3. WE & EA

Question 1

Potable Water

Answer 1

TYPE OF WATER
Water fit for human consumption (meets or exceeds U.S. EPA drinking water quality standards). Comes from municipal water supply or wells.

Question 2

Graywater / greywater

Answer 2

TYPE OF WATER
From soapy water sources – can be reused for irrigation, flushing, process water, or cleaning. Sources are lavatories, showers, bathtubs, laundry tubs, clothes washers.

Question 3

Blackwater

Answer 3

TYPE OF WATER
Water from urinals, toilets, kitchen sinks and dishwashers that must be treated.

Question 4

Reclaimed Water

Answer 4

TYPE OF WATER
Water that has been treated for NON-POTABLE reuse (i.e. flushing, irrigation, process water)

Question 5

Rainwater

Answer 5

TYPE OF WATER
Water from precipitation

Question 6

Plumbing Water

Answer 6

WATER USE
Water used for toilets (water closets), urinals, lavatories (restroom sinks), kitchen sinks, and showers

Question 7

Irrigation Water

Answer 7

WATER USE
Water used for landscaping

Question 8

Process Water

Answer 8

WATER USE
Water used for building processes and systems such as cooling (chillers, cooling towers), heating (boilers), washing (dishwashing or laundry), cooking…etc.

Question 9

Evapotranspiration Controller

Answer 9

An irrigation controller that measures the amount of water vapor lost to apply that amount back to the plants and soil. This is an efficient irrigation technology.

Question 10

Drip Irrigation

Answer 10

Drip irrigation is often a hose or tube, at or below ground level, with holes to deliver water directly to the roots of plants to minimize evaporation loss. Drip also slows the rate of water delivery. These combine to reduce water use by 30% - 50%.

Question 11

Weather-Based Controllers

Answer 11

Rain gauges, satellite-based systems, or other technologies that assess rainfall to reduce irrigation water application when there is enough rainwater available.

Question 12

Dual Flush Toilets (Water Closets)

Answer 12

The term water closet means toilet.
A dual-flush toilet has two directions on a handle or two buttons on a tank. The “liquid” flush uses less water than the “solid” flush, saving water over standard fixtures.

Question 13

ASHRAE 90.1

Answer 13

A U.S. standard (energy code) that provides minimum requirements for energy efficient designs for buildings except for low-rise residential buildings.

Question 14

HERS

Answer 14

The Home Energy Rating System – this index is the industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is measured. It’s also the nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home’s energy performance.

Question 15

Energy Audit

Answer 15

An ASHRAE Level 1 audit is required for LEED – a basic assessment of energy use by end use.
An ASHRAE Level 2 audit is optional – this is best for older buildings to assess capital improvements with the greatest paybacks (life-cycle costing for energy efficiency)

Question 16

Value Engineering

Answer 16

A systematic method to improve the “value” of goods (value = ratio of function to cost). Value can be increased by either improving the function or reducing the cost. NOT necessarily a LEED concept (sustainability = LCA & LCC, not this)

Question 17

New Building Commissioning

Answer 17

Intensive quality assurance process that begins with meeting with the owner, insuring goals are implemented into the design, and continues through construction, and hopefully occupancy and operations.

Question 18

Retro commissioning

Answer 18

A process to improve how building equipment and systems function in an existing, occupied building. Typically consists of monitoring system performance, executing functional tests, and verifying equipment operation.

Question 19

Demand

Answer 19

A measure of power in kW (kilowatts). Think of peak demand as the amount of power the building is “calling for” when all systems are running, or demanding power.

Question 20

Consumption

Answer 20

A measure of energy use in kWh (kilowatt-hours). This is the amount of energy used over a set period of time. Energy bills reflect the amount of consumption, typically in a given month.

Question 21

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager Tool

Answer 21

A program from the EPA used to benchmark the performance of existing buildings vs. the national average of its type

Question 22

Passive Design

Answer 22

Harnessing free energy and improving the building envelope to reduce the amount of power used by a structure. Elements include daylighting with shade control, tighter envelope with better windows and insulation, passive heating, and natural ventilation

Question 23

Demand Response

Answer 23

Enrolling in a program with a utility or initiating internal steps to reduce power use during peak periods. Examples include turning off lights, turning off unnecessary equipment like lobby displays and fountains, adjusting temperature setpoints

Question 24

Direct Emissions

Answer 24

Emissions emitted directly from the building into the atmosphere

Question 25

Indirect Emissions

Answer 25

Emissions at the power plant caused by the building’s need for power

Question 26

GHG’s
Greenhouse Gases

Answer 26

Gases that create a greenhouse effect in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change (global warming)

Question 27

GWP’s
Global Warming Potentials

Answer 27

Gases that are GHG’s – create a greenhouse effect in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change – this measures the effect in a gas

Question 28

ODP’s
Ozone Depleting Potentials

Answer 28

Gases the contribute to breakdown of the stratospheric ozone layer – our natural filter of dangerous UV rays from the sun

Question 29

Montreal Protocol

Answer 29

The first international environmental agreement, this protocol phases out products with ODP’s. CFC’s were phased out in 1996, HCFC’s were 90% phased out in 2015, leaving HFC’s as the only available refrigerant after 2020.

Question 30

CFC’s

Answer 30

Chlorofluorocarbons
The first widely used hydrocarbon for air conditioning (“grandpa”)
The most efficient (effective) refrigerant
CFC’s have the highest ODP’s and GWP’s among the fluorocarbon family

Question 31

HCFC’s

Answer 31

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
The second generation of air conditioning gases (“dad”) – not as efficient as CFC’s
Lower ODP’s than CFC’s, but still being phased out

Question 32

HFC’s

Answer 32

Hydrofluorocarbons
The third generation of air conditioning gases (“son”)
Lowest ODP’s, but the least efficient refrigerant

Question 33

Natural Refrigerants

Answer 33

Carbon Dioxide
Air
Water
Ammonia
Propane, Ethane, Butane, Isopentane, Isobutene

Question 34

Energy Use Intensity (EUI)

Answer 34

Energy Use per Square Foot (lower = better)

Question 35

Renewable Electricity

Answer 35

Typically, utility-owned green power initiatives to put emissions-free (Net Zero) power onto the grid. Can offset building electricity use

Question 36

REC’s
Renewable Energy Certificates

Answer 36

Proof that a unit of carbon-free energy was produced and put onto the grid. REC’s are often the cheapest form of off-site renewable electricity, and a way for buildings to directly support a green power plant / provider

Question 37

Carbon Offsets

Answer 37

A way to offset building electricity AND direct emissions from heat. Carbon offsets can come in a variety of forms.

Question 38

Process Energy

Answer 38

Energy used for systems OTHER THAN base building systems. Examples include:
Tenant kitchens
Computers / plug loads
Data centers
Laundromats
Cooking

Question 39

Lighting Power Density

Answer 39

A lighting power requirement defined in North America by ANSI, ASHRAE, and IESNA. This represents the load of any lighting equipment in any defined area, or the watts per square foot of the lighting equipment.

Question 40

Cooling Tower

Answer 40

In water-cooled air conditioning systems, the cooling tower transfers building heat into the atmosphere. Cooling towers lose water to evaporation. This will leave solids behind in the basin that will eventually need to be flushed out. Chemical treatment can help to suspend more solids, reducing flushes, and saving water. Also consider using non-potable water for the system.