SUSTAINABILITY

Question 1

Please explain your understanding of the term sustainability?

Answer 1

Brundtland definition: Sustainability must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Question 2

What are the three pillars of sustainability?

Answer 2

• 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.

Question 3

What are the most common environmental issues experienced on construction sites?

Answer 3

• Risks of Water Pollution.
• Air and Noise Pollution.
• High Energy Consumption and carbon emissions.
• Risk of land contamination.
• Damage to wild habitats.
• High Wastage production into landfill.
• Release of dangerous gases and chemicals.

Question 4

What are the key pieces of legislation that affect sustainability in construction?

Answer 4

• 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.
• Climate Change Act – This is a legally binding framework to tackle climate change. It imposed targets to cut greenhouse emissions compared with 1990 levels 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.
• Clean Air Act – This legislation provides local authorities within England to introduce measures in order to control air pollution.

Question 5

What is the Climate Change Act (2008)?

Answer 5

• This is a legally binding framework to tackle climate change.
• It imposed targets to cut greenhouse emissions compared with 1990 levels 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.

Question 6

What are the Key Building Regulations that relate to sustainability in construction?

Answer 6

• Building Regulations Part L — Conservation of Fuel and Power.

Question 7

What code of practice are you aware of for measuring sustainability?

Answer 7

BREEAM

Question 8

What does BREEAM stand for?

Answer 8

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Scheme

Question 9

What is BREEAM?

Answer 9

• Assessment scheme that sets best practice standards for the environmental performance of buildings through specification, design, construction and operation.

Question 10

How are BREEAM assessments carried out?

Answer 10

The assessment is undertaken by a licensed assessor based on energy, land & ecology, water, health & wellbeing, pollution, materials and waste and management.

Question 11

What are the various BREEAM ratings?

Answer 11

▪ Outstanding.
▪ Excellent.
▪ Very Good.
▪ Good.
▪ Pass.
▪ Unclassified.

Question 12

Are you familiar with any sustainability measurement codes of practice other than BREEAM?

Answer 12

• LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
• USA equivalent of BREEAM

Question 13

What procedures does your firm implement to promote sustainability?

Answer 13

• Recycling of cardboard, paper and plastics.
• Use a default search engine called Ecosia which spends 100% of profits on tree planting initiatives.
• Offers EV car salary sacrifice scheme.

Question 14

What is the Paris Agreement?

Answer 14

• The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty concerning climate change.
• It was adopted by nearly every nation and came into affect in 2016.
• The agreement commits all major emitting countries to cut their climate pollution.

Question 15

What was the goal of the Paris Agreement?

Answer 15

• 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.

Question 16

Name some sustainable building methods?

Answer 16

• Green Roofs.
• Solar Panels.
• Ground Source Heat Pumps.
• Air Source Heat Pumps.

Question 17

What is your understanding of the term ‘Green Roofs’?

Answer 17

• 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.
• Advantages of Green Roofs are that they absorb rainwater, provide extra insulation, increase biodiversity by providing habitats for wildlife.

Question 18

What are Photovoltaics and how do they work?

Answer 18

• 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.

Question 19

Can you explain your understanding of the term carbon neutral?

Answer 19

• Carbon neutrality refers to achieving a balance between the carbon emissions produced and those removed from the atmosphere, resulting in a net zero carbon footprint.
• This is accomplished by reducing emissions through energy efficiency and renewable energy, and offsetting any remaining emissions via carbon credits or sequestration methods.

Question 20

What is meant by the term solar gain?

Answer 20

• Solar gain is the increase in temperature in a space, object or structure due to solar radiation (the heat from the sun).

Question 21

How can solar gain be managed in buildings?

Answer 21

• 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.

Question 22

How does a ground source heat pump work?

Answer 22

• Heat from the ground is absorbed into a fluid in underground pipes (ground loop).
• A compressor raises the fluid’s temperature to heat water for the home.
• The cooled fluid returns to the ground to absorb more heat, maintaining a continuous cycle.

Question 23

What are the benefits of a BREEAM certified building?

Answer 23

• Reduce running costs and environmental impact.
• Enhance market appeal to tenants through lower running costs and enhanced living and working environments.
• Excellent or Very Good ratings enhance building value and delivers positive PR through demonstrated sustainability.

Question 24

What is an EPC?

Answer 24

• Energy Performance Certificates were introduced in 2007 and are a legal requirement for a building to be sold, let or constructed.
• EPC’s are rated on a scale of A-G.

Question 25

What sustainable initiatives are you aware of that are being implemented by the RICS?

Answer 25

• The RICS SKA ratings encourages green codes of practice for commercial properties.
• RICS has also launched the ‘Value the Planet’ campaign and committed to forming a climate change expert panel to implement the UN’s sustainable development goals.
• RICS has launched a Responsible Business Report filled with solutions for companies to operate in a greener capacity, regardless of the firm’s size. This includes introducing higher recycling rates and reducing energy, transport and water use where possible.

Question 26

What are SKA ratings?

Answer 26

• An RICS Environmental assessment method for non-domestic fit outs such as office refurbishments.
• The scheme assesses fit out projects against a set of sustainability good practice criteria, known as Good Practice Measures (GPM).
• SKA can act as an alternative to BREEAM which have higher costs in comparison.

Question 27

What things do you implement to promote sustainability?

Answer 27

• Use public transport.
• Use of cloud-based storage systems.
• Printing only when necessary.
• Recycling.