Diversity, Inclusion and Teamworking/ Inclusive Environments/ Sustainability (Submission)

Question 1

Why was the Equality Act created?

Answer 1

Brings together all discriminatory law in one document and protects against a wide range of discrimination and inequality, including within the use of property.

Question 2

What are the types of illegal discrimination?

Answer 2

It protects people from:
Indirect discrimination
Direct discrimination
Harassment
Victimisation

Question 3

Is there cost consideration for landlords when complying with the Equality Act (2010)?

Answer 3

Yes, any work should be REASONABLE (this takes into consideration the costs associated).

Service providers have a duty to make alterations to buildings to avoid discrimination. Most requirements are found in Part M of the Building Regulations.

Question 4

Can you name some of the 9 protected characteristics under the Equality Act (2010)?

Answer 4

Age
Sex
Disability
Race
Religion/ belief
Pregnancy and maternity
Gender reassignment

Question 5

When faced with an obstacle to access for disabled persons what does the Equality Act require the provider to do to ensure inclusivity?

Answer 5

Remove/alter the feature
or
Provide reasonable means of avoiding the obstacle/ provide a reasonable alternative access to the service

Question 6

Explain part Part M of the Building regs in regards to making buildings more inclusive?

Answer 6

Part M are the minimum access standards for all new homes.

The mandatory requirements set out in Part M Section 1 =
1. Level access to main entrance
2. Flush threshold
3. Sufficiently wide doorways
4. Toilet at entrance level

Question 7

Do all your buildings have to comply with Part M of buildings regs?

Answer 7

Part M section 1 is mandatory = basic access standards for all new dwellings.

Part M section 2 and 3 are high standards and are not mandatory. They depend on the Local Authorities can apply through planning policies where they have identified a local need.

Question 8

How does the Equality Act and Part M requirements differ?

Answer 8

Part M = minimum requirements for a range of people to use buildings.

Equality Act = more focused on reasonable adjustments to buildings for accessibility.

Question 9

What is an unconscious bias?

How can it impact your work? How could you avoid it?

Answer 9

This relates to the associations/ beliefs we hold which are deeply ingrained and outside of our conscious awareness and control. Everyone has them.

Could impact work as I might not instruct a consultant as they are not similar me on a personal level. However they might not be suitable. Therefore, it is important I conduct an inclusive procurement process and undertake third party review (asking someone else to review my opinion).

Question 10

What would be the advantage of diversity? How could you company improve diversity in the workplace?

Answer 10

• Allows for inhanced innovation and creativity due to a broader range of peoples experience
• Attracts broader talent pool when recruiting
• Company receives better reputation

Improve: Blind CVs, diverse interview panel, less technical/ old fashioned interview process and more creative questioning

Question 11

How would you know that your company has a diverse team?

Answer 11

Consider the amount of male, female, ethic minorities, age, nationalities

MOCK Q

Question 12

What does EPC stand for and what is it? When are properties required to have them?
What do EPC’s contain?

Answer 12

• Energy Performance Certificates address the certification of buildings energy efficiency. They are linked in MEES (2015)
• They are required for a new build or sale of a resi property.
• address of property and floor area, EPC ref number, energy performance rating

Question 13

What are the current minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES), what are these rising to and when?

Answer 13

COMMERCIAL

• New leases min EPC rating of E (and existing leases Apr 2023)
• By 2027 this is expected to increase to C.
• 2030 increase to B.

RESIDENTIAL

• Min E rating been in place since 2020.
• By 2025, min requirement of a C for new lettings.

MOCK QUESTION

Question 14

What implications may these minimum energy efficiency standards have on property stakeholders (landlords & tenants)?

Answer 14

Buildings will need to be improved.

Higher costs for landlords/ investors due to the investment needed into improving the energy efficiency of their assets.

Beneficial for occupiers through reduced bills and efficient use of energy.

Question 15

What does BREEAM stand for? When did it come into effect? What are the ratings?

Answer 15

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. 1990. I was required to assist in achieving a very good rating (55%).

Question 16

What are the BREEAM ratings?

Answer 16

Outstanding = 85% required
Excellent = 70% required
Very Good = 55% required
Good = 45% required
Pass = 30% required

APC QUESTION 2023 SITTING

Question 17

What was the wording of the BREEAM conditions?

Answer 17

15. Summary: No development shall commence until Interim BREEAM Certificate demonstrating compliance with BREEAM Very Good rating has been submitted.
16. Summary: Prior to first occupation of the development a copy of a Final BREEAM Certificate following a post-construction stage review carried out by a licensed assessor has been submitted.

Question 18

Positives and negatives of BREEAM?

Answer 18

Positives: a useful framework to strive to achieve a sustainable project. Strong when looking to market a unit.

Negatives: in my opinion a one size fits all does not work, i.e. the sustainbility credentials of a logistic warehouse is very different to a small starbucks unit. Also the cost of achieving it could in theory make a project unviable for a smaller developer.

Question 19

Example of some of the credits you choose?

Answer 19

MAT 02 = Material sustainability. This involved finding EPD’s (Environmental Product Declarations) for all the materials used on site. These allow the user to understand a products impact on the environment.

POL 05 = Noise report for the reduction of noise pollution.

Question 20

What are the sustainability requirements for houses? When come into effect? What are Shanly doing to be sustainable?

Answer 20

Part L of Building Regs from June 2022 relates to conservation of fuel and power. Emphasis on:

• Low carbon heating systems = reduce carbon emissions by 30% compared to current regs (using air sourced heat pumps or PV panels).
• Requires post build audit including photos to show plans have been constructed.
• Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) calculations are also required to calculate the energy performance of a building once constructed. (KENNYLANDS)

We also aim to insert EV charging points, or at least the infrastructure for them and look to supply bike storage.

Question 21

What are the net zero objectives and how will they effect house building?

Answer 21

UK to achieve Net Zero by 2050. Net Zero = cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Increase in costs and time with legislation loopholes to jump through:

Part L building regs & BNG
= negative impact on land value as higher build cost

Question 22

What is RICS doing and is there any guidance in regard to sustainability?

Answer 22

Inclusion of sustainability in the updated RULES OF CONDUCT. Rule 3.10 = when advising clients about projects, encourage solutions that are sustainable in that they minimise harm and deliver balanced economic, social and environmental benefits.

Question 23

What has the RICS published re Sustainability?

Answer 23

Published its Sustainability Report 2022. This showed:

1. Modest up-tick in demand for green buildings, but not a significant pick-up. Rents in non-green assets being subject to a brown discount.
2. Rise in climate risk assessments by investors on their assets.
3. Lack of standards, guidance and tools is considered the main barrier to reducing carbon emissions.
4. Report also highlights high costs and low availability of low carbon materials as a key issue.

Question 24

Define sustainability?

Answer 24

Fulfilling the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations.

Question 25

What is the UK’s sustainability targets?

Answer 25

Net Zero by 2050.

Question 26

What is the BNG requirement and when is BNG becoming statutory?

Answer 26

November 2023 for all developments to have a 10% BNG. Some LA already implement it.

Question 27

What are the sustainability benefits of new homes?

Answer 27

91% of new homes sold last year were EPC B rated in comparison to 7% of second-hand homes sold in England and Wales.

New builds could save money on heating bills.

HAYFIELD example: With the increasing pressure in regard to energy consumption and EPC ratings, there could be a green premium applied on Net Zero developments? Although might be softened as it it now a market expectation.

Question 28

How would you suggest the RICS improves DI?

Answer 28

Updated Rules of conduct with DI and the Governing Council accepting Bichards recommendations is a good start.

However, I think its going to be key for the RICS to show how these changes have been implemented. Perhaps an annual public diversity review could be undertaken to understand the change in the diversity of the profession.

I understand a Diversity & Inclusion panel has also been created to encourage ethnicity in the profession.