When was the Climate Change Act 2008 amended and what did it now state?
Amended in 2019
Required the UK to achieve “Net Zero Carbon” by 2050. Interim target of reducing emissions by 78% by 2030.
What are the methods as part of the UKGBC framework to reach Net Zero Carbon
- Establish Net Zero Carbon Scope (whole life cycle of building)
- Reduce construction impact (developers in designing buildings. materials etc.)
- Reduce Operational Impacts (Energy efficiency retrofit measures)
- Renewable Energy Production
- Offset any additional carbon (last resort)
What is an EPC?
It is an Energy Performance Certificate. They are registered for 10 years unless the building is altered.
What is a MEES?
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)
Required in England & Wales for existing buildings that are leased.
What are some reasons for EPCs?
- Higher standards of energy conservation for new and refurbed buildings
- Establishing a calculation methodology
- Minimum requirements for buildings
- Energy certifications
- Mandatory inspections of boilers & air conditioning units
EPC Requirements for Marketing
All material must show actual energy rating. A link to the EPC should be within the material.
Must be commissioned within 7 days of the commencement of marketing
What 6 things should the front page of an EPC show?
- Address of property & floor area
- EPC reference number
- Technical information
- Estimation of energy running costs
- Energy performance rating from A+ to G
- Benchmarking informaiton
What are the penalties around EPCs?
Resi: £200 civil fixed penalty for non-display of EPC on marketing
Commercial: Max. penalty is equal to 12.5% of the RV of the building (minimum of £500 and maximum of £5,000
Local authorities Trading Standards enforce the regs
What is minimum EPC rating to let a building and when was this put into effect?
EPC Rating Level E is the minimum
Adjusted in 2018 as part of the Energy Efficient Regulations 2015
What were the two stages of MEES 2018 adjustments?
- New leases from 2018 (commercial & resi) - including renewals & extensions
2a. All existing leases from 2020 for resi
2b. All existing leases from April 2023 for Commercial
What are some examples of MEES exemptions?
- A place of worship
- Industrial or workshops with low energy demand (e.g. no heating or cooling)
- Tenancy is less than 6 months or longer than 99 years
- When it can be proven that improvements to EPC would reduce value by more than 5%
What are the non-compliance penalties with MEES?
Commercial:
- Breach is less than 3 months long, is up to 5k or (if greater)10% of the Rateable Value up to £50k
- Breach is longer than 3 months up to £10k, or (if greater) 20% of the rateable value up to £150k
Resi:
- Breach is less than 3 months = £2k
- Breach is more than 3 months = £4k
What was the announcement in October 2023 from Rishi in relation to MEES?
That the minimum C-Rating by 2028 would not be required
What is Biodiversity Net Gain?
An approach to development that leaves biodiversity in a better state than before
What is the new legislation on BNG?
Environment Act 2021
- From Feb 2024 compulsory for all new developments to provide at least 10% NBG secured for at least 30 years (are some exemptions e.g. small projects like home extensions, conservatories or loft conversions, or PDR)
What were summary of some the changes as part of the Environment Act 2021?
- Greater enforcement for environmental protection
- Set new binding targets, including for air quality, water, biodiversity, and waste reduction
- A new environmental watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), which will ensure that environmental laws are complied with
What is Net Zero?
Net Zero is defined as ‘a state where we add no incremental greenhouse gases to the atmosphere’.
This requires carbon emissions emitted by the development, ownership and servicing of a building to be reduced to a maximum, with remaining emissions offset through carbon sequestration
What is absolute zero carbon?
Eliminating all carbon emissions without the use of offsets
Scope 1 - covers emissions from sources that an organisation owns or controls directly – for example from burning fuel in our fleet of vehicles
Scope 2 - are emissions that a company causes indirectly and come from where the energy it purchases and uses is produced. For example, the emissions caused when generating the electricity that we use in our buildings would fall into this category
Scope 3 - encompasses emissions of those that it’s indirectly responsible for up and down its value chain
What is BREEAM?
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
A voluntary environmental assessment tool to rate new, refurbished and operational buildings
Nine weighted environmental categories including energy consumption, water use, transport links, waste management and health & safety and wellbeing.
Pass - Good - Very Good - Excellent - Outstanding (90%)
What is WELL Standard?
Standard for buildings to be rated in respected of spaces that can optimise the health and wellbeing of occupiers
Gold - Platinum
What is the London Biodiversity Action Plan?
a set of objectives and actions to support the wider City community in delivering strategically planned biodiversity networks
both the City and Greater London
Why did you recommend that the 10 nest boxes should be specialist house sparrow terraces?
They were identified within the London Biodiversity Action Plan as ‘Target Species’ that are to be flagship species to consider during development and conservation
Why were bats included within the planning conditions?
Bats are a national priority species and protected under the European Habitats Directive.
Bats are considered a good indicator of the health of the natural environment because they are sensitive to environmental change and because of their relationship with flora and fauna.
What are requirements for House Sparrow Terraces?
Integrated into building facades (or retrofitted). Box with multiple entrances. Need to be at least 5m above ground, facing north or east with a clear entrance path.
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