RICS APC Sustainability — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'BREEAM' stand for in the context of sustainable building assessment?
- Building Regulation Energy Efficiency Assessment Method
- Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (Correct answer)
- British Renewable Energy and Environment Assessment Model
- Building Requirements for Energy and Environment Management
Correct answer: Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
BREEAM stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. It is the world's leading sustainability assessment method for buildings and infrastructure.
Question 2: Under UK building regulations, what does an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rate?
- The structural integrity of a building
- The energy efficiency of a building on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) (Correct answer)
- The fire safety of a building
- The acoustic performance of a building
Correct answer: The energy efficiency of a building on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient)
An EPC rates the energy efficiency of a building from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is required when a building is constructed, sold, or let.
Question 3: What is the UK Government's target year for achieving net zero carbon emissions?
- 2030
- 2040
- 2050 (Correct answer)
- 2060
Correct answer: 2050
The UK Government has set a legally binding target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as enshrined in the Climate Change Act 2008 (amended in 2019).
Question 4: What is the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) for commercial property lettings in England and Wales?
- EPC rating of A
- EPC rating of E (Correct answer)
- EPC rating of C
- EPC rating of D
Correct answer: EPC rating of E
Since April 2018, it has been unlawful to let commercial or domestic properties with an EPC rating below E, unless a valid exemption has been registered.
Question 5: What does 'embodied carbon' refer to in construction?
- Carbon dioxide emitted during building occupation
- The total carbon emissions associated with the extraction, manufacture, transport, and assembly of building materials (Correct answer)
- Carbon stored in trees on the building site
- Carbon emissions from heating systems
Correct answer: The total carbon emissions associated with the extraction, manufacture, transport, and assembly of building materials
Embodied carbon encompasses all the CO2 emissions associated with the entire lifecycle of building materials, from extraction and manufacturing through to transportation and construction.
Question 6: What is a 'NABERS' rating?
- A UK planning consent grade
- A building energy performance rating system originally from Australia, now being adopted in the UK for offices (Correct answer)
- A type of building material certification
- A noise assessment rating
Correct answer: A building energy performance rating system originally from Australia, now being adopted in the UK for offices
NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System) rates the energy performance of office buildings based on actual energy consumption. The UK has adopted NABERS UK for offices.
RICS APC Sustainability
What does 'BREEAM' stand for in the context of sustainable building assessment?