Sustainability (Level 2) Flashcards

1
Q

What is BREEAM?

A
  • BREEAM, which stands for Building Research Establishments Environmental Assessment Method, is a way of rating the sustainable performance of a building.
  • A method of assessing, rating and certifying a building sustainability.
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2
Q

What is Part L and what does it entail?

A

• Part L Conservation of Fuel and Power.
• It is broken down in 4 parts.
o Part L1 A = Conservation of Fuel and Power in a new Dweling.
o Part L1 B = Conservation of Fuel and Power in an Existing Dwelling.
o Part L2 A = Conservation of Fuel and Power in a new non-domestic.
o Part L2 B = Conservation of Fuel and Power in an existing non-domestic.
• In 2013, the performance criterion for a Part L was increased by 6% for dwellings, and 9% for non-domestic buildings.

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3
Q

What can be done onsite to improve sustainability?

A
  • Waste Management, i.e. the segregation of waste for recycling.
  • Just in time Deliveries.
  • Waste Management Plans.
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4
Q

How is a building rated under BREEAM?

A

• Against nine criteria:

  1. Energy.
  2. Land use.
  3. Water.
  4. Health and Wellbeing.
  5. Pollution.
  6. Transport.
  7. Materials.
  8. Waste.
  9. Management.
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5
Q

What is the process of getting a BREEAM Rating?

A
  1. An assessment should be carried out at design stage to receive an interim certificate.
  2. A second assessment should be carried out post construction to receive the final certificate.
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6
Q

What is an Energy Performance Certificate?

A

It gives a property a rating based on its energy efficiency, from A – G.

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7
Q

Can you name some of the building regulations?

A
  • A = Structure.
  • B = Fire Safety.
  • C = Site Preparation.
  • D = Toxic Substances.
  • E = Resistance to Sound.
  • F = Ventilation.
  • G = Sanitisation and Hot Water.
  • H = Drainage and Waste Disposal.
  • J = Heat Producing Appliances.
  • K = Prevention from falling, collision or impact.
  • L = Conservation of Fuel and Power.
  • M = Accessibility.
  • N = Glazing.
  • P = Electrical Safety.
  • Q = Security.
  • R = High speed comms networks
  • 7 = Materials and workmanship
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8
Q

What renewable technologies do you know off?

A

Photo-voltaic panels
Wind power
Wave power
Thermal power (ground sourced heat pump)

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9
Q

What is a Passivehaus?

A

• A Fabric first approach, whereby the materials used to insulate a building mitigate the requirement for space heating, whilst also creating good indoor quality. Achieved through Good insulation, air tightness and solar gains.

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10
Q

What rating service does the RICS provide with regards to assessing sustainability?

A

RICS Fit out Rating (SKA) which is an environmental assessment tool for sustainable fit outs. It can be used on any non-domestic fit out project, informally or by professionals, with similar criteria to BREEAM.

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11
Q

What Statutory Requirements do you know about relating to Sustainability?

A
  • Climate Change Act 2008.
  • Energy Protection Act 2005.
  • COSHH.
  • Paris Agreement
  • Building Regs.
  • Energy Performance Certificates.
  • Control of Asbestos Regulations 2008.
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12
Q

What is the Carbon Trust?

A

An organisation aimed at helping other organisations reduce their carbon emissions, through improving their energy efficient and carbon management.

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13
Q

What is Embodied carbon?

A

• Embodied carbon is considering all the carbon the will be used in the creating of a product. From sourcing the materials, manufacture, delivery, construction, and disposal.

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14
Q

What is cross ventilation?

A

Cross ventilation occurs where there are pressure differences between one side of a building and the other. Typically, this is a wind-driven effect in which air is drawn into the building on the high pressure windward side and is drawn out of the building on the low pressure leeward side.

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15
Q

What is stack ventilation?

A

Cooler outside air is drawn into buildings at a lower level, it is warmed by sources of heat within the building (such as people, equipment, heating and solar gain), and then rises through the building to vent out at a higher level.

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16
Q

What is the urban heat island effect?

A

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect is the term given to localised higher temperatures that are experienced in urban environments compared with the temperatures of surrounding green spaces.
It is estimated that pavements and roofs account for 60% of urban surfaces, roofs 20-25% and pavements approximately 40%. Presently these surfaces have relatively low albedo values (the fraction of incoming radiation reflected by a body) and high thermal conductivities, typically absorbing and re-radiating around 90% of the total incident solar radiation . This contributes to an Urban Heat Island effect that can result in a rise in summer temperatures of 4-7°C in comparison with adjacent vegetated areas.

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17
Q

What are SUDS?

A

Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) are systems designed to efficiently manage the drainage of surface water in the urban environment.

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18
Q

What are the benefits of SUDS?

A
  • Reducing flooding.
  • Reducing the demand on existing drainage systems (potentially making a development viable in an area where it might otherwise not be viable).
  • Enhancing water quality.
  • Reducing pollution.
  • Providing habitats for wildlife.
  • Providing local amenity.
  • Recharging groundwater and watercourses resulting in a reduced risk of drought.
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19
Q

What are SUDS techniques?

A
  • Filter strips and drains.
  • Swales.
  • Permeable surfaces.
  • Basins and ponds.
  • Underground storage.
  • Wetlands.
  • Green roofs.
  • Rainwater harvesting.
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20
Q

What is a blue roof?

A

A blue roof is a roof designed for the retention of rainwater above the waterproofing element of the roof. This is as opposed to more conventional roofs which allow for rainwater to drain from the roof. Blue roofs are typically flat, without any fall, with control devices regulate drainage outlets that enable water to be retained or drained.

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21
Q

What are the benefits of green roofs?

A

Decreased surface water runoff

  • Decreased heating and cooling demands for the building
  • Increased local biodiversity
  • Increased durability and lifespan of the roof
  • Improved local air quality
  • Psychological benefits
  • Mitigation of the Urban Heat Island effect.
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22
Q

What are the disadvantages of green roofs?

A

Increased capital costs.

  • Increased structural loads.
  • Specialist contractors required.
  • Maintenance requirements.
  • The lack of quantifiable data on the benefits of green roofs.
  • The lack of technical information about how to build them.
  • Lack of incentives.
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23
Q

What is an EIA?

A

The purpose of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is to ensure that the environmental effects of a proposed development are properly considered. An EIA provides the local planning authority with better information about certain types of project, enabling them to make a more informed decision about whether permission should be granted and to allow imposition of more appropriate conditions and obligations to mitigate possible negative impacts.

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24
Q

When are EIAs necessary?

A

The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 sets out a requirement to carry out an EIA as part of the planning application process for certain projects (generally those which are large or environmentally complex).

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25
Q

What is within an EIA?

A
  • A description of the proposed development and its use.
  • An estimate of the likely residues and emissions resulting from the construction and operation of the development (water, air and soil pollution, noise, vibration, light, heat, radiation, etc.).
  • An assessment of how the development complies with planning policy.
  • An assessment of environmental opportunities and constraints.
  • An assessment of appropriate alternatives. This may include an assessment of possible alternative sites, so it is important that this is done during the very early stages of a project - not as a process of post-rationalisation after the client has already selected a site.
  • An assessment of the likely impacts of the development.
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26
Q

What was the cost difference between green roofs and brown roofs on Clapham Park?

A

The cost difference was the smaller substrate and lack of planting costs on brown roofs compared to the extensive green roof. This amounted to a cost of £50/m2 increase in extensive green roofs compared to brown.

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27
Q

What are the differences between green, blue and brown roofs?

A

A green extensive roof is planted for ecological and aesthetic purposes. Normally does not require as deep substrate as intensive. Requires less maintenance.

A green intensive roof is where typically bigger plants are grown and there is paving or decked areas. This requires deeper substrate.

A brown roof is where the planting is based on the original site had the building not been there.

A blue roof is onethatstoreswater, can include openwatersurfaces,storagewithin or beneath a porous media or modular surface or below a raiseddeckingsurface or cover.

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28
Q

What was the roof build up in green/brown roofs?

A

1) Planting 2) sedum 3) Drainage 4) Membrane/Geotextile layer 5) Root Barrier 6) 2nd waterproofing 7) Roof deck/concrete

29
Q

What is absorption cooling?

A

A chiller based on the absorption refrigeration process in which cooling is provided by the expansion of liquid ammonia into gas and absorption of the gas by water, the ammonia is reused after water evaporates.

30
Q

What is sustainability?

A

A desire to carry out activities without depleting resources or having harmful impacts. Can fall under a environmental, social and economic category.

31
Q

What cost uplift is needed for introducing sustainable features?

A

Typically 2-10% however this would depend on the features used.

32
Q

What did you learn at the sustainability 101 training?

A
  • One of Mace’s business strategies is be responsible.
  • Net carbon zero
  • Carbon offset procedures.
33
Q

What could be the effects of brexit on construction and what could be done to mitigate the impact?

A
  • More young people intro trades
  • Open to commonwealth
  • Prefab options
34
Q

What is the Kyoto protocol target?

A

This was an agreement between developed nations to reduce their carbon emissions based on the levels at 1990.
n the UK, the first commitment period target was to reduce emissions by 12.5% compared to 1990 levels. By 2012 emissions were estimated to be 26.7% below 1990 levels, but 24.9% below 1990 levels if emissions trading was taken into account

35
Q

What is the aim of the Paris agreement?

A

The Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature goal is to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels; and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 °C, recognizing that this would substantially reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.

36
Q

What were the cost differences between green and brown roofs?

A

The cost would be the extra stata and planting of the green roofs which would be circa £50/m2 more than brown roofs.

37
Q

What were the costs of photovoltaic panels?

A
  • These were cost at £450/m2 as a composite rate for the panel and all connections.
38
Q

What is the RICS doing regarding sustainability?

A

RICS has published the futures report which details sustainability including:

  • established the RICS building carbon database - a free to use publicly available resource for building professionals to benchmark their designs and have access to more detailed comparative data on carbon emissions.
  • Launched a professional statement on whole life carbon assessment for the build environment which sets out specific mandatory principles and supporting guidance for the assessment of environmental performance.
39
Q

How do BREEAM weightings stack up?

A

From the 9 categories, each category has allocated % score which adds up to 100%. There is an extra 10% (a possible score of 110%) for Innovation. See ratings below:

Energy (16%)
Land use & ecology (13%)
Water (7%)
Health and Wellbeing (14%)
Pollution (8%)
Transport (10%)
Materials (15%)
Waste (6%)
Management (11%)
Innovation (10%)

Each category has a weighting, which in a way sets out the ‘importance’ of each against the others. For example, the higher weighted categories include energy and materials, where as the lowest weighted categories include water and waste.

40
Q

What is the latest BREEAM?

A

2018
Updates include a new category:
-Health and wellbeing.
- Electric cars added to transport.

41
Q

What is the urban heat island effect?

A

An urban heat island (UHI) is an urban area or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities. The temperature difference is usually larger at night than during the day, and is most apparent when winds are weak.

42
Q

What is the cost uplift of permeable paving on Clapham Park and what is the build up?

A

The permeable paving required a geotextile layer and root protection zones. Marshalls (£45 PC sum)

43
Q

What are swales and how much do these cost?

A

Swales are shallow, broad and vegetated channels designed to store and/or convey runoff and remove pollutants. They may be used as conveyance structures to pass the runoff to the next stage of the treatment train and can be designed to promote infiltration where soil and groundwater conditions allow.
Typically the cost is for the excavation and disposal and any planting necessary.

44
Q

What are enhanced capital allowances?

A

Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) schemes aim to encourage businesses to invest in efficient technologies. The scheme lets your business claim 100 per cent first-year allowances, ie tax relief, on investments in certain technologies and products.

45
Q

What is the annual investment allowance?

A

The Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) is a form of tax relief for British businesses that is designated for the purchase of business equipment. The AIA allows a business to deduct the total amount of qualifying capital expenditure up to a certain limit from its taxable profits in a given tax year. This allowance is earmarked for the purchase of business equipment, primarily tools and machinery.

46
Q

What is WELL certification?

A

The standard is based on seven years of research in partnership with scientists, doctors and architects exploring the connection between the buildings where people spend their time, and the health and wellbeing impacts those buildings have on their occupants. It is third-party certified by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), which administers the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

47
Q

What is carbon estimating?

A

Looking at an element and calculating the full carbon footprint from production to disposal.

48
Q

What is RICS developing future about?

A

Context
• Issued in 2020 before COVID19
• A report issued by RICS that has lots of Sustainability articles
• In 2015, RICS launched Futures project with the publication of the insight paper Our changing world: let’s be ready, which set out how our sector was likely to be shaped by a series of relentless global trends. These included urbanisation on an unprecedented scale, the dramatic way in which big data and technology was disrupting our sector and the climate crisis.

India
• A 50,000km highway has been constructed in India using waste plastic sprayed with aggregate which is heated to an exact temperature
• RICS has set up 2 schools of the built environment in Noida and Mumbai enrolling 2500 students

Data
• Despite AI and Internet of Things, it has been estimated that 95% of construction data is wasted
• To tackle this RICS is in the process of setting up an Innovation and Technology Hub to provide expertise on this

Drone Technology
• In May 2019 RICS issued a paper looking at drone compliance and also has online courses
• Drones are being used to stop putting people in danger e.g. at heights. Also being used for insurance claims e.g. aftermath of fire or flood

Protecting cities from climate change
• Capital of Indonesia (Jakarta) will be relocated to a new greener space on the island of Borneo for 33billion because the city is sinking / 2/3 of the city is at sea level
• Lagos is at risk of flooding
• Tokyo is at risk of flooding, in 2006 they spent 4billion building the largest underground cistern of water to hold flood water

The Global Picture
• The world needs 331million new homes by 2025
• Cities account for 80% of the global green house emissions
• 90% of urban growth will happen in Africa and Asia
• The UN predicts that 6.5billion people will live in cities by 2050

Our Markets
• Gives key information on GDP growth, construction sector output, investment for Americas/Australia & Newzealand/China/Europe/India/UK & Ireland
• Opportunity for RICS to help join up businesses responses to AI

Talent and Skill
• Feedback that University degree construction courses are outdated and that people are leaning more towards being employed whilst studying (e.g. trainee route)
• RICS must evaluate and review there RICS accredited degrees to make sure they are still relevant for the future
• RICS reviewing CPD model
• RICS need to devise new routes for membership to make sure the brightest/best people join from different backgrounds

Sustainability
• RICS has created the free Building Carbon Database which gives data on carbon emissions for designs
• RICS launched a professional statement on whole life carbon assessment
• RICS looking at the concept of a “Building Passport” – which will be a data platform that can host all building relating data e.g. design, planning, demo.
• RICS established the World Built Environment Forum to convene experts from across the globe to share insights and research on topics such as urbanisation, population growth, resource scarcity, climate change etc.
• RICS might add a mandatory requirement around sustainability for members

49
Q

What is the RICS building carbon database?

A

The RICS Building Carbon database is an evolution of the Wrap Embodied Carbon Database which was commissioned by WRAP and the UK Green Building Council to capture embodied carbon data for whole buildings. The aim is to provide a free and publicly available resource for building professionals to be able to benchmark their designs to a far greater extent and to more detailed comparative data than was previously available to any single company or individual.

50
Q

What does the professional statement on whole life carbon assessment tell you?

A

The professional statement looks at the overall embodied carbon over the whole life of an asset. This constitutes the whole life approach of a building element.
It sets out the detail of how to produce a whole life carbon report.

51
Q

x

A

x

52
Q

Why would a client require a BREEAM rating?

A
  • Local planning authority requirement
  • Sustainable business
  • To save on life cycle/ whole life costing
53
Q

Who would enforce a BREEAM rating?

A
  • Potentially planning condition.
54
Q

Why do you feel sustainability is important to you as a surveyor and to the profession generally?

A

The earth’s capacity is finite. Unsustainable land-use practices, buildings and construction coupled with an ever-growing population are responsible for the depletion of natural resources and loss of biodiversity and habitat.

At global, national and local levels RICS and its members are committed to creating and maintaining a healthy environment not only for today but also for future generations by adhering to the following principles:

protection of the environment through the preservation of natural capital;
promotion of social equity by ensuring access to services for the benefit of all; and
support of a healthy local economy, including high levels of employment.

55
Q

What do you think are the key challenges in achieving sustainability in your area of practice?

A

Answers here will vary depending upon your pathway. Consider issues such as changing mindsets, the need for behavioural change, costs, obtaining buy-in from all parties, and the need to increase demand for higher levels of sustainability in order to influence supply.

56
Q

How would you assess your organisation’s green credentials?

A

Does your employer have an environmental policy?
How is this managed?
What are the key peformance indicators?
What actions are you taking in your office? e.g. recycling, office policies, travel policies and incentives.

57
Q

What extra parts to WLC are there that arent in LCC?

A

x

58
Q

The candidate would also be expected to describe some of the low and zero carbon technologies that were considered on their project and their suitability to meet Part L carbon emission reduction criteria. This may include:

A
Combined heat and power (CHP)  Biomass boilers 
Ground source heat pump 
Solar thermal water heating 
Photovoltaic cells 
Wind turbines (onsite) 
Rainwater harvesting
59
Q

What is a SWMP?

A

A site waste management plan (SWMP) should initially be prepared by the client before construction begins, although they may commission a member of the consultant team to do this on their behalf. It should describe how materials will be managed efficiently and disposed of legally during the construction of the works, explaining how the re-use and recycling of materials will be maximised. These were not compulsory from 2013 however planning authorities may require it or implement a form of plan.

60
Q

What is DEP?

A

Display energy certificate - assesses the energy efficient of building. Display energy certificates (DEC’s) show the energy performance of a building based on actual energy consumption

61
Q

What is Whole Life Costing (WLC)?

A

This is a methodology for the systematic economic consideration of all whole life costs and benefits over a period of analysis, as defined in the agreed scope.
Another definition is “an economic assessment considering all agreed projected significant and relevant cost flows over a period of analysis expressed in monetary value. The projected costs are those needed to achieve defined levels of performance, including reliability, safety and availability”.

62
Q

What is Life Cycle Cost (LCC)?

A

This is the cost of an asset, or its part throughout its cycle life, while fulfilling the performance requirements.
Its UK supplement, ‘Standardised Method for Life Cycle Costing for Construction Procurement’ clarifies the definitions for the UK market and sets down in detail how companies should go about working out a life cycle cost plan.
Broadly, life cycle costs are those associated directly with constructing and operating the building; while whole life costs include other costs such as land, income from the building and support costs associated with the activity within the building. The expertise of the construction industry is best placed to deliver life cycle costs, which its clients can then use to calculate whole life costs.

63
Q

What is the difference between WLC and LCC?

A

Broadly, life cycle costs are those associated directly with constructing and operating the building; while whole life costs include other costs such as land, income from the building and support costs associated with the activity within the building. The expertise of the construction industry is best placed to deliver life cycle costs, which its clients can then use to calculate whole life costs.

64
Q

What is included in WLC and not LCC?

A
  • Income
  • Non-construction costs
  • Externalities
65
Q

What costs are considered in LCC and WLC?

A
  • Construction
  • Maintenance
  • Operation
  • Occupancy
  • End of life
66
Q

What ways can you influence sustainability as a QS?

A
  • Pricing renewable energy options (CHP, ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps, PV panels)
  • Costing exercises regarding sustainable features
  • Understanding the measures taken by governments to encourage the reduction of environmental impacts on development.
67
Q

What is a textbook definition of life cycle cost?

A

Life cycle cost (LCC) is ‘cost of an asset, or its parts throughout its life cycle, while fulfilling the performance requirements’.
Life cycle costing is an economic evaluation method that takes account of all relevant costs over the defined time horizon (period of study), including adjusting for the time value of money (i.e. net present value [NPV], or internal rate of return, or payback period, if required).

68
Q

What are the reasons for using LCC?

A

The two most common ways in which life cycle costing is used in the UK construction industry are:

  1. to generate a cash flow prediction over a given period of time;
  2. to undertake an option appraisal study, in order to evaluate various solutions to a given design and construction problem.
69
Q

What does the climate change act 2008 say?

A

This is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100% from 1990 levels, which was amended in 2019.