Chapter 10 - Sustainable Design Flashcards
What does LEED stand for?
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
What is a national, consensus-based building rating system designed to accelerate the development and implementation of green building practices?
LEED Green Building Rating System
LEED ____ _____ _____ _____
Green Building Rating System
LEED was developed by the _______
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
_______ is a national coalition of leaders from all aspects of the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible and profitable and that provide healthy places to live and work.
USGBC
In addition to developing the rating system, the full ____ program offers training workshops, professional accreditation, resource support, and third-party certification of building performance.
LEED
What are the four possible certification levels of LEED?
Certified
Silver
Gold
Platinum
LEED has several rating systems for different building types. What are they and what was the first?
LEED for New Construction (first)
commercial interiors
existing building
core and shell development
home
schools
retail facilities
healthcare facilities
neighborhood development
__________, a green building guidance and assessment program, is a product of the _________.
Green Globes
Green Building Initiative
What does GBI stand for?
Green Building Initiative
What is the Green Building Initiative (GBI)?
a not-for-profit organization that promotes environmentally sustainable building practices
Building owners can use ______ to evaluate their building during design and construction on a 1,000 point scale in the categories of energy, indoor environment, site, water, resources, emissions, and project management. After the initial evaluation, third-party assessors review the building and documentation for certification. After it’s certified, it may be awarded 1 to 4 ______.
Green Globes
Globes
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) developed _______
ICC700, National Green Building Standard
ICC700 describes green building practices for ______, ______, ______, AND it was _________________
single and multifamily homes residential remodeling projects
site development projects that allow for regionally appropriate sustainable practices
-the FIRST residential green building standard to undergo the full consensus process and receive approval from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
_____ is a program of the EPA and US Dpt of Energy. Once a building is completed and one year’s worth of energy performance is obtained, the project’s energy use is compared with other, similar facilities on a scale of 1-100. Buildings scoring ____ or higher are eligible for the _________.
Energy Star
75
Energy Star label
What does CHPS stand for?
Collaborative for High Performance Schools
CHPS goals:
increasing the energy efficiency of schools in Cali and improving Cali’s quality of education.
Is CHPS a national organization?
Yes. Now it is.
Name 5 sustainable building rating systems:
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
GBI (Green Building Initiative)
NAHB (National Association of Home Builders)
Energy Star
CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools)
BRE (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method)
Name 15 sustainable product certifications
BIFMA
Energy Star Product Label
FloorScore of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute
FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)
Greenguard
Green Label Plus
Carpet and Rug Institute
Green Seal
Green Format
MTG (Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability)
ISO 14000
MBDC Cradle to Cradle (C2C)
Scientific Certification Systems (SCS)
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
UL Environment
WaterSense
BIFMA
Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association
VOCs from office furniture systems and seating.
BIFMA is the trade association for business and institutional furniture manufacturers. Since 1973, BIFMA has been the voice of the commercial furniture industry. BIFMA sponsors the development of safety and performance standards, provides industry statistics and forecasts, advocates for regulatory conditions that foster value and innovation, and serves as a forum for member cooperation and collaboration.
Energy Star
voluntary labeling program to promote energy-efficient products
FloorScore
certifies hard-surfaces flooring products for compliance with strict indoor air quality requirements in Cali
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
international organization oversees the standards based on basic forest management principles and criteria.
Logo ensures materials have come from environmentally conscious management
Greenguard
tests indoor products for emissions to ensure they meet acceptable indoor air quality pollutant guidelines and standards
products include: building materials, furnishings, furniture, cleaning products, electronic equipment, and personal care products.
GREENGUARD Certification is part of UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories). GREENGUARD Certification helps manufacturers create–and helps buyers identify–interior products and materials that have low chemical emissions, improving the quality of the air in which the products are used.
Green Label Plus
voluntary testing program for carpet, cushion, and adhesive from Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)
Green Seal
independent, nonprofit org that strives to achieve a more sustainable world by promoting: environmentally responsible production, purchasing, and products
evaluates: life-cycle approach considering energy
resource use
emissions to air, water, and land health impacts of the product
GreenFormat
web-based database developed by the Construction Specifications Institute Manufacturers self-report sustainability properties of their products
5 categories: Background Info
Product Details
Product Life Cycle
Additional information authorization
Designers, contractors, and others can search the database
Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability or MTS
oversees the SMaRT (Sustainable Materials Rating Technology) program identifies sustainable products based on awarding points in the areas of: safety
energy reduction
company and facility requirements (including social equity)
biobased or recycled materials use, reuse, reclamation, end-of-life management
ISO 14000
International Organization for Standardization collection of standards and guidelines from over 120 countries that cover issues such as: performance product standards labeling environmental management life-cycle assessment
MBDC Cradle to Cradle (C2C)
product certification program based on criteria of: material health
material reutilization
renewable energy
water stewardship
social fairness
basic, bronze, silver, gold, or platinum
Scientific Certification Systems
private organization to advance public and private sectors toward more environmentally sustainable policies as a certifier
LEADING third-party certifier for other programs.
their work is based on scientifically defensible, field-verifiable, performance measurement systems.
carpet
non-woven flooring composite
panel products
adhesives and sealants furniture paints
casework
ceiling
tiles
wall coverings
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (FSC)
charitable org-promotes sustainable forest management
includes forest certification, principles and objectives.
SFI label indicates that is has come from a certified forest.
NOT as good as FSC. FSC is the preferred label.
UL Environment
promotes the marketplace visibility of sustainable products, services, and organizations
provides independent green claims validation, product certification, training
UL Environment can validate the following:
recycled content
rapidly renewable materials
regional materials
VOC emissions
VOC content
energy efficiency
water efficiency
hazardous or toxic substances
reclamation programs.
It maintains a database of products it has certified.
WaterSense
program of the EPA that helps consumers identify water efficient programs and products
Water Efficiency and Performance WaterSense, a voluntary partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is both a label for water-efficient products and a resource for helping you save water.
What provides the methodology to evaluate the environmental impact of using a particular material or product in a building?
Life-cycle assessment
What are the four phases of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?
- Determine purpose and goals of doing the study
- Inventory analysis
- Impact analysis
- Improvement analysis
Phase 1 of LCA
determine the purpose and goals of doing the study
Phase 2 of LCA
Inventory Analysis–often most difficult involves determining and quantifying all of the inputs and outputs of the product under study
ex: energy required to obtain the raw materials and to process or manufacture them OR energy of transportation, OR pollution of waste disposal
Phase 3 of LCA
Impact Analysis–characterizes the effects of the processes
(found in the inventory analysis in terms of their environmental impact) Ex: The energy required to produce a product may necessitate the addition of electrical generating capacity, which in turn may produce both waterborne and airborne pollution.
Phase 4 of LCA
Improvement Analysis–provides suggestions on how to reduce the environmental impact of all the raw materials, energy, and processing required for the product or construction activity
Four Main Stages of a Product’s Life Cycle
- Raw-material acquisition
- Manufacturing
- Use and Maintenance
- Disposal
At any point in the life-cycle assessment, but most commonly during _____, consideration must be given to all the inputs and outputs of the system or product under study.
inventory analysis
Criteria for Evaluating Building Materials
Embodied energy
Renewable energy
Recycled content
Energy efficiency
Use of local materials
Durability
Low volatile organic compound
Low toxicity
Moisture problems
Water conservation
Maintainability Potential for reuse and recycling
Reusability
___________ is the sum of all the energy required to produce any goods or services, considered as if that energy was incorporated or ‘_______ed’ in the product itself
Embodied energy
“embodied”
One fundamental purpose for measuring this quantity is to compare the amount of energy produced or saved by the product in question to the amount of energy consumed in producing it.
A material is considered _______ if it comes from sources that can ___ themselves within a fairly short time
renewable renew
examples: wool carpets, bamboo flooring and paneling, straw board, cotton batt insulation, linoleum flooring, poplar oriented strand board (OSB), sunflower seed board, and wheatgrass cabinetry
The more _______ a material has, the less raw materials and energy required to process the raw materials into a final product.
recycled content
Referring to a material or product that has served its intended use and has been diverted or recovered from waste destined for disposal, having completed its life as a consumer item
Post-consumer
Referring to materials generated in manufacturing processes (trimmings or scrap) that have been recovered or diverted from solid waste
Post-industrial also called “pre-consumer”
Waste or byproducts that have been recovered or diverted from solid-waste disposal. The terms does not apply to materials that are generated from or reused within an original manufacturing process.
Recovered material
There are three types of recycled content:
- post-consumer materials
- post-industrial (pre-consumer)
- recovered material
Although metals require large amounts of ________ for their production, they have a high potential for ________.
embodied energy
recycling
What’s a better alternative to plating metals with chemicals?
powder coatings
plastic polymer coatings
Deforestation and the processing and manufacturing of wood products represent a large ecological problem. What are three things interior designers can do, that can help?
- use reclaimed wood- specify sustainable or alternate materials- use certified wood products
Other products can be used in some instances to replace rough lumber:
engineered wood products
laminated veneer lumber
particleboard/MDF
straw particleboard
rice straw
bagasse, the residue from the processing of sugar cane
_________ are those that use wood obtained through sustainable forest management practices. Most well known is _________
certified wood products
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
__________ provide a primary method of improving a building’s sustainability because they are one of the main sources of potential indoor air pollution and are typically replaced several times over the life of a building.
interior finish materials
interior finishes are grouped into four types:
adhesives, flooring, wall, and ceiling
Most adhesives emit gases because they contain plastic resins. three adhesive alternates:
dry adhesives (containing resins)
water-based adhesives (containing latex or polyvinyl)
natural adhesives (containing plant resins)
When using carpet, there are three major considerations for sustainability:
- raw-material use
- raw-material disposal
- indoor air quality
Good raw materials for carpet include
- polyester and nylon-blended carpet made from recycled soft-drink containers (PET)
- wool
Carpet disposal is a problem because of the total quantity that is placed in landfill. Carpet doesn’t decompose easily and is not easily separated. One type of nylon fiber can be recycled easily.
Nylon 6
Are carpet tiles or broadloom more sustainable?
carpet tiles (only a small number need to be replaced when damaged)
Is it better to have pre-finished wood floors or finish the doors onsite?
Pre-finished. eliminate the need for sanding and finishing on the job site, which could create indoor air quality problems
is ceramic tile generally considered a sustainable material?
Yes (despite the high embodied energy required to produce it and the transportation costs to get it from the factory to the job site)
it uses readily available materials, is very durable produces practically no harmful emissions, and requires very little maintenance
Gypsum wallboard is manufactured with ____% recycled content for its paper faces and with some recycled content for the core
100%
By itself, gyspum wallboard does not contribute in any significant way to indoor air pollution. However, ___, ____, and _____ can be pollution sources and should be specified carefully.
adhesives, paints, and caulking
Why can gypsum wallboard be problematic?
it cannot be reused when taken out of an old building
Acoustical ceiling tile that uses recycled content from old tiles, newsprint, or perlite is/ is not available.
is
Fiberglass panels are also available with recycled content.
One _____ manufacturer offers a recycling program that allows customers to ship old tile to their plant if the manufacturers own tile is to be used as a replacement
ceiling tile
is it less to send ceiling tile to a landfill or to recycle it?
recycle it
Can ceiling grid be recycled?
yes-as scrap metal
___________ is the process of inspecting, testing, starting up, and adjusting building systems and then verifying and documenting that they are operating as intended and meet the design criteria of the contract documents.
Building commissioning
What is a preferred ventilation system that can reduce energy consumption?
Displacement ventilation
__________ is an air distribution system in which supply air originates at floor level and rises to return-air grilles in the ceiling.
Displacement ventilation
Why is displacement ventilation good for reducing energy consumption?
- supply air is delivered close to users and does not have to be cooled as much- good for removing heat generated by ceiling-level lights - improves indoor air quality because typically uses a high percentage of outdoor air- can be used in conjunction with personal temperature control and flexible underfloor wiring
What do displacement ventilation systems use?
access flooring systems to provide space for underfloor ducting and to allow for rearrangement of air supply outlets as the space layout changes
Ways to reduce electricity use:
- reduce power required for lighting by designing task/ambient systems or by utilizing daylighting- occupancy lighting controls- have electrical set up nonemergency lighting on a programmable timer that turns lighting off during nonbusiness hours- specify daylight-responsive controls in all occupied spaces within 15’ of windows and under skylights- specify high-reflectance finishes - specify appliances and equipment that are energy efficient- specify sub-metering equipment to measure and record energy uses within a tenant space . along with this arrange for the energy costs to be paid by the tenant but not be included in the base rent
Maintaining health is an important aspect of sustainable design, and one of the basic requirements of health is good __________
indoor air quality (IAQ)
Indoor air contaminants can be broadly classified into two groups:
chemical contaminants and biological contaminants
examples of chemical contaminants
VOCs, inorganic chemicals, tobacco smoke, and dozens of others
examples of biological contaminants
mold, pollen, bacteria, and viruses
Volatile Organic Compounds are chemicals that contain ____ and ___ and that vaporize at room temperature and pressure
carbon and hydrogen
Formaldehyde is used ______________
in the preparation of the resins and adhesives in particleboard, wall paneling, furniture, carpet adhesives, and other glues
Formaldehyde is a probably human carcinogen and has irritant effects on the ___ and ____
eyes and respiratory tract
How to minimize the problems with formaldehyde
- minimize the amount
- use two or three coats of sealants
- air out the building before occupancy
To improve IAQ by minimizing Tobacco Smoke you can do two things:
- smoking should be banned completely form buildings and near entrances
- isolated smoking rooms should be constructed that have a separate ventilation system that vents directly to the outside
Mold spores require three conditions to grow:
- moisture
- a nutrient
- temperature range from 40F to 100F
What are examples of nutrients for mold?
nutrients are simply organic materials which include:
wool carpet
the paper coating of gypsum wallboard
paint
wallpaper
insulation
ceiling tile
the only way to prevent mold
prevent and control moisture in places where it should not be (or to use a material that does not provide a nutrient)
Four basic causes of Poor IAQ
- chemical contaminants from indoor sources
- chemical contaminants from outdoor sources
- biological contaminants
- poor ventilation
One of the most common sources of poor IAQ
chemical contaminants from indoor sources
Ex: VOCs, tobacco smoke, respirable particles, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide
how do chemical contaminants from outdoor sources enter a building?
through vents, windows, or doors improperly located
ex: doors from a parking garage or pollutants from exhausts and plumbing vents that get sucked back into the building through improperly located air intakes
How do biological contaminants such as mold, bacteria, and viruses develop?
from moisture infiltration, standing water, stagnant water in mechanical equipment, and even from dropping from insects or birds that find their way into the building
______ describes a condition in which building occupants experience a variety of health-related symptoms that cannot be directly linked to any particular cause. generally symptoms disappear after the occupants leave the building.
Sick-building syndrome
_________ describes a condition in which the health-related symptom(s) of a building’s occupants are identified and can be directly attributed to certain building contaminants. Symptoms do not immediately improve when the occupant leaves the building.
Building-related illness
What’s an example of building-related illness?
Legionnaires’ disease
__________ is a condition brought on by exposure to VOCs other chemicals. People with this may develop acute, long-term sensitivity that shows symptoms each time they are exposed to the chemicals
Multiple chemical sensitivity
4 strategies that an interior designer can implement to help maintain good IAQ
- Eliminate or reduce sources of pollution
- Control ventilation
- Establish good maintenance procedures
- Control occupant activity
Clean Air Act of 1970
This law regulates air emissions from area, stationary, and mobile sources
_________ are chemical or biological substances that pose a threat to the environment or to human health if released or misused
hazardous materials
In many cases, buildings may be contaminated with harmful chemicals, mold, mildew, and so on. What should happen?
These contaminants need to be identified and removed in accordance with best practices and in compliance with federal, state, or local regulations.
_____ is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral found in certain types of rock formations
Asbestos
asbestos is known to cause
lung cancer and mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the chest or abdomen) among others
How to deal with asbestos?
Test for asbestos and mitigation efforts must be done by an accredited company following strict procedures
If the asbestos has not been disturbed, what to do?
it can be left in place bc the EPA has determined that intact and undisturbed asbestos materials do not pose a health risk
the asbestos may be encapsulated to protect it from becoming “friable” or from accidental damage
During demolition or renovation, the EPA, requires ______ removal
asbestos
it must be done by a licensed contractor certified for this kind of work
what is vermiculite?
it is a type of insulation that in some cases contains asbestos it’s used for pour-in insulation, acoustic finishes (popcorn ceiling), fire protection, and sound-deadening compounds
EPA’s recommendation for vermiculite that is attic insulation?
recommends that the vermiculite not be disturbed, and that any cracks in the ceiling be sealed. if the insulation must be removed, only a trained professional contractor should perform the work.
_____ is a highly toxic metal that was once used in a variety of consumer and industrial products
lead
lead exposures–effects on children
serious health problems (especially to children), including damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth, behavior problems, seizures, and even death
most lead exposures come from
paint in homes built before 1978 or from soil and household dust that has picked up lead from deteriorating lead-based paint
_____ is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, naturally occurring radioactive gas found in soils, rocks, and water throughout the world
radon
radon causes
lung cancer from breathing air contaminated with radon
how to get rid of radon
- sealing cracks in floors, walls, and fountains- ventilating the crawl space- use a vent pipe without a fan to draw air from under a slab to the outside- blow air from under the slab to the outside
___________s are mixtures of synthetic organic chemicals with physical states ranging from oily liquids to waxy solids
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
PCBs were used in
building transformers, fluorescent light transformers, paints, coatings, and plastic and rubber products
PCBs ___ and ___ were banned in 1977 by
manufacture and importation
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976
There are some exceptions allowing the use of _____
PCBs
What is adaptive reuse?
reusing as much of the existing building stock as possible instead of constructing new buildings
what’s a common example of adaptive reuse?
turning a warehouse into residences
________ is the a ability of a previously used material to be used as a resource in the manufacture of a new product
recyclability
what’s a common example of recycling?
melting down old steel to manufacture new steel
how to encourage recycling?
provide bins, recycling rooms and other provisions as part of the building design
Green Seal GS-11
product standard for paints
Green Seal GS-13
product standard for windows
International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
model code developed by the ICC to regulate minimum energy conservation requirements for new buildings. addressed residential and commercial buildings
International Green Construction Code (IgCC)
model code developed by the ICC to strengthen building codes in order to accelerate the transition to high performance, green buildings. provides a way for jurisdictions to regulate design and performance sustainability for new and renovated buildings.
Toxic Substances Control ACT (TSCA) of 1976, three materials most associated with the act:
law enacted to give the EPA the authority to track and regulate over 75,000 industrial chemicals produced or imported into the U.S. polychlorinated biphenyls (PBCs), asbestos, and lead-based paint.
A marketable byproduct from a process that can include materials traditionally considered to be waste but that can be used as raw materials in a different manufacturing process
coproduct
a system designed to adjust the amount of ventilation air provided to a space, based on the extent of occupancy. system normally uses carbon dioxide sensors but may also use occupancy sensors or air quality sensors
demand-controlled ventilation
the total energy required to extract, produce, fabricate, and deliver a material to a job site including the collection of raw materials, the energy used to extract and process the raw materials, transpiration from the original site to the processing plant o factory, the energy required to turn the raw material into finished product, and the energy required to transport the material to the job site.
embodied energy
referring to a material or product that has served its intended use and has been diverted or recovered from waste defined for disposal, having completed its life as a consumer item
post-consumer
waste or byproducts that have been recovered or diverted from solid-waste disposal
recovered materials
a product that can be grown, naturally replenished, or cleansed at a rate that exceeds human depletion of the resource
renewable product
the condition of being able to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations
sustainable
referring to materials generated in manufacturing processes (trimming or scrap) that have been recovered or diverted from solid waste
post-industrial (also called pre-consumer)
