Sustainability

Question 1

What are the three principles sustainability?

Answer 1

Environmental, social and economic.

Question 2

What environmental assessment methods are there?

Answer 2

BREEAM, LEED, SKA

Question 3

How is BREEAM assessed?

Answer 3

BREEAM assess project through a combination for 4 parts depending on the scope- External Envelope, Core Services, Local Services and Interior Design.#

It is a points based system with leads to a rating.
Sustainable value is measured in a series of 10 categories:

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

It is a points based system with leads to a rating.

Question 4

How is LEED assessed?

Answer 4

Projects pursuing LEED certification earn points for various green building strategies across 5 categories:

Sustainable Sites
Water Efficiency
Energy and Atmosphere
Materials and Resources
Indoor Environmental Quality
Points are earned by gaining credits for things like:

-Responsible sourcing of raw materials
-Providing individual thermal comfort controls for at least 50% of individual occupant spaces
-Providing outdoor space greater than or equal to 30% of the total site area

Based on the number of points achieved, a project earns one of four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.

Question 5

How is SKA assessed?

Answer 5

A SKA rating only measures what is within the scope and covers 100 individual measures of good practices across 8 sustainability issues:

Energy use
Carbon dioxide emissions
Materials
Waste
Water
Wellbeing
Pollution
Transport

Examples of criteria include:
-At least 80% of all removed chairs must be reused either on or off site or recycled through a closed loop scheme (e.g. manufacturer’s take back scheme), and the remaining 20% must be diverted from landfill.
-At least 70% of materials must be supplied with an EPD or Cradle to Cradle certificate

The assessment process involves identifying measures in scope, gathering evidence to prove that what had been specified has been delivered and that performance and waste benchmarks have been achieved.

Projects are awarded either a Bronze, Silver or Gold SKA rating, plus a percentage score.

Question 6

What building regulations apply to sustainability?

Answer 6

Approved document L and O.

Question 7

What recyclable and sustainable materials are available in construction?

Answer 7

• Recycled Steel
  -Recycled Glass
  -Clay Brick
  -Recycled Rubber
  -Ferrock ( a substitute for cement)

Question 8

What is energy conservation?

Answer 8

Energy conservation involves using less energy by adjusting your behaviors and habits

Question 9

What is used to measure the energy performance of a building or unit?

Answer 9

EPC

Question 10

What is an energy performance certificate?

Answer 10

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a document that provides an energy efficiency rating for a building, typically ranging from A (very efficient) to G (very inefficient).

Question 11

What does BREEAM stand for?

Answer 11

Building Research Institute Environmental Assessment Method.

Question 12

What does LEED stand for?

Answer 12

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

Question 13

How does SKA differ from LEED and BREEAM?

Answer 13

BREEAM, LEED and WELL apply to all phases of the build and cover new builds and fit-out/refurbishment, where as SKA is project driven and only covers fit-out/refurbishment.

Question 14

What legislation are you aware of relating to sustainability?

Answer 14

-Clean Air Act
-Floor and Water Management Act
-Wildlife and Countryside Act
-Environment Act (The general aims of the act remain being to reduce landfill, improve air and water quality, and protect wildlife)