Sustainability

Question 1

Three pillars of sustainability

Answer 1

Social, Environment and Economic

Question 2

Define sustainable development?

Answer 2

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Question 3

What is sustainability on a global level?

Answer 3

UN sustainable development goals, COP29

Question 4

Can you give an example of a piece of tech which is sustainable in your project?

Answer 4

• Rail carbon tool on signalling projects– a tool to model how much carbon is associated with the project and includes carbon associated with making materials, transporting to site, all plant used on site, operational carbon – model in first instance, then shows carbon hotspots, then can make alternatives i.e. concrete for foundation posts, could use another type of concrete, use more local suppliers, or different types of construction plant.
• Site Waste Management Plan – looks for ways to change design to reduce waste and used to forecast all different waste streams, during construction and post commissioning e.g., so you can make sure you have right skips, easier to segregate waste and be organised, then you don’t have to send to landfill, have to update every 6 months
• Environmental social management plan – used to go through themes, site specific and identify all of the risk and constraints for the job and what we need to do to manage risk and opportunities, e.g., stem at school, biodiversity related e.g. plant bulbs, energy and carbon, creating better passenger experience, tracker for environment consent requirements, whether we need a protected species license

Question 5

Impact of construction industry?

Question 6

What sustainability legislation/regulation is there (national level)?

Answer 6

• Paris Agreement - is the global plan to keep temperature increases well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
• Environmental Protection Act 1990 - legislation that provides for the improved control of pollution and a legal framework for duty of care for waste.
• Climate Change Act 2008
  
  • By 2050, the UK is legally required to have reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 100% from 1990 levels.
  • The net zero target was made legally binding by the Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019. Prior to this, the UK’s legally binding target was to reduce emissions by 80% compared to 1990 levels by 2050.
  • Established the Climate Change Committee which is an independent, statutory body established under the Act
• Environment Act 2021 – focus on air quality, restore natural habitats, increase biodiversity, reduce waste and make better use of our resources. Includes a new legally binding target to halt the decline of nature by 2030 and reduced sewage discharges.

Question 7

What is Network Rail aims on sustainability?

Answer 7

• NR had a 30 year strategy for delivering a sustainable railway
• Low-emission railway – carbon neutral railway by 2050
• Improved biodiversity of plants and wildlife
• Minimal waste and the sustainable use of materials

Question 8

What is Atkins policy on sustainability?

Question 9

What sustainability assessment methods are you aware of?

Answer 9

BREEAM, BREEAM Infrastructure (used to be CEEQUAL) and LEED

Question 10

What is BREEAM?

Answer 10

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method

Question 11

What are the assessment ratings?

Answer 11

(Categories include things such as water, waste, energy)
* Outstanding
* Excellent
* Very Good
* Good
* Pass
* Unclassified

Question 12

What is Carbon Neutral?

Answer 12

Removing the equivalent amount of CO2 to what’s emitted through activities, can cover a defined part of business operations

Question 13

What is Net Zero?

Answer 13

• Gold standard, refers to all greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere across its whole supply chain
• UK commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Question 14

What is Embodied Carbon Emissions? (or Whole Life Carbon)

Answer 14

The sum of CO2 emissions from various manufacturing and construction processes over the lifecycle of a project.

Question 15

What has RICS published/done with regards to Sustainability?

Answer 15

• Professional standard - RICS Whole life carbon assessment for the built environment 2023
• RICS sustainability report
• RICS Implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Provides training on RICS academy

Question 16

What is a Section 106 Agreement?

Answer 16

Legal agreements between a planning authority and a developer that ensure that certain extra works related to a development are undertaken. Can include sustainability measures such as implementing habitat management plan.

Question 17

What is social value (local level)?

Answer 17

Social values on individual projects, going into local schools, community volunteering, increasing biodiversity by planting bulbs and trees.

Question 18

Whole life costing?

Answer 18

Life cycle cost (LCC) of the capital cost and operational costs. Aimed at facilitating choices where there are alternative means of achieving the client’s objectives and where those alternatives differ, not only in their initial costs but also in their subsequent operational.