Sustainability Flashcards
What is COP26, and what does COP stand for?
COP is Conference of the Parties and is attended by countries that signed the United nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - a treaty agreed in 1994.
The 2021 meeting was the 26th meeting which is why it’s called COP26.
What happened at COP26?
1 - A newly established Glasgow Financial Alliance was announced for Net Zero carbon emissions of $130 trillion of private capital to accelerate the transition to net zero carbon economy.
2 - Private sector is now under more scrutiny from client and financial investors on ensuring net zero commitments are robust and legitimate.
3 - There are new requirements for all listed companies in the UK to produce net zero plans by 2023.
Please explain your understanding of the term sustainability.
To meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
The key principles were set out in the Bruntland Report, which identified the need for sustainable development based around environmental protection, economic growth and social equity. It called for conservation of the environment and resources by gradually changing the ways in which we develop and use technologies.
What are the key principles of sustainability?
Social - Building healthy communities with sufficient numbers and range of buildings.
Economical - Build strong, responsive, competitive economies, ensuring sufficient land and right types.
Environmental - Contributing towards the protection and enhancement of our natural, built, and historic environment.
What are the core principles of planning and decision making around sustainability?
1 - Creative processes should be used, not just scrutiny.
2 - Proactive steps should be taken to achieve sustainable development.
3 - Secure the development of high quality built assets.
4 - Account for the character of the surrounding area.
5 - Support a climate resilient and low carbon economy.
6 - Conserve and enhance natural environment and reduce pollution.
7 - Encourage use of brownfield sites.
8 - Conserve heritage.
9 - Maximise use of public transport, cycling and walking.
10 - Support health, social, and cultural wellbeing.
What are the most common environmental issues experienced on construction sites?
1 - Risks of water pollution.
2 - Air and noise pollution.
3 - High energy consumption and carbon emissions.
4 - Risk of land contamination.
5 - Damage to wild habitats.
6 - High waste production to landfill.
7 - Release of dangerous gases and chemicals.
What are the key pieces of legislation that affects sustainability in construction.
1 - Agricultural Land Act - Enables land to be acquired for a particular purpose, for example to control pests and weeds, for use as woodlands or to support agricultural activities.
2 - Building Act - The primary piece of UK legislation that enables the building regulations to be enforced. This is to assist in the conservation of fuel and power, to prevent waste, misuse or contamination of water, and to ensure those in and around buildings are kept safe.
3 - Clean Air Act - This legislation provides local authorities within England to introduce measures in order to control air pollution.
4 - Climate Change Act - A legally binding framework to tackle climate change. It imposed targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions compared with 1990 levels 34% by 2020, and 80% by 2050.
What are the key Building Regulations that relate to sustainability in construction?
1 - Building Regulations Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power)
2 - Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations
- Requires EPC’s are produced for dwellings and non-dwellings.
- Quantifies energy efficiency for buildings.
- Required when buildings are built, sold, or rented.
- Commercial buildings over 500mm2 and frequented by the public need to display a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) based on actual energy used.
What are the different forms of taxation relating to sustainability?
1 - Landfill Tax
- An environmental tax payable in addition to landfill rates charged by private disposal companies.
- Introduced as a means to encourage alternative methods of disposal such as recycling.
- Charged by weight at varying rates depending on whether the waste is inert or active.
What different codes of practice are you aware of for measuring sustainability?
1 - BREEAM (life Cycle Assessment)
- Sets best practice for the environmental performance of buildings through specification, design, construction and operation.
- Undertaken by a licensed assessor based on energy, land and ecology, water, health & wellbeing, pollution, materials and waste, and management.
- Applies to new and refurbishment projects, domestic and no-domestic.
2 - SKA Ratings
- A RICS environmental assessment method for non-domestic fit-outs such as office refurbishments.
- The scheme assesses fit-out projects against as et of sustainability good practice criteria, known as Good Practice Measures (GPM).
- Can act as an alternative to BREEAM, which have higher costs in comparison.
3 - LEED (Life Cycle Assessment)
- Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design.
- USE version of BREEAM
- This method reviews embodied aspects of carbon emissions as well as life cycle assessment during construction and operation.
What procedures does your firm implement to promote sustainability?
1 - The company has implemented a carbon reduction strategy which is continuously under review. An exercise is underway to measure direct and indirect emissions of the business and the property portfolio.
2 - Several other measures have been implemented within the office which include:
- Recycling bins
- Reduction of printing by adopting digital & and cloud based working.
- LED lighting and motion sensors
- Cycle to work scheme
What is the Paris Agreement?
- A legally binding international treaty concerning climate change.
- Adopted by nearly every nation and came into affect in 2016.
- The goal is to limit global warming to well below 2 C, while targeting levels below 1.5 C (compared to pre-industrial levels.
- It commits all major emitting countries to cut their climate pollution.
- Creates a framework for the transparent monitoring and reporting of each individual counties progress.
Name some sustainable building methods.
- Use of recycled materials such as reclaimed timber, recycled tiles and plastics.
- Hempcrete or other sustainable materials.
- Use of Ground / Air Source Heat Pumps
- Solar panels
- Wind Turbines
- Solar Shading
- Rainwater Harvesting
- Green Roofs
- Automated building systems to control internal energy use.
What is your understanding of the term ‘Green Roofs’?
- A roof covering that is partially or completed covered with vegetation that is placed over a waterproof membrane.
- Additional layers such as drainage, irrigation, root barriers may also be placed over the membrane.
- Rooftop ponds are an alternative approach which may be used to treat grey water.
- Advantages include ability to absorb rainwater, provide extra insulation, increase biodiversity, and increased aesthetic appearance.
What are photovoltaics and how do they work?
- Solar PV allows the conversion of sunlight into electricity.
- Sunlight contains photons. When these photons hit modules within the solar panel they cause electrons to flow through the bottom layer.
- This movement of electrons generates electricity that flows into an inverter.
- The inverter converts DC electricity to AC that is then used to power the building.
