Sustainability SoE Q's

Question 1

What are the 3 pillars of sustainability?

Answer 1

Environmental: - Preventing harmful and potentially irreversible impacts on the environment Contribute to protecting and enhancing our natural, built and historic environment.

Social: - Respond to the needs of the wider community. Building healthy communities with sufficient numbers and range of buildings.

Economical: - Efficient use of resources, labour, design meets client requirements.

Question 2

What should you do if the client doesn’t want to go with sustainability?

Answer 2

(See rule 3 of rules of conduct, example behaviours)

Clarify the importance of sustainability for all, the wider community including the client.

Question 3

When might you advise on SKA over BREEAM?

Answer 3

SKA rating is an environmental assessment method, benchmark and standard for non-domestic fit-outs, led and owned by RICS. Helps landlords and tenants assess fit-out projects against a set of sustainability good practice criteria.

Question 4

What are the levels of SKA ?

Answer 4

Easy to understand: Bronze, Silver and Gold, plus a percentage score

Question 5

What are the levels of BREEAM?

Answer 5

Unclassified - Less than 30
Pass - Between 30 & 44
Good - Between 45 & 54
Very Good - Between 55 & 69
Excellent - Between 70 & 84
Outstanding - Above 85

Question 6

What is sustainability?

Answer 6

Sustainability is providing for the needs of today without compromising the needs of the future.

Question 7

Have you encountered any sustainable methods of construction on any of your projects?

Answer 7

Solar panels have been specified on the Farrel Rochdale project.

Natural ventilation and a ground source heat pump have been specified on Alberton House.

Question 8

Do you think there has been a shift to constructing more sustainable buildings?

Answer 8

Yes, the outcome of the COP conventions has highlighted the importance of building more sustainably.

Changes to the building regulations have also highlighted this, with the inclusion of Building Regs Part S - Infrastructure for charging electric vehicles.

Building Regs Part Z - Embodied Carbon, is a proposed amendment which is set to be approved.

The construction industry accounts for 36% of worldwide energy usage, and accounts for 40% of global carbon emissions.

Question 9

What does BREEAM stand for? What is the purpose of BREEAM?

Answer 9

Building Research Establishment Environmental Method

Purpose of BREEAM is to focus on sustainable value and measure sustainability performance through a series of categories:

Energy – Reducing energy usage through processes like a naturally ventilated facade

Land use and ecology

Water

Health and Wellbeing

Pollution – Reduce overall carbon emissions produced during construction

Transport – Building close to local transport links

Materials – Use sustainable materials such as recycled steel

Waste – Reduce waste from site, undertake cut and fill to reduce this

Management

Question 10

What are the different environmental assessment methods used to assess sustainability?

Answer 10

• SKA
• LEED

Question 11

What is an EPC?

Answer 11

• Energy Performance Certificate

Question 12

When are EPC’s required?

Answer 12

They are required before any home is let or sold.

There is a minimum requirement that all rental properties have a minimum rating of C or better.

Question 13

How does a DEC differ to an EPC?

Answer 13

A Display Energy Certificate is for public buildings and must be displayed.

Question 14

Any building regulations you know relating to sustainability?

Answer 14

• Building regulations Part L – Conservation of Fuel and Power
• Building regulations Part O – Overheating
• Building regulations Part S – Infrastructure for Charging Electric Vehicles

Potentially Part Z - Embodied Carbon

Question 15

Please provide on site examples which contribute to sustainability?

Answer 15

Some methods that may contribute to sustainability would be reuse of existing materials. Undertaking a cut and fill exercise will identify whether spoil can be reused on site and reduce the need for transportation off site.

Question 16

What is embodied carbon?

Answer 16

Carbon emissions generated from all the activities involved in the creation and demolition of a building.

Question 17

What did the RICS Futures Report advise on Sustainability?

Answer 17

Building construction and operations account for 36% of global energy use, and 40% of CO2 emissions.

RICS have established a Building Carbon database for detailed comparative data on carbon emissions.

RICS have also launched a professional statement on whole life carbon assessment for the built environment. Provides information on the assessment of a building’s environmental performance.

RICS stated that they were committed to achieving the UN’s sustainable development goals.

RICS should take a leading role in sustainability in the built environment. This was later echoed in the Bichard Review.

Question 18

What RICS guidance is there on Sustainability?

Answer 18

• RICS Futures Report 2020
• Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment
• RICS Sustainability Report 2022
• ICMS3 – RICS contribute to

Question 19

What happened at COP 21?

Answer 19

In Paris, in 2015, the Paris Agreement was made. This is a global framework set out to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees. Came into effect in 2016.

Each country must determine, plan, and regularly report on their emissions and on their implementation efforts to mitigate climate change.

THE PARIS AGREEMENT IS IN THREAT OF BEING BREACHED IN 2023.

Question 20

What happened at COP 26?

Answer 20

In Glasgow, in 2021, the Glasgow Climate Pact was adopted, with the aim of turning the 2020’s into a decade of climate action and support.

Nations reaffirmed their pledge to provide $100 billion annually from developed countries to developing countries.

Collectively agreed to reduce emissions to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees (as mentioned in Paris Agreement).

There are new requirements for all listed companies in the UK to produce net-zero transition plans by 2023.

Question 21

What happened at COP 27?

Answer 21

In Sharm el – Sheik, in 2022, there were a series of takeaways:

A fund for loss and damage in vulnerable countries was established. This is for those hit hard by floods, droughts, and other climate disasters.

We need to maintain a clear intention to keep 1.5 degree global warming within reach. Current government pledges put the world on track to be 2.5 degrees warmer by the end of the century. Global emissions need to peak before 2025 and be reduced by 43% by 2030.

It was requested that governments accelerate efforts to phase out fossil fuels and highlighted the importance of a clean energy mix.

Zero tolerance for Greenwashing, there must be action.

The Sharm el – Sheik Implementation plan highlighted that to move to a low carbon economy, and an investment of $4-6 trillion would be needed a year. The goal to provide $100 billion per year to underdeveloped countries has not been met.

A shift to implementation, with everyone doing everything they can to address the climate crisis.