Sustainability (Level 3) Flashcards
Level 1 - What are the three pillars of sustainability?
Environmental
Social
Governance
(ESG)
Level 1 - What professional standard relates to Whole Life of Carbon?
Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment, July 2024 (WLCA Standard)
Level 1 - What is the Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment, July 2024 (WLCA Standard)
- Framework for assessing carbon emissions across a building’s entire life cycle, including embodied and operational carbon.
- It covers life cycle stages from material sourcing to end-of-life and promotes consistent carbon reporting.
- The standard supports carbon benchmarking and helps align projects with the UK’s Net Zero targets.
- WLCA encourages the use of circular economy principles and helps identify strategies to reduce carbon emissions, ensuring that projects contribute to sustainability goals throughout their lifespan.
- It provides both mandatory and recommended practices for compliance.
Level 1 - What is RICS commitment to sustainability?
- Decarbonise the built environment, build climate resilient, promote biodiversity and embed circular economy principles.
- Recently participated at the inaugural Buildings and Climate Forum in Paris.
Level 1 - What is the definition of sustainability?
The Brundtland Report 1987
“meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Level 1 - What is an EPC and what is included?
Environmental Performance Certificate
- Address of property and floor area
- EPC certificate and reference number
- Technical information on the property’s energy provision
- Estimation of energy running costs
- An energy performance rating from A+ to G
- Benchmarking information
Level 1 - Where would you find an EPC?
EPC online register
Level 1 - When are properties exempt from an EPC?
- Listed buildings
- Buildings which have no heating
- Religious buildings
- Temporary buildings
- Buildings due to be demolished/redeveloped
Level 1 - Is an EPC required for sub-letting and assignment?
Yes
Level 1 - When is an EPC required?
- All commercial buildings over 50 sq m.
- Newly built, sold,, or let for term more than 6 months (&less than 99 years)
- When newly refurbsihed and HVAC altered / the building is subject to Building Regs for construction
Level 1 - What are the EPC requirements for marketing?
- Must be commissioned within 7 days of the commencements of marketing (28-day limit for procurement)
- Agents are responsible for procuring EPCs
- Only the actual energy rating is required to be displayed on property and advertisements. 4. 4. Where space allows, the graph should be shown
- All online marketing material must have a link to the EPC to show the front page of the EPC
Level 1 - What are the penalties for non-compliance on displaying of EPCs? Who enforces the regulations?
Local authorities’ Trading Standards teams enforce the regulations.
Max. penalty is equal to 12.5% of the RV of the building (a minimum of £500 and maximum of £5,000 fine).
Level 1 - What is the main legislation on EPC’s?
The Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012
Level 1 - When are EPC’s required to be displayed?
For properties over 250m, frequently visited by public (schools), required to display EPC
Fine of £500
Level 1 - What do the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) as set out in the Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2015 require?
Minimum EPC rating of Level E. Implementation was in stages:
New leases from 1 April 2018 (for both commercial and residential properties) to include lease renewals/extensions
All existing leases from 1 April 2023 for commercial properties
Level 1 - What are the exemptions for MEES regulation compliance?
- Places of worship.
- Where the tenancy is less than 6 months with no security of tenure.
- Where tenancy is for more than 99 years.
- When it is not feasible to improve the EPC rating to E or above even when all possible improvements with a payback of 7 years or sooner have been made. Three quotes from relevant works must be obtained from energy assessors.
- When the devaluation case can be proven, where improvements would reduce the market value of a property by more than 5%.
- When third-party consent from a tenant, landlord, or planning authority for improvements is refused or conditionally cannot be reasonably met by the landlord.
Level 1 - Which MEES exemptions only last for 5 years and cannot be transferred on sale?
When it is not feasible to improve the EPC rating to E or above even when all possible improvements with a payback of 7 years or sooner have been made. Three quotes from relevant works must be obtained from energy assessors.
When the devaluation case can be proven, where improvements would reduce the market value of a property by more than 5%.
When third-party consent from a tenant, landlord, or planning authority for improvements is refused or conditionally cannot be reasonably met by the landlord.
Level 1 - Where do you register exemptions?
Exemptions must be pre-registered on the Local Authority Exemptions Register and renewed five-yearly
Level 1 - what are current MEES expectations?
Consultation last year, white paper at the moment
2027 - C
2030 - B
Level 1 - What are the penalties for non-compliance with MEES?
Breach < 3 months – up to £5,000 or (if greater) 10% of the Rateable Value with a maximum penalty of £50,000
Break > 3 months – up to £10,000 or (if greater) 20% of the Rateable Value with a maximum penalty of £150,000
Level 1 - Who polices non-compliance with MEES?
Local Authority
Level 1 - What is the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)?
Enenergy Savings Oppertunity Scheme
ESOS is an energy assessment scheme that is mandatory for large organisations in the UK (more than 250 employees, turnover more than £50m). They are required to:
- Measure total energy consumption across buildings, transport, and industrial activities.
- Conduct energy audits to identify cost-effective energy efficiency recommendations.
- Report compliance to the Environment Agency.
Level 1 - What is the Climate Change Levy (CCL)?
Tax on energy use to non-domestic users in the United Kingdom.
Energy generated from renewable sources is exempt from CCL
Level 1 - What are Display Energy Certificates (DECs)?
- Display Energy Certificates (DECs) are required for public buildings over 250 sq. m.
- They display actual energy used and carbon dioxide emissions.
Level 1 - What does BREEAM stand for?
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
Level 1 - What is a BREEAM rating?
A voluntary environmental assessment tool to rate new and refurbished commercial and residential buildings.
They are commonly being required to support planning applications
Level 1 - What are the 5 BREEAM ratings?
Pass
Good
Very Good
Excellent
Outstanding
Level 1 - How did the government amend the Climate Change Act 2008 in 2019?
Required the UK to achieve “net zero carbon” by 2050
Level 1 - What is COP and when was the last one?
Conference of Parties
Most recently COP 26 - Dubai 2023
next one is Nov 2024 in Azerbajan
Level 1 - How does COP related to Paris Agreement 2015
global warming limiting to 1.5 degrees
Level 1 - What was the previous carbon target?
Climate Change Act 2008
Reduce GHG by 80% on 1990 levels
Level 1 - Other than BREEAM, what are some of the other building environmental assessment tools?
LEED
RICS SKA
Energy Star
Nabers