Sustainability Flashcards
What is sustainability?
Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future
Why is sustainability important?
An ecosystem, lifestyle or a community that is sustainable is one which supports itself and surroundings. It is important to be considerate to the needs of future generations.
What are the three ‘pillars’ of sustainability?
Economic
Social
Environmental
What are the 7 elements of sustainable building?
Insulation
Air Tightness
Thermal Mass
Natural Light
Sustainable Material
Structural Systems
Deployment of renewable technologies
What is sustainable development?
Development that is conducted without depleting natural resources, and which balances the needs of the three pillars.
Over what period do you measure/access the impact of a building?
The entire life cycle of the building, not just during construction.
What is the Construction Leadership Council?
The CLC works between industry and government to identify and deliver actions supporting UK construction in building greater efficiency, skills and growth.
Give some examples of how the energy performance of a building can be improved.
Double/Triple glazed windows
A* rated boiler
Renewable energy sources
Sustainable building materials
Using local workforce
Better insulation
What is embodied carbon?
Embodied carbon is considering all the carbon that will be used in the creation of a product. From sourcing the materials, manufacture, delivery, construction and disposal.
What is BREEAM?
British Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method - assesses buildings against numerous performance criteria and awards credits. These credits then lead to a rating of unclassified, pass, good, very good, excellent or outstanding.
What is BREEAM?
A method of assessing the sustainability of a building in terms of design, construction and operation.
It looks at energy use, water use, pollution, transport, materials, waste, ecology and internal environment.
What is passivehaus?
Energy performance standard for dwellings, commercial, industrial and public buildings.
It is a building for which thermal comfort can be achieved via indoor air quality conditions. I.e. without the need for air recirculation which means they no longer need traditional heating or cooling methods.
What is the aim of the Paris Agreement?
191 countries joined to meet central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping global temperature rise below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels and even try to keep them below 1.5 degrees.
Also to use 20% renewable energy by 2050.
What is the key target of the climate change act?
Carbon neutral by 2050.
Are you aware of any RICS campaign regarding sustainability?
RICS Value the Planet
The campaign promotes the preservation of the planet through the implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The campaign also highlights the public interest responsibility of RICS and demonstrate the benefits that the surveying profession provides in offering solutions.
What are the principles of sustainable construction?
Sustainable design
Durability
Energy efficiency
Waste reduction
Indoor air quality
Water conservation
Sustainable building materials
What is LEED?
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
It is the most widely used green building rating system in the world (USA)
What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals?
17 Goals adopted by the UN as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
What is COP 29?
What is a circular economy?
A systemic approach to economic development designed to benefit businesses, society, and the environment.
It is regenerative by design and aims to gradually decouple growth from the consumption of finite resources.
What is the Climate Change Act (2008)?
Commits the UK government by law to reducing greeen-house gas emissions by at least 100% of 1990 levels (net zero) by 2050.
What does the term net-zero mean?
Means green-house gas emissions are balanced by their removal from the atmosphere.
How does the UK Gov plan to achieve net zero by 2050?
Following a ten point plan for a green industrial revolution. Including, advancing offshore wind, greener buildings, green finance, and investment in carbon capture and storage.
What are the key pieces of legislation related to sustainability in the built environment?
Can you explain the requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations?
What are some examples of sustainable technologies and how to they operate?
How can renewable energy sources be integrated into building designs?
Can you name and describe some environmental assessment methods like BREEAM or LEED?
How do environmental assessment methods impact building design and construction?
What is a Waste Management Plan and why is it important?
Can you provide an example of a project where you implemented sustainable practice?
What were the challenges and outcomes?
How can construction sites improve their sustainability practices?
How does sustainable design affect the lifecycle costs of a building?
What are the financial benefits of implementing sustainable practices?
What is a WELL assessment?
What are the most common environmental issues experienced with construction?
Risk of Land Degradation
Risks to Flora & Fauna
Risks of Water Pollution
Air Pollution
Land Contamination
Noise & Vibrations
High Energy Usage & 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?
Agricultural Land Act
Building Act 1984
Clean Air Act
Climate Change Act 2008
Energy Act 2011
Environmental Protection Act
Floor and Water Management Act
Wildlife and Countryside Act
What procedures does your firm implement to promote sustainability?
Recyling
Use of energy efficient lighting
Energy efficient equipment
Cycle to work scheme
Paperless (use cloud based systems)
Charitable contributions
Name some sustainable building methods?
Use of recycled materials
Ground source heat pumps
Air source heat pumps
Solar panels
Wind turbines
Solar shading
Rain water harvesting
Green roofs
Automated building systems (e.g. light sensors)
What is your understanding of ‘Green Roofs’
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
Rooftop ponds are an alternative form of green roof which are used to treat grey water
Advantages of Green Roofs are that they absorb rainwater, provide extra insulation, increase biodiversity by providing habitats for wildlife, are aesthetically pleasing and lower urban air temperatures
What are Photovoltaics and how do they work?
They allow the conversion of sunlight into electricity
Sunlight contains energy known as photons
When photons hit solar modules within the panel they cause electrons to flow through the bottom layer
The movement of electrons generates electricity that flows into an inverter
The inverter converts DC electricity into AC that is then used to power a 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
What does carbon neutral mean?
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 offset global warming
What is meant by the term solar gain?
Solar gain is the name given to the increase in temperature in a space, object or structure due to solar radiation (heat from the sun)
A building can retain this solar gain by having high thermal mass or avoid it by using reflective materials and insulation
How can solar gain be managed in buildings?
Limiting the size and area of openings such as doors and windows
Shading or orientating doors and windows from direct sunlight
Using reflective materials on the glass and building fabric
Insulating walls and roof spaces to prevent indirect solar gains into the building
How does a ground source heat pump work?
Heat from the ground is absorbed at low temperatures into a fluid inside a loop of a 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
Explain your understanding of the term SUDS?
Stands for Sustainable Drainage Systems and allows 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 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
What is an EPC?
Energy Performance Certificate
Introduced in 2007 and are a legal requirement for a building to be sold, let or constructed
Valid for 10 years
EPC’s are rated on a scale of A-G
The energy efficiency of the built asset along with the potential scale after improvements are made are identified.
EPC will also show the amount of CO2 emissions produced by the property in tonnes and will advise the amount this can be reduced by
What sustainable initiatives are you aware of that are implemented by RICS?
SKA ratings encouraging green codes of practice for commercial properties
RICS has launched the Value the Planet campaign and committed to forming a climate change expert panel to implement the UNs Sustainable Development Goals
RICS has also launched a Responsible Business Report filled with solutions for companies to operate in a greener capacity, regardless of a firms size.
This includes introducing higher recycling rates and reducing energy, transport and water use where possible
