Sustainability Flashcards

Question

What is the RICS sustainability initiative?

Answer 1

SKA ratings - encourages green codes of practice for commercial properties. There is also a value the planet campaign, forming a climate change expert panel to implement the UN's sustainable development goals.

Answer 2

* paperless * car share when possible * using energy-efficient equipment * recycling * re-useable water bottle

Answer 3

The triple bottom line is a business concept that posits firms should commit to measuring their social and environmental impact—in addition to their financial performance—rather than solely focusing on generating profit, or the standard “bottom line.” It can be broken down into “three Ps”: profit, people, and the planet.

Answer 4

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 well-designed, beautiful and safe places, 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 protect and enhance our natural, built and historic environment; including making effective use of land, improving biodiversity, using natural resources prudently, minimising waste and pollution, and mitigating and adapting to climate change, including moving to a low carbon economy.

Answer 5

Net zero target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100% from 1990 levels to 2050

Answer 6

The Kyoto Protocol was an international agreement that aimed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the presence of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere.

Answer 7

The Climate Change Act 2008 is the basis for the UK's approach to tackling and responding to climate change. It requires that emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are reduced and that climate change risks are adapted to. The Act also establishes the framework to deliver on these requirements.

Answer 8

A carbon budget places a restriction on the total amount of greenhouse gases the UK can emit over a 5-year period

Answer 9

It notably makes provisions to enable building regulations to provide for off-site carbon abatement measures.

Answer 10

The Renewable Heat Incentive is a payment system in England, Scotland and Wales, for the generation of heat from renewable energy sources

Answer 11

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method

Answer 12

The requirement for rental properties to achieve at least E on an EPC. Rises to C from April 2025 for new tenancies or April 2028 for existing tenancies

Answer 13

I advise the requirement in my survey reports

Answer 14

Firstly, there is a maximum cost cap: currently £3,500 per property, including VAT (and including outside funding such as grants). If after spending this amount on improvements, the property still doesn’t meet the minimum EPC rating, you can register an exemption. Other exemptions include where work would damage or devalue the building (with evidence from a qualified surveyor), or where you cannot get necessary third-party permission (for example from a tenant, planning authority or freeholder). Exemptions are valid for five years. There is also a temporary 6-month exemption for new landlords.

Answer 15

The maximum penalties amounts apply per property and per breach of the Regulations. They are: up to £2,000 and/or publication penalty for renting out a non-compliant property for less than 3 months up to £4,000 and/or publication penalty for renting out a non-compliant property for 3 months or more up to £1,000 and/or publication for providing false or misleading information on the PRS Exemptions Register up to £2,000 and/or publication for failure to comply with a compliance notice The maximum amount you can be fined per property is £5,000 in total.

Answer 16

You must have an EPC if: * you rent out or sell the premises. * a building under construction is finished. * there are changes to the number of parts used for separate occupation and these changes involve providing or extending fixed heating, air conditioning or mechanical ventilation systems.

Answer 17

You don’t need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) if you can demonstrate that the building is any of these: * listed or officially protected and the minimum energy performance requirements would unacceptably alter it * a temporary building only going to be used for 2 years or less * used as a place of worship or for other religious activities * an industrial site, workshop or non-residential agricultural building that doesn’t use much energy * a detached building with a total floor space under 50 square metres due to be demolished by the seller or landlord and they have all the relevant planning and conservation consents

Answer 18

Display Energy Certificates are records of the actual energy usage of public buildings, introduced by a number of European governments in response to the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which all EU member states had to implement by January 2009. A DEC shows the energy performance of a building based on actual energy consumption for the previous 12 months and must therefore be renewed annually. An advisory report is valid for seven years.

Answer 19

You must display an EPC by fixing it to your commercial building if all these apply: * the total useful floor area is over 500 square metres * the building is frequently visited by the public * an EPC has already been produced for the building’s sale, rental or construction

Answer 20

Public authorities must have a DEC for a building if all the following are true: * it’s at least partially occupied by a public authority (eg council, leisure centre, college, NHS trust) * it has a total floor area of over 250 square metres * it’s frequently visited by the public

Answer 21

Public authorities must display their DEC in a prominent place clearly visible to the public, eg near the building’s entrance. They can be fined £500 if they don’t.

Answer 22

A DEC must be accompanied by an advisory report and the owner of the building must have a valid one available.

Answer 23

The penalty for each breach is £500 for failing to display a DEC at all times in a prominent place clearly visible to the public and £1,000 for failing to have possession of a valid advisory report.

Answer 24

A DEC must contain the following information: * the operational rating (energy used) and the asset rating (as built - if available) as determined by a methodology approved by the department * the operational rating for the building expressed for the last two years * reference values such as a current legal standards or benchmarks

Answer 25

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. Examples are environmental responsibility, ethical responsibility, financial responsibility. It improves brand recognition. e.g using timber from sustainable forests

Answer 26

The Code for Sustainable Homes (the Code) was introduced in England in April 2007 as a voluntary national standard to improve the overall sustainability of new homes by setting a single framework within which the home building industry can design and construct homes to higher environmental standards. The Code for Sustainable Homes has now been withdrawn (aside from the management of legacy cases) and has been replaced by new national technical standards which comprise new additional optional Building Regulations regarding water and access as well as a new national space standard (this is in addition to the existing mandatory Building Regulations). These additional options (which are comparable with the requirements for the former Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4) can be required by a planning permission.

Answer 27

What is the Climate Change Levy (CCL)? The Climate Change Levy is an environmental tax charged on the energy that businesses use.

Answer 28

Approved Document L: Conservation of fuel and power, deals with energy efficiency requirements.

Answer 29

ESOS is a mandatory energy assessment scheme for organisations in the UK that meet the qualification criteria. The Environment Agency is the UK scheme administrator. Mainly large organisations who employ >250 people of £44m turnover

Answer 30

The CRC Scheme aims to incentivise energy efficiency and cut emissions in large energy users in the UK's public and private sectors.

Answer 31

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, as well as helping to reduce their overall emissions. Changes to the Climate Change Levy (CCL) came into effect on the 1st April 2020.

Answer 32

Streamline Energy & Carbon Reporting (SECR) is a replacement for the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme and requires organisations to report energy and carbon emissions in their annual report. SECR will impact any companies, LLPs and groups that exceed at least two of the following three thresholds in the financial year: £36m annual turnover. £18m balance sheet total. 250 employees.

Answer 33

A green lease is a standard form lease with additional clauses included which provide for the management and improvement of the Environmental Performance of a building by both owner and occupier(s). Such a document is legally binding and its provisions remain in place for the duration of the term.

Answer 34

Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment, and the health and comfort of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments.

Answer 35

Offsite manufacture and modern methods of construction can be defined as the design, planning, manufacture and pre-assembly of construction elements or components in a factory environment, prior to installation on site at their intended, final location.

Answer 36

In building, environmentally-friendly materials (also known as green building materials) are those in which, for their production, placing and maintenance, actions of low environmental impact have been performed. They have to be durable, reusable or recyclable, include recyclable materials in their composition and have to be from resources of the area where the building activity will take place –they have to be local materials. These materials also have to be natural (soil, adobe, wood, cork, bamboo, straw, sawdust, etc.) and must not be spoilt by cold, heat or humidity.

Answer 37

The Green Deal helps you make energy-saving improvements to your home and to find the best way to pay for them. The improvements that could save you the most energy depend on your home, but typical examples include: * insulation, such as solid wall, cavity wall or loft insulation * heating * draught-proofing * double glazing * renewable energy generation, such as solar panels or heat pumps If you need help paying for home improvements you may be able to get a loan through the Green Deal, but you’ll have to pay this back.

Answer 38

Preserving a building avoids the need to replace it or large parts of it and therefore the impact on the environment.

Answer 39

PAS 2035 is a new British standard that creates a recognisable quality standard for the retrofit and energy efficiency sector for housing.

Answer 40

* comment on possible heat loss via lack of doors * lack of adequate loft insulation * older boilers being less efficient * draughts

Sustainability Flashcards

(66 cards)