Sustainability L3

Question 1

What RICS guidance is there on sustainability?

Answer 1

Whole Life Carbon Assessment (WLCA)

Residential retrofit standard:

Question 2

What is the Paris Agreement?

Answer 2

Is a legally binding international treaty concerning climate change. Came into effect in 2016. The goal is to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees with the effort to limit it to 1.5 degrees.

Question 3

Explain BREEAM and what does it stand for

Answer 3

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
BREEAM Rating % score
* OUTSTANDING ≥ 85
* EXCELLENT ≥ 70
* VERY GOOD ≥ 55
* GOOD ≥ 45
* PASS ≥ 30
* UNCLASSIFIED < 30

Question 4

What sustainability legislation is there?

Answer 4

• Building Act 1984
• Clean Air Act
• Climate Change Act 2008
• Wildlife and Countryside Act
• The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard – September 2024

Question 5

What do the new rules of conduct say about sustainability?

Answer 5

3.10 Members and firms, when advising clients about projects, encourage solutions that are sustainable in that they minimise harm and deliver balanced economic, social and environmental benefits

Question 6

At 13 Devonshire mews you advised the client external walls, ground floor and roof, install double or triple glazed windows and install an ASHP to decarbonise the building and meet the clients NetZero objective. Can you explain how you came to this conclusion.

Answer 6

Through previous refurbishments and working with an external EPC consultant who provided a predicted EPC prior to tendering for the project.

Question 7

COP29 (Conference of the Parties) What happened at COP29?

Answer 7

• Held in Baku, Azerbaijan in November 2024. Focused on addressing the client change finance gap through the loss and damage fund, designed to support vulnerable nations.
• Progress was made on working towards a global carbon market where the buying and selling of carbon emissions is facilitated to help reduce global emissions. This market would incentivise lower global emissions for companies, countries and other entities.
• By putting a price on carob, it incentives industries to innovate and invest in cleaner technologies, helping to reduce the global foot print.
• Progress was made on the New Climate Finance Global to replace the previous $100m goal. This is intended to ensure that sufficient finical resources are mobilised to support developing countries to address the impacts of loss and damage from client-related disasters. A consensus on the amount and scope of the funds required was discussed at COP29.

Question 8

What is a global Carbon Market?

Answer 8

• An internation system that allows the buying and selling of carbon emissions, allowances or credits.

Question 9

Provide an overview of the RICS Sustainability Report?

Answer 9

• The report provides a detailed analysis of the current state of sustainability within the built environment sector/ the key finding include:
• Identification of an increase in market demand for green buildings however the adoption of sustainable practices remains limited
• High upfront costs and insufficient government incentives form significant barriers to widespread implementation of greener building methods.
• The report highlighted a need for consistent sustainability measurement across projects. Tools like the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment (WLCA) standard aim to address the issue by providing a unified framework for assessing and reducing carbon emissions throughout a buildings lifecycle.
• The RICS emphasises that the level of commitment and action needs to increase substantially to achieve 2050 net-zero targets.
  The RICE continues to play a pivotal role in shaping sustainability policies and standards globally. Its involvement initiatives like the UN’s Building Breakthrough highlights the importance of harmonising sustainability standards worldwide

Question 10

Explain your understanding of MEES?

Answer 10

• Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards are the regulations in the UK that sets minimum energy performance requirements for building, specifically for private rented properties.
• Properties in the private rented sector must meet at last an E rating on their EPC to be legally rented out. If a building is rated lower than an E, Landlords are required to improve the energy efficiency of the property before renting it out, unless specific exemptions apply.
• The MEES regulations are part if the UK governments broader environmental and sustainability agenda aiming to ensure that properties are energy-efficient and more environmentally friendly

Question 11

What do you understand about sustainability?

Answer 11

Referring to the Brundtland Report it is making use of today’s resources without comprise for future generations.

Question 12

What is your understanding of carbon neutral?

Answer 12

Carbon Neutrality is to have a balance between carob emitted and the carob absorbed from the atmosphere in carbon sinks.