What is Sustainability?
Meeting needs of today without compromising future generations
Three pillars include enviromental, social and economic, when such aspects are addressed we can enhance our and the enviroments wellbeing and longeivty in these regards
What are the key principles of Sustainabiity?
1 - Land use - I.e use brownfield sites
2 - Design / Construction - i.e off-site construction, water efficency, passive design, natural light, glazing, insulation and air tightness
3 - Waste Management - i.e circular economogy, locally sourced, reused and recycled materials - low embodied carbon
4 - Operation - BMS and smart technology
5 - Renewable Energy - wind, solar and heat pump
Can be applied to any asset across any life cycle stage
What are the construction industry risks on sustainability?
Pollutants and waste to land, air and water
Disruption to local habitat and biodiveristy
High energy consumption
How does your firm promote sustainability?
Cycle to work
Car share
Eletric company cars
Reduce printing and enhance cloud based
Energy efficent equipment
What is COP29
Conference of Parites 29th anual gathering of multiple countries who agree to tackle climate change across 2 weeks
Topics include, energy, waste, food, urbanisation, finance, urbanisation and biodiversity
Key Outcomes
- £300b pledge
- UK agreed to cut emmisions by 81% by 2025 and Net Zero 2050
- Reduce green house gases
- Road map to financing in long term
- Invest in sustainable tech and supply chains
What are the key legislateive and policy controls that impact sustainability?
Paris Agreement 2016 - Agree to stop global temp rise no more than 1.5 degrees
Climate Change Act 2008 - Reduce green house gas emmisions - UK net zero 2050
Eviromental Protection Act 1990 - Encorage waste managment and circular economy, landfil tax
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 - Protect biodiversity
NPPF - Encorages integration of green spaces
Local Plans - Encorages brownfield sites
Planning System - Strict controls on development
What is The Energy Perforance of Building Regulations 2012
EPCs (measure energy efficency)
Legally required for buildings sold, rented or constrced
10 years valid
Assesor will carry out inspction of building fabric and serves and calculate score in line with MEES
What are DECs and how are they different to EPCs?
DECs (display energy ceritfate)
Required for public buildings
Validiy dependant on floor space
Not required to temp, demolition or some listed buildings
Key difference is DECs must be displayed and based on actual performance
What is The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015
Requires landlords to meet MEES requirements for lettings and lease renewals
What is BREEAM and LEED and key differences
BREEAM (Building Research Energhy Efficency Assessment Method)
- 3rd party accreditation system used in UK but international which offers label to asset which is valuable
- Run by BRE
- Measures the performance of new, refurbed or renovated buildings in respect to energy efficnecy, performance and wellbeing
- Uses a weighted system on aspects including waste, transprot, materials, ecology, biodiersity, pollution, water
- Outstanding, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Pass and unclassified
- Assesor appointed, looks at design stage and construction
LEED (Leadership in energy and enviromental design)
- used in US
- Design team submit details to Green
- Point based system so slightly scewed
- More focus on energy but BREEAM is more balanced
- Platnim, gold, silver and certified
How does Part L affect sustainabilty?
ADL - Conervation of Fuel and Power
2 parts - Dwellings and other than dwellings
Helps deliver sustainabilty goals by setting the performance requirements to overall help reduce carbon emissions, other documents include O, F, S
Section 4 - Limiting heat loss focuses on continuity of insulation, air tightness and thermal bridging
Sets out U values (measue of heat transfer) as below (other than dwellings)
New or replaced elements in new and existing buildings
(Maximum u value)
Roof (flat) - 0.18
Roof (pitch) - 0.16
Wall - 0.26
Floor - 0.18
Windows - 1.6
Door - 1.6
Existing elements in existing buildings
Roof (pitched insulation at ceiling) - 0.16
Roof (pitched insulation at rafter) - 0.18
Flat roof - 0.18
Wall (CI) - 0.55
Wall (EWI) - 0.30
Floor - 0.25
Outline Pros and Cons aof Modular and Solar PV panels?
Modualr construction is pre fab
+ = reduce material waste, quick, cheaper, standarsised, controlled, can be quality checked
- = logistcs, hard to change, upfront cost
Solar PV
+ = Improve energy efficency, helps reduce emmisions
- = additional roof load, planning, apperance, roof maintenance
Whats RICS role / support?
RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Enviroment 2023 Proffesional Standard
How would you approach a project where the Client wanted to achieve BREEAM excellent?
Explain what BREEAM is
Appoint BREEAM accredited assesor to reveiw current designs
Quanity chnages neede to design
Communicate changes and execute
Review upon completion for score
