Sustainabiliy

Question 1

1. What is the definition of sustainability ?

Answer 1

Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

Question 2

2. When is an EPC required

Answer 2

Before a property is let.

Question 3

3. What year is the UK expected to be zero carbon neutral ?

Answer 3

2050

Question 4

4. What Act relates to the carbon neutral target ?

Answer 4

Climate Change Act 2008

Question 5

5. What is the key themes of the planning and energy act (2008) ?

Answer 5

Allow local councils to set targets in their areas for on-site renewable energy, on-site low carbon electricity and energy efficiency standards in addition to national requirements

Question 6

6. What law/ regulation relates to MEES ?

Answer 6

The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Sector) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015

Question 7

7. What is the minimum energy efficiency rating for residential units and when is it effective ?

Answer 7

New tenancies on or after 1st April 2018 had to meet a minimum of E

From 1 April 2020: All existing domestic tenancies will be required to achieve a minimum EPC rating of E.

Question 8

8. What are the minimum energy rating for commercial and when is it effective ?

Answer 8

New tenancies on or after 1st April 2018 had to meet a minimum of E

From 1 April 2023: All existing non-domestic tenancies will be required to achieve a minimum EPC rating of E.

Question 9

9. What are exceptions of the MEES ?

Answer 9

A suitably qualified expert provides written advice that the improvements would result in a devaluation of the property by 5% or more, or that the works would damage the property

Consent to undertake works is refused by a third party, such as a Local Authority or an incumbent tenant.

Places of worship, non-residential agricultural buildings, industrial sites and workshops, selected listed buildings and temporary properties

All cost-effective energy efficiency improvements, either within a seven year payback or under the Green Deal’s “Golden Rule”, have been carried out

Exemptions last for five years and will need to be lodged on a centralised register to be created by Government.

Question 10

10. How often should an EPC be carried out ?

Answer 10

Carried out every 10 years

Question 11

11. What are the penalties of not complying with MEES?

Answer 11

Landlords renting out a non-compliant home for up to three months may be fined up to £5,000 or 10% of the rateable value up to a maximum of £50,000, whichever is greater.

Landlords renting out a non-compliant home for more than three months may be fined up to £10,000 or 20% of the rateable value up to a maximum of £150,000, whichever is greater.

Fines of up to £5,000 can also be handed down for providing false or misleading information or failing to comply with a compliance notice.

Question 12

12. Minimum EPC required to LET a building?

Answer 12

E – New Leases from 1st April 2018 and all existing leases from 1St April 2023

Question 13

13. MEES Exemptions

Answer 13

• Places of Worship
• Industrial Units or workshops
• Tenancy less than 6 months
• Tenancy more than 99 years
• When Payback is not feasible – improvement works within 7 years.
• Landlords of residential properties are required from April 2019 to spend up to £3500 on a property and cannot improve the rating entitled to file for exemption.

Question 14

14. How do local authorities set their own targets ?

Answer 14

Under the planning and energy Act 2008 the Council has set their own C02 emissions saving target at 36%. Reference is also made to their core strategy, London plan and national planning policy framework.

Question 15

15. What does sustainability mean to you ?

Answer 15

Carrying out day to day activities with regard to the environment. Travelling using public transport, recycling and online meetings

Question 16

What does BREEAM Stand for ?

Answer 16

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method

Question 17

What are the concepts of sustainability

Answer 17

Economic
Social
Environmental

Question 18

What does the nppf say about sustainability

Answer 18

Achieving sustainable development means that the planning system has three overarching objectives, which are interdependent and need to be pursued in mutually supportive ways (so that opportunities can be taken to secure net gains across each of the different objectives):

a) an economic objective – to help build a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right types is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth, innovation and improved productivity; and by identifying and coordinating the provision of infrastructure;
b) a social objective – to support strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by ensuring that a sufficient number and range of homes can be provided to meet the needs of present and future generations; and by fostering a well-designed and safe built environment, with accessible services and open spaces that reflect current and future needs and support communities’ health, social and cultural well-being; and
c) an environmental objective – to contribute to protecting and enhancing our natural, built and historic environment; including making effective use of land, helping to improve biodiversity, using natural resources prudently, minimising waste and pollution, and mitigating and adapting to climate change, including moving to a low carbon economy.

Question 19

Can you tell me about any Climate Change Conventions or Protocols you are aware of?

Answer 19

UN, Kyoto treaty summit, Paris Agreement

Question 20

What is the Paris Agreement?

Answer 20

The Paris Agreement central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

160 UNFCCC parties have made voluntary pledges to reduce emissions up to 2030, including China, the US and the European Union (on behalf of the UK and other EU nations).

The main aim of the Paris Agreement is to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C.

Overall, the current pledges would lead to lower global emissions compared to previous expectations. But further action will be required to keep warming to below 2°C or 1.5°C.

Question 21

What was the Kyoto Protocol and what were it’s targets?

Answer 21

UNFCCC negotiations led to the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. The Kyoto Protocol set a target for 37 industrialised countries to reduce their emissions by an average 5% below 1990 levels, for the period of 2008 to 2012. As part of this group the UK committed to a 12.5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

The targets were met successfully. Overall, the 37 countries reduced global emissions by over 10%. But this was not enough to offset the increasing emissions from other industrialising countries (such as China), meaning total global emissions grew over the period.

A second Kyoto commitment period has been agreed from 2013 to 2020. Fewer countries have signed the second commitment agreement, although the UK and the EU are participating.

Question 22

What did the UK Climate Change Act 2008 do?

Answer 22

Relates to the UK’s binding commitment to cut carbon emissions by 80% from 1990 levels to 2050.

The above ties in the 5 yearly ‘carbon budgets’ – the UK was the first country to implement a legally binding climate change target. This is to be achieved both at home and abroad and aims to reduce the requirement for imported fossil fuels, this will also future proof the UK against increasing energy prices in the future.

Question 23

How can buildings impact upon the environment?

Answer 23

Built environment accounts for 1/3 of the world resource use and energy use.
Heating, and cooling, and drainage and water SUDs, I

Question 24

What is the climate change levy

Answer 24

The Climate Change Levy is an environmental tax charged on the energy that businesses use. It’s designed to encourage businesses to be more energy efficient in how they operate, helping to reduce their overall emissions in the process.

You pay the main rates of CCL if your business is in one of the following sectors:

industrial
commercial
agricultural
public services

Question 25

Are you aware of any sustainable schemes ?

Answer 25

Passiv Haus- more expensive
Code of sustainable housing- now abolished

No leader in sustainability.

Question 26

Why is sustainability important

Answer 26

Reduce the bills for customers

Better for environment

Site waste