Sustainability L1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is COP26 and what does COP stand for?

A
  • COP is the Conference of the Parties and is attended by countries that signed the United Nations
    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.
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2
Q

What happened at COP26?

A
  • At COP26 a newly established Glasgow Financial Alliance was announced for Net Zero carbon
    emissions of $130 trillion of private capital to accelerate the transition to a net-zero carbon economy.
  • The private sector is now under more intense scrutiny from both clients and institutional investors on
    ensuring net-zero commitments are robust and legitimate.
  • There are new requirements for all listed companies in the UK to produce net-zero transition plans by
    2023.
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3
Q

Please explain your understanding of the term sustainability?

A
  • To meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
    own needs.
  • Key principles were also set out within the Brundtland Commission Report, Our Common Future
    1987 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.
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4
Q

What are the key principles of sustainability?
*

A
  • 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.
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5
Q

What are the core principles of Planning and Decision making around
sustainability?

A
  • Creative processes should be used not just scrutiny.
  • Proactive steps should be taken to achieve sustainable development.
  • Secure the development of high quality built assets.
  • Account for the character of the surrounding area.
  • Support a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy.
  • Conserve & enhance natural environment and reduce pollution.
  • Encourage use of brownfield sites.
  • Conserve heritage.
  • Maximise use of public transport, cycling and walking.
  • Support health, social and cultural well-being.
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6
Q

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

A
  • 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
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7
Q

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

A
  • 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.
  • Building Act – This is 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.
  • Clean Air Act – This legislation provides local authorities within England to introduce measures in
    order to control air pollution.
  • 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.
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8
Q

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

A
  • Building Regulations Part L — Conservation of Fuel and Power.
  • Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations.
    o Requires that EPC’s are produced for dwellings and non-dwellings.
    o Quantifies energy efficiency of buildings.
    o Required when buildings are built, sold or rented.
    o Commercial buildings over 500 sqm. and frequented by the public need to display a display
    energy certificate (DEC) based on actual energy used.
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9
Q

What are the different forms of taxation relating to sustainability?

A
  • Landfill Tax which is an environmental tax payable in addition to landfill rates charged by private
    disposal companies.
  • The tax was introduced as a means to encourage alternative methods of disposal such as recycling.
  • The tax is charged by weight at varying rates depending on whether the waste is inert or active.
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10
Q

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

A
  • BREEAM (Life Cycle Assessment).
    o Sets best practice standards for the environmental performance of buildings through
    specification, design, construction and operation.
    o BREEAM Stands for the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment
    Method.
    o The assessment is undertaken by a licensed assessor based on energy, land & ecology, water,
    health & wellbeing, pollution, materials and waste and management.
    o BREEAM applies to new and refurbishment projects, domestic and non-domestic.
    o Rating are:
     Outstanding.
     Excellent.
     Very Good.
     Good.
     Pass.
     Unclassified.
  • SKA Ratings
    o An RICS Environmental assessment method for non-domestic fit outs such as office
    refurbishments.
    o The scheme assesses fit out projects against a set of sustainability good practice criteria, known
    as Good Practice Measures (GPM).
    o SKA can act as an alternative to BREEAM which have higher costs in comparison.
  • LEED (Life Cycle Assessment).
    o LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
    o It is a USA equivalent of BREEAM.
    o Ratings are:-
     LEED Certified.
     Silver.
     Gold.
     Platinum.
  • This method reviews embodied aspects of carbon emissions as well as life cycle assessment during
    construction and operation.
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11
Q

What is your company’s sustainability policy?

A

Welbeck have Environmental, Social and Governance Goals which they apply to every planning permission. Where viable Welbeck will exceed minimum environmental standards. For example, a site in Henfield in which the scheme will produce 80% Bio-diversity Net Gain as opposed to minimum standards of 10%.

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12
Q

What is the Paris Agreement?

A
  • 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 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
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13
Q

Name some sustainable building methods?

A
  • Use of recycled materials such as reclaimed timber, recycled tiles and plastics.
  • Ground Source Heat Pumps.
  • Air Source Heat Pumps.
  • Solar Panels.
  • Wind Turbines.
  • Solar Shading.
  • Rain water harvesting.
  • Green Roofs.
  • Automated Building Systems (Lighting sensors).
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14
Q

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

A
  • 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.
  • Rooftop ponds are an alternative form of green roof which are used to treat grey water.
  • 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 providing habitats for wildlife, are aesthetically pleasing and lower urban air
    temperatures.
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15
Q

What is a soakaway and how do they work?

A
  • 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.
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16
Q

Can you explain your understanding of the term carbon neutral?

A
  • 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.
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17
Q

What is meant by the term solar gain?

A
  • Solar gain is the name given to the increase in temperature in a space, object or structure due to solar
    radiation (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.
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18
Q

How can solar gain be managed in buildings?

A
  • 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
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19
Q

How does a ground source heat pump work?

A
  • 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.
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20
Q

Please explain your understanding of the term SUDS?

A
  • 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
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21
Q

What are the benefits of a BREEAM certified building?

A
  • 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.
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22
Q

What are the benefits of rainwater harvesting?

A
  • It decreases the demand for water.
  • It reduces the need for imported water.
  • Rainwater harvesting promotes both water and energy conservation.
  • Improved BREEAM compliance can be achieved.
  • Lower operational costs can be gained.
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23
Q

What is an EPC?

A
  • Energy Performance Certificates were introduced in 2007 and are a legal requirement for a building to
    be sold, let or constructed.
  • Once obtained, an EPC is valid for 10 years.
  • The most efficient built assets typically have the lowest fuel bills and are in band A.
  • EPC’s are rated on a scale of A-G.
  • The energy efficiency of the built asset along with the potential efficiency following improvements are
    identified.
  • The EPC will also show the amount of CO2 emissions produced by the property in tonnes and will
    advise the amount this could be reduced by.
24
Q

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

A
  • 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.
25
Q

What things do you implement to promote sustainability?

A
  • Printing only when necessary.
  • Public transport or car sharing
  • Recycling.
  • Being careful to minimise waste where possible.
  • Avoiding the use of plastic bottles.
  • Use of cloud-based storage systems.
26
Q

What percentage of carbon emissions are buildings responsible for?

A

40% of all emissions.

27
Q

What have you read recently that demonstrates the RICS’s commitment to Sustainability?

A
  • The RICS produces a Sustainability Report each year which details the progress made in this area along with key metrics such as barriers to achieving net zero in buildings (e.g. high initial costs), what can be done (e.g. government policy making) and the net demand for green buildings
  • The RICS is a member of the Society For The Environment which has it’s own Royal Charter to accredit professionals that meet the standards required to call themselves Chartered Environmentalists
28
Q

What are our legally binding commitments to Carbon Emission Targets, and in what Act were they set? (For an extra point – What did Theresa May alter them to?)

A

1.Reduce Carbon emissions by 80% on the 1990 levels by 2050, from the Climate Change Act 2008. (Net Zero Carbon by 2050 in 2019)

2.COP26 – Conference Of the Parties

3.In advance of COP26, UK enshrines new target in law to slash emissions by 78% by 2035.

29
Q

Does the Energy Efficiency of a Building Effect it’s Value?

A

Yes, investors and occupiers are increasingly conscious about the carbon footprint of the buildings they own and occupy. Property professionals are increasingly conscious of the responsibility the built environment has. Additionally an inefficient building is likely to be a fiscal (and therefore CAPEX) liability in future.

30
Q

Why do we have Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)?

A

The EU Directive: Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2010); which lead to the UK Government implementing the Energy Performance of Buildings (England & Wales) Regulations (2012).

31
Q

What did the Energy Act 2011 Change for EPCs?

A

From April 2018, you cannot lease commercial or residential properties with an F or G-rating (two lowest ones).

32
Q

Where do you find EPCs?

A

On the EPC register called the Energy Performance of Buildings Register from the Gov.Uk, there is a domestic and non-domestic register.

EST in Scotland.

33
Q

What’s the Scale for EPCs?

A

Domestic and commercial are different. England and Scotland not comparable.

A+ to G

Net Zero to 100+

34
Q

When are EPCs Required?

A

When a commercial building over 50m² is;
- Newly built
- Sold
- Leased for longer than 6 months
- Refurbished
- Heating/air conditioning is altered
- Lease is assigned / sub-let

And also for the Leasing and sale of residential property

35
Q

Under what Circumstance might you not need an EPC?

A

If the building is listed, buildings that have no heating, religious buildings, temporary buildings, buildings that are due to be demolished.

36
Q

What are the requirements in relation to EPCs when marketing a property?

A

You must commission the EPC within 7 days of beginning the marketing of the property (28 day limit for procurement). Agents are responsible for this, and only the letter must be displayed not the actual number if there is not enough space to do so.

All online marketing material must have a link to show the front page of the EPC document.

37
Q

What is included on the front page of an EPC Certificate?

A

Property address, EPC reference number, Technical information on the property, estimated running costs, energy performance rating, benchmarking information.

38
Q

How long is an EPC Valid for?

A

An EPC is valid for 10 years.

39
Q

What are the Penalties for Non-Compliance with EPCs?

A

Local authority will fine you £200 for marketing a residential property without an EPC. For commercial the limit is 12.5% of the Rental Value of the Property (Collared at £500, and Capped at £5,000).

40
Q

What are MEES?

A

MEES is the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (2015)

41
Q

What are the changes that are happening to private rented property with regard to EPC rating?

A

Under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England & Wales) Regulation 2015 –

New leases will not be able to be granted on properties (commercial and residential) with an EPC rating of F or G, as of the 1st April 2018.

As of the 1st April 2023 for existing leases (April 2020 for residential).

42
Q

Under what Circumstances would you be exempt from MEES?

A

If a property doesn’t need an EPC (places of worship, tenancy more than 99 years, low energy demand buildings etc…)
If increasing the EPC rating isn’t feasible assuming a payback period of 7 years. Quotes from 3 contractors must be sought for this.

Residential Landlords are required to spend £3,500 from April 2019 to bring the property up to E, if they do so and it doesn’t come up to E they can apply for exemption.

If the changes would reduce the value of the property by 5% or more then you do not have to.

Exemptions last 5 years and can’t be transferred at sale.

43
Q

What are the Penalties for Non-Compliance with MEES?

A

Failure to comply with MEES (2015) will result in fines of:
* If breach is less than 3 months: £5,000 or if great 10% of the rateable value (up to max of £50,000)
* If breach is more than 3 months: £10,000 or if greater 20% of the rateable value (up to a max of £150,000).
* MEES is Policed by Local Authority.

44
Q

What is the Climate Change Levy (CCL)?

A

Tax on energy consumption for businesses in the UK. Introduced as an incentive to reduce energy consumption by businesses. Charged directly by energy companies who pass it to the Treasury.

45
Q

What does BREEAM Stand For?

A

BREEAM = “Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method”

46
Q

What are the Five Levels of BREEAM?

A

There are five levels of BREEAM: Outstanding, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Pass.

47
Q

What is sustainable development to you?

A

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

48
Q

How was UK government attempting to implement net zero?

A

£12bn into the ‘green industrial revolution’, focusing on power generation sector.

49
Q

What is the potential future change to the MEES Regulations?

A

The MEES is set to tighten further, requiring a minimum EPC requirement of B by 2030 (and an interim milestone of EPC C by 2027).

50
Q

When was the global net zero goal set?

A

Paris Agreement (COP21) in 2015 pledged to hit net zero by 2050

51
Q

What are the three pillars of sustainability?

A

Environmental
Economic
Societal

52
Q

What is Part L?

A

Building Regulations Part L covers the conservation of fuel and power in the building of new homes in England, and establishes how energy-efficient new and existing homes should be.

53
Q

What Part of Part L is relevant to new developments?

A

Approved Document Part L1A - Covers the requirements for new homes to be energy efficient, and individuals responsible for building work must ensure that the homes complies with the requirements provided within this document.

54
Q

What is sustainable development?

A

Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

55
Q

What does the NPPF say about sustainable development?

A

Presumption in favour of sustainable development’ is a principle in the Framework that means LPAs should approve most planning applications, unless those applications would compromise sustainable development rules
- Strengthened wording to require planners to protect and enhance the environment