Sustainability - Summary Of Experience Flashcards
Define Sustainable Development ?
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
What are the pillars of sustainable development ?
Environment
Social
Economic
What have the RICS done regarding sustainability?
The RICS have placed heavy emphasis on sustainability.
They published ‘Advancing Responsible Business in Land, Construction, Real Estate Use and Investment (2018)
How organisations can identify and address impact of their activities and decision making, includes:
- Evidence Based Research
- Best Practice Requirements
- Best Practice Training
What is the principle outcome of the Climate Change Act 2008?
Net Zero Carbon by 2050. Interim target of reducing emissions by 78% by 2030.
Does the Energy Efficiency of a Building affect its value?
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.
What is an Energy Performance Certificate?
Energy Performance Certificates are a rating scheme to summarise the energy efficiency of buildings. The building is given a rating between A-G and will include tips on the most cost effective ways to improve energy performance.
Has there been anything in the news regarding EPC /Energy Efficiency?
Rishi Sunak announced that the government would be ‘watering down’ some of the UK’s net zero targets from 2030 to 2035.
What are the EPC Requirements for 2027?
Minimum energy performances ratings set to rise to a C rating for new commercial leases in April 2027?.
What are some of the issues that need addressing in The UK Green Building Council framework?
1) Establish Net Zero Carbon Scope
2) Reduce Construction Impacts
3) Reduce Operational Energy Use
4) Increase Renewable Energy Supply
5) Offset Any Remaining Carbon.
What are the 5 key provisions of an EPC ?
1) Higher standards of energy conservation.
2) Establishing a calculation methodology for the energy performance of all buildings.
3) Minimum requirements for the energy performance of all buildings
4) Energy certification for all buildings when built, modified in certain cases, or when leased / sold.
5) Mandatory inspection of boilers and air conditioning systems in buildings.
When are EPCs Required?
When a commercial building over 50m² is;
- Newly built
- Sold / leased
- Leased for longer than 6 months
- Refurbished
- Heating/air conditioning is altered
- Lease is assigned / sub-let.
When may an EPC not be needed?
When a building is listed, buildings that have no heating, religious buildings, temporary buildings, buildings due to be demolished.
What are the EPC requirements for marketing?
- Must be commissioned within 7 days of the commencement 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 / advertisements.
- All online marketing must have a link to the EPC (showing front page)
What is included on the front page of an EPC Certificate?
1) Address of property and floor area.
2) EPC certificate reference number.
3) Technical information on the property’s energy provision.
4) Estimation of energy running costs.
5) An energy performance rating from A+ to G.
6) Benchmarking information.
How long is an EPC valid for ?
10 years
What are the penalties for non-compliance with EPCs on marketing material?
Local authority will fine you £200 for marketing a residential property without an EPC. For commercial the limit is 12.5% of the Rateable Value of the Property (Collared at £500, and Capped at £5,000)
What are MEES 2015? And requirements?
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (2015) require a minimum EPC rating of Level E to let a building from 1st April 2018 onwards.
Can you explain to me some of the exemptions for MEES?
Exemptions include:
- If a building does not need an EPC e.g. place of worship.
- Industrial units or workshops with a low energy demand.
- Where the tenancy is less than 6 months with no security of tenure.
- Where the tenancy is for more than 99 years.
- When it can be proven that improvements would devalue a property by more than 5%.
What are the Penalties for Non-Compliance with MEES?
For commercial properties:
- Where a breach has lasted less than 3 months : Up to £5,000 or (if greater) 10% of the Rateable Value with a maximum penalty of £50,000.
- Where a breach has lasted more than 3 months: Up to £10,000 or (if greater) 20% of the Rateable Value with a maximum penalty of £150,000.
For residential properties:
- Where a breach has lasted less than 3 months - £2,000
- Where a breach has lasted more than 3 months - £4,000
What are the potential changes to MEES regime?
The government confirmed in late October 2023, in its response to the Committee on Climate Change 2023 Progress Report, that it will not be requiring landlords of domestic properties to improve the energy efficiency of their property to higher standards than those currently required by legislation.
A reversal of the MEES policy set out previously to ratchet minimum standards to a C-rating by 2028.
What is the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)?
An energy assessment scheme that is mandatory for large UK undertakings and their corporate groups employs 250 or more people, or has an annual turnover in excess of £44 million and an annual balance sheet total in excess of £38 million.
They are required to:
- Measure total energy consumption across buildings, transport and industrial activities every four years.
- Conduct energy audits to identify cost-effective energy efficiency recommendations.
- Report compliance to the Environmental Agency.
What is the Heat Network (Billing and Metering) Regulations 2014 (as amended 2015 & 2020)
Relates to the provision of communal heating systems in multi-occupied commercial and residential schemes and to district heating systems.
Final consumers must be provided with accurate meter readings/bill information and competitively priced individual meters.
What is the Climate Change Levy (CCL)?
Tax on energy consumption for businesses in the UK. Introduced as an incentive to reduce energy consumption by businesses so reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Charged directly by energy companies who pass it to the Treasury. Worth c. £1.9bn. Renewable energy is exempt for CCL.
What does BREEAM stand for ?
BREEAM = “Buildings Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method.”
What are the Five Levels of BREEAM?
There are five levels of BREEAM: Outstanding, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Pass.
What are the environmental weightings of BREEAM ?
Energy Consumption
Water Use
Waste Management
Health and Wellbeing
Pollution
Transport Links
Management
What are some of the features of a BREEAM building?
BREEAM buildings typically contain more efficient energy solutions such as solar, wind, biomass and heat pumps to achieve low carbon emission achieving a reasonable payback period.
What are the benefits of BREEAM ratings?
The benefits of a high rating include
Greater occupier interest (e.g. JLL @ Broadgate)
Improved CSR / ESG
Lower running costs
Increased demand for future sale.
What is the WELL Building Standard?
Aims at increasing health and wellbeing through construction and design. Popular with developers.
What is a Green Lease?
Green Lease clauses typically seek to ensure landlords and tenants share information about the use of energy, water and waste arising in a building.
The Better Buildings Partnership (BBP) has a Green Lease Toolkit with best practice recommendations.
What are the recent changes to EPC’s?
The government had proposed that new tenancies would need an EPC rating of a C by 2025 or 2028 for existing tenancies but these changes have been scrapped and the EPC rules for landlords remain unchanged.
What is sustainability?
Meeting the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
What are the triple bottom line principles?
The TBL is a framework that expands traditional focus on profit to include social, environmental and economic measures.
What does the NPPF say about sustainable development?
The NPPF emphasises that sustainable development is central to the economic, environmental and social success of the country, adding value to the environment.
Can you tell me about any Climate Change Conventions or Protocols you are aware of?
Paris Agreement
Kyoto Protocol
What are the most recent EU / UK targets relating to sustainability?
EU = climate-neutral by 2050 with a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
UK = Net-Zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050.
What is the Paris Agreement ?
International treaty aiming to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
What is the Kyoto Protocol & what were its targets?
International treaty setting legally binding targets for industrialised countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Was in effect until 2020.
Explain your understanding of COP26?
26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Focused on accelerating progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement with urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
What did the UK Climate Change Act 2008 do ?
Established a legally binding target to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050.
Amended in 2019 when UK government committed to net zero by 2050.
What is the UK’s current target for sustainability?
To reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Reduce emissions by at least 81% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels.
What does Net Zero mean?
Cutting carbon emissions to a small amount of residual emissions.
When does the UK need to achieve Net Zero by?
2050
How will the UK reach Net Zero?
Reducing emissions across all sections including, power, industry, transport and buildings.
What are carbon budgets?
Legally binding limits on the amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted in a country during a specific time period.
In the UK, carbon budgets are set under Climate Change Act 2008.
What did the Infrastructure Act 2015 say about climate change?
Introduced a legislative framework for the government to set long-term targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
What is the renewable heat incentive?
UK government scheme that provides financial incentives to encourage the use of renewable heat technologies.
How can buildings impact upon the environment?
- Energy Consumption
- Emissions from production
- Water usage
- Waste generation (construction waste particularly)
- Resource depletion.
Can you give me an example of a sustainable design feature?
Green roofs - reduce rainwater runoff, absorb CO2 & reduce heat absorbed by building.
Can you give me an example if an environment assessment method for buildings?
BREEAM - Building Research Establishment Environment Assessment Method.
Assess sustainability performance based on a range of criteria.
Can you explain your understanding of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards?
Regulations setting out the minimum EPC rating for all eligible properties.
How does MEES impact upon your role?
The increased awareness around MEES & Sustainability has presented problems with respect of letting buildings with a low EPC rating.
What are the key dates for MEES?
1st April 2018 - no NEW lettings with below E rating.
1st April 2023 - ALL tenancies must have E or above
1st April 2027 - PROPOSED that no lettings permitted below C
1st April 2030 - PROPOSED that ALL tenancies must have a B or above.
Are there any exemptions from MEES?
Listed buildings
Places of worship
Buildings where LL can demonstrate the energy improvements would not pay for themselves through energy savings within 7 years.
What are the penalties for non-compliance with MEES?
Up to 3 months of non-compliance = financial penalty of up to 10% of the property’s rateable value (min £5k & max £50k)
More than 3 months of non-compliance = financial penalty up to 20% of the property’s rateable value (min £10k & max £150k)
When do you need to display an EPC ?
Within 7 days of the commencement of marketing
What is included in an EPC ?
Energy rating
Environmental impact rating
Information about the buildings construction
Recommendations for improvement
Date of issue, name and address of accredited energy assessor.
What is a DEC?
Display Energy Certificate
When is a DEC required?
Mandatory certification required for public buildings
What must accompany a DEC?
Valid Advisory Report - recommendations for improving energy efficiency.
What are the penalties for not having a DEC?
No DEC = £500 fine
NO Advisory Report = £1k fine
What is Corporate Social Responsibility?
Self-regulating business model that helps companies be more socially accountable.
CSR is a way for companies to give back to society and environment by implementing sustainable policies & practices in their operations.
What is BREEAM / SKA Rating / LEED / Passivhaus?
BREEAM = sustainability and environmental performance of a building.
SKA = measures the sustainability of an interior fit-out project
LEED = environmental performance (water / energy efficiency etc)
Passivhaus = energy efficiency & design standards.
What is the Climate Change Levy ?
Tax on energy delivered to non-domestic users in the UK.
What building regulations relate to energy efficiency?
Part L - conservation of fuel & power - covers insulation, heating and ventilation.
Name one example of Government policy on energy efficiency for buildings?
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards 2015
What is ESOS?
Energy assessment scheme that is mandatory for large organisations in the UK (more than 250 employees)
What is the SECR regime?
Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting - UK government policy introduced in April 2019.
What is a green lease?
Lease that includes clauses or provisions aimed at improving the environmental performance of a building.
What RICS guidance relates to sustainability?
Guidance Note - Environmental risks & global real estate 2018.
How can an EPC impact upon value or use of a building?
Higher EPC rating = more energy efficient = lower energy bills and operating costs.
Increased Demand for Sustainability = Increased Value of building.
What improvable features would you be looking for & how do these relate to different property types / ages?
Insulation
Lighting
Heating & cooling systems
Renewable Energy
Water Efficiency.
