Sustainability Flashcards
What are the most common environmental issues experienced on construction sites?
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 regulations and codes of practice are you aware of that affect sustainability in construction?
What procedures does your firm implement to promote sustainability?
Recycling of cardboard, paper and plastics
Energy efficient equipment (LED lamps, energy efficient monitors)
Cycle to work scheme
Reduce printing by using cloud based systems
What is the Paris Agreement?
The Paris Agreement isa legally binding international treaty concerning climate change
It was adopted by nearly every nation and came into affect in 2016
The goal of the Paris Agreement is to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius whilst targeting levels below 1.5 degrees Celsius when compared to pre-industrial levels
The agreement commits all major emitting countries to cut their climate pollution
It also creates a framework for the transparent monitoring and reporting of each individual countries progress
Name some sustainable building methods?
Use of recycled materials such as reclaimed timber, recycled tiles and plastics
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Air Source Heat Pumps
Solar Panels
Rain water harvesting
Green Roofs
(Lighting sensors)
What is your understanding of the term ‘Green Roofs’?
A 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.
The vegetation, soil, drainage layer, root barriers and irrigation system are typically the key components of a green roof.
Advantages of Green Roofs are that they absorb rainwater, provide extra insulation, increase biodiversity by provided habitats for wildlife, are aesthetically pleasing and lower urban air temperatures.
What are Photovoltaics and how do they work?
Photovoltaics allow the conversion of sunlight into electricity
Sunlight contains energy known as photons
When photos hit solar modules within the solar panel they cause electrons to flow through the bottom layer
The movement of electrons generates electricity that flows to an inverter
The inverter converts DC electricity into AC that is then used to power the building.
What is a soakaway and how do they work?
Soakaways offer a means of surface water drainage attenuation.
They consist of large holes or pits that receive surface water from a drainage pipe.
The soakaway allows the collected surface water to gradually infiltrate through the soil.
Can you explain your understanding of the term carbon neutral?
Carbon neutrality is to have a balance between the carbon emitted and the carbon absorbed from the atmosphere in carbon sinks.
This is an important measure of the impact that businesses and projects have on the environment and global warming.
To date no artificial carbon sinks are able to remove carbon from the atmosphere at the levels required to off set global warming.
What is meant by the term solar gain?
Solar gain is the name given tothe 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 does a ground source heat pump work?
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?
The term SUDS stands for sustainable drainage systems and allow surface water to be managed as close to its source as possible by allowing surface water to infiltrate into the ground where it is collected and then managed passively.
SUDS will slow down surface water run off by allowing it to infiltrate and soak into natural contours and landscapes.
SUDS are considered to be environmentally friendly as they do not rely on the manufacture of plastic or clay drainage components and instead utilise natural vegetation and material to absorb surface water.
SUDS rely on a number of management practices, controls and strategies to efficiently and sustainably drain surface water whilst minimising pollution and managing the impact on local bodies of water.
What does BREEAM stand for and what is the purpose of it?
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology.
BREEAM is used to measure the sustainability performance of buildings, ensuring that projects meet sustainability goals and continue to perform optimally over time.
What are the benefits of a BREEAM certified building?
BREEAM buildings help clients to benefit from lowering the running costs of their built assets and minimising the impact on the environment through consideration at planning, design, construction and operation phases.
Other benefits include greater marketability to building tenants through lower running costs and creating desirable places to live and work.
A higher building value and positive PR message is also achieved through the increased sustainability of the building particularly when achieving BREEAM excellent and very good ratings
What are the benefits of rainwater harvesting?
Decreases the demand for water
Reduces the need for imported water
Promotes both water and energy conservation
Improves the quality and quantity of groundwater
Improved BREEAM compliance
Lower operational costs
Reduced environmental impact
