categories?

Answer 18

• Management
• Health & Wellbeing
• Energy
• Transport
• Water
• Materials
• Waste
  -Land Use and Ecology
• Pollution
• Innovation

Question 19

What are the key advantages of BREEAM certification?

Answer 19

• Demonstrates a level of achievement
• Compliance can lower environmental impact
• Improves internal environment and can increase productivity
• Can reduce operating costs
• Improves marketability of the client

Question 20

What are the BREEAM rating thresholds?

Answer 20

Outstanding - Over 85%
Excellent - 70%
Very Good - 55%
Good - 45%
Pass - 30%
Unclassified - Less than 30%

Question 21

What is carbon neutral?

Answer 21

Carbon neutral means that through a transparent process of calculating building operational emissions, reducing those emissions and offsetting residual emissions, net carbon emissions equal zero.

Question 22

How can solar gain be prevented in buildings?

Answer 22

• Horizontal shading to glazing
• Limiting the area of glazing
• Orientating glazing away from South facing
• Use of reflective glazing

Question 23

Which Building Regulations apply to sustainability?

Answer 23

Part L - Conservation of fuel and power

Question 24

What is Passivhaus?

Answer 24

• Passivhaus is a performance based set of design criteria for very low energy buildings, which can help create buildings which use around 90% less energy than standard UK buildings.
• Passivhaus design seeks to eliminate the need for space heating and cooling and is based on the principle that reducing heat loss to a minimum.

Question 25

What is an Environmental Impact Assessment?

Answer 25

• A process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development
• The assessment will consider inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human health impacts, both beneficial and adverse.

Question 26

How can the construction industry reduce carbon emissions?

Answer 26

The construction industry can significantly reduce carbon emissions through several strategies that address both operational and embodied carbon. Here are some key approaches:

Adopt Sustainable Building Materials: Using materials with lower carbon footprints, such as recycled steel, low-carbon concrete, and sustainably sourced timber, can reduce the emissions associated with material production.

Improve Energy Efficiency: Designing buildings to be energy-efficient through better insulation, energy-efficient windows, and advanced HVAC systems can reduce the operational carbon footprint.

Implement Renewable Energy: Incorporating renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines into building designs can help offset carbon emissions from energy use.

Promote Circular Economy Practices: Reusing and recycling construction materials can minimize waste and reduce the need for new materials, thereby lowering emissions.

Optimize Construction Processes: Using prefabrication and modular construction techniques can reduce waste and improve efficiency, leading to lower emissions.

Conduct Whole-Life Carbon Assessments: Evaluating the carbon footprint of a building over its entire lifecycle, from construction to demolition, helps identify areas for improvement and set clear targets for reduction2.
Enhance Building Design: Designing buildings to maximize natural light and ventilation can reduce the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning, thus lowering energy consumption.

Encourage Green Building Certifications: Pursuing certifications like LEED, BREEAM, and WELL can ensure that buildings meet high standards for sustainability and health.

Invest in Carbon Capture and Storage: Developing and implementing technologies to capture and store carbon emissions from construction activities can help mitigate their impact.