Energy & Atmosphere Flashcards
1
Q
How many total points can be earned max for the Energy & Atmosphere category?
A
33
2
Q
How many prerequisites does the Energy & Atmosphere category have?
A
4 -
- Fundamental commissioning and verification
- Minimum energy performance
- Build level energy metering
- Fundamental refrigerant management
3
Q
What are the credit categorizes for Energy & Atmosphere?
A
- enhanced commissioning ✍🏻
- optimize energy performance 🏃♀️💨
- advanced energy metering 🎛
- demand response 💡
- renewable energy production ☀️
- enhanced refrigerant management ❄️
- green power & carbon offsets ♻️
4
Q
What is the biggest contributing factor to global warming?
A
Burning fossil fuels
5
Q
According to the study of New Buildings Institute, LEED projects use __% less energy than regular buildings
A
24%
6
Q
What is the energy star portfolio manager?
A
An interactive online management tool that enables the tracking and assessment of energy and water consumption
7
Q
What is the energy star target finder?
A
Allows projects to set target goals for a building’s energy demands
8
Q
With _______, projects cannot compare their design performance with the actual energy usage, as they can do this with _____.
A
Energy star Target finder;
Energy star Portfolio manager
9
Q
What are some strategies that can help reduce energy demand of buildings?
A
Building orientation Community planning Adjacent buildings Passive strategies Efficient insulation Educating occupants 3D computer modeling Conducting energy audits Rightsizing
10
Q
What has the biggest effect on energy demand?
A
Building orientation
11
Q
By maximizing a building’s ____ exposure to the sun, buildings can have increased daylight & passive solar heating
A
Southern
12
Q
How can an energy audit help reduce energy demand?
A
Highlight building systems that aren’t operating efficiently
13
Q
Who was Home Energy Saver developed by?
A
US department of energy
14
Q
What is Home Energy Saver used for?
A
DIY energy audit
15
Q
In the LEED for Homes rating system, points are adjusted in all the categories according to the sq footage of the home, which is called ______
A
Home size adjustment (HSA)
16
Q
Where are refrigerants mostly used?
A
AC & refrigeration systems
17
Q
What/who banned the production of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants & is also phasing out hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants?
A
1987 Montreal protocol
18
Q
How are CFCs and HCFCs measured?
A
Their ozone depletion potential (ODP) & global warming potential (GWP)
19
Q
BD+C projects aiming for LEED certification cannot use ____ & existing buildings should complete a ____ prior to project completion
A
CFC refrigerants;
CFC phase out (clear completely)
20
Q
What are the natural refrigerants?
A
Carbon dioxide Water Ammonia Air Hydrocarbons (propane, ethane, butane)
21
Q
Cooling a building with a natural refrigerant results in ___ energy consumption than with an HCFC refrigerant
A
More
22
Q
In 2005, the US department of energy estimated that 40% of the energy used to heat & cool the average building was lost to what?
A
Air leaks in building envelopes
23
Q
What can building envelope problems lead to?
A
High operating costs Uneven building temperatures Poor indoor air quality Building deterioration Noise
24
Q
In the US, HVACS account for __% of the energy used in commercial buildings & nearly __% of energy used in residential buildings
A
30%;
50%
25
Increasing the ____ of a building is a strategy for downsizing HVAC equipment
Thermal mass
26
What is thermal mass?
The ability of a material to absorb and store energy
27
What materials can be used for the building envelope to reduce energy usage from HVAC systems? Why?
Thicker brick or similar exterior building layers;
| They absorb & store heat during the day while keeping the inside temp the same
28
What is an energy saving strategy used that also provides fresh air to building occupants?
Natural ventilation
29
Why do filters need to be checked regularly for dust and debris in mechanically ventilated buildings?
HVAC equipment uses more energy to move through ducts when filters are dirty
30
What is efficiencies of scale?
Buildings share one HVAC system
31
Why is lighting considered the biggest contributor to a building’s energy use in some buildings?
Energy is used to power lights & to offset cooling from heat put off by lighting
32
What kind of lights consume more energy and release more heat than other lights?
Incandescent lights
33
What kinds of lights can produce more light with less electricity?
Compact fluorescents
High intensity discharge lamps
LEDs
34
What kind of lighting controls can be controlled by individual users & cut lighting costs?
Photosensors
Timers
Occupancy sensors
Advanced lighting controls
35
What is recommissioning?
Re-commissioning occurs when a building was previously commissioned. This maybe a scheduled re-commissioning as part of an ongoing commissioning process or it may be triggered by facility use change, operational problems, or an addition or renovation that impacts major systems
36
Computer based monitoring system that can monitor, coordinate & control every individual building system, helps reduce energy usage by identifying faulty systems or equipment or can track the energy use of all individual items
Building Automation System (BAS)
37
What kinds of renewable energy are there?
```
Solar
Wind
Wave
Biomass
Geothermal
Hydropower
```
38
What are some nonrenewable fuels?
Coal
Nuclear power
Oil
Natural gas
39
Off-site renewable energy
“Green power”
| Purchased power at a premium price per kilowatt-hour from utility or a provider of renewable energy certificates (RECs)
40
How is off-site renewable energy purchased? (Measurement)
Kilowatt-hour
41
When a utility company doesn’t sell green power, a project team can pay an extra fee (called ____ ) to the local utility company to buy a set of green power instead of buying electricity produced by nonrenewable energy sources
Green pricing
42
Lead certification program for power generation in the US. LEED requires this certification to earn the EA credit.
Green-e
43
A reduction in carbon dioxide made in order to compensate or offset an equivalent carbon dioxide emission made elsewhere
Carbon offsets
44
Carbon neutrality
To emit no more carbon emissions than can realistically be offset
45
For a carbon offset to qualify in LEED, it needs to be ____
Green-e certified
46
Active solar power
Solar power that converts sunlight into light, heat or electricity
47
_____ can convert solar energy to electricity
PV panels
48
What uses solar energy for heating air or water that can then be used in the underfloor heating or AC for buildings - or even to heat a swimming pool?
Solar thermal collectors
49
Passive solar
A system that both collects the sunlight using static and non moving items such as windows, glass doors, some skylights, light tubes & light sleeves
50
What is a geothermal heat pump?
“Geoexchange” or “ground source heat pump”
| Central heating &/or cooling systems that transfer heat to or from the ground
51
Where is geothermal power available?
Areas with volcanic activity closer to the earth’s surface, typ 20 ft under ground
52
What do geothermal pipes do?
Use earth’s heat in the winter
Transfer building heat to earth in summer
Don’t need cooking towers, chillers or boilers
53
Wind energy
Converting energy of wind to electricity
| Ex: wind turbines
54
Hydro energy
Uses the downward running water from lakes or streams to convert water flow energy into electricity
Requires building a hydroelectric dam
55
Biofuel electrical system
Create electricity from biofuels
56
What are typical biofuels?
```
Untreated wood waste
Landfill gas
Agricultural crops or waste
Animal waste
Other types organic waste
```
57
Wave power
Converting energy of waves to electricity
| Ex: Wave energy converters
58
Tidal power
Hydropower that converts energy of tides into electricity
59
What is building commissioning?
Systematic investigation by skilled personnel that compares building performance with the project goals, design specs & owners requirements
60
____ is one of the most cost effective solutions for improving building performance & in cutting down operating costs
Commissioning
61
Retrocommissioning is basically the same process as commissioning applied to _____
Existing buildings
62
By the end of the design development phase, the qualified commissioning authority (CxA) will put together a commissioning Cx plan & final Cx report. They should report directly to who?
Owner
63
A Cx plan will contain what?
```
Goals & objectives
Systems to be commissioned
Team member roles/responsibilities
OPR reviews
BOD reviews
Development of functional tests
Verification of system performance
Reporting deficiencies
```
64
To assist the building operations phase, the CxA will prepare what?
Current facilities requirements (CFR) & O&M plan that will contain all info to operate the building efficiently
65
What are the elements included in the CxA O&M plan?
```
Equipment run time schedules
Building occupancy schedules
Lighting levels
Minimum outside air requirements
Sequences of operations
```
66
Which ASHRAE guidelines are used for commissioning?
ASHRAE 0-2005 & ASHRAE 1.1-2007 (HVAC&R)
67
In the fundamental commissioning, the CxA can be what?
- Independent consultant
- Owner’s employee
- Disinterested subcontractor
- Employee of design/construction team who isn’t part of the project if > 20,000 sq ft
68
The qualified CxA should have completed commissioning for at least ___ similar projects from the early design phase to the minimum 10 months of occupancy
2
69
What guidelines provide additional guidance on building envelope commissioning?
NIBS 3-2012 for exterior enclosures
70
For the building envelope, the requirements are limited to review of what?
OPR, BOD & project design
71
What % reduction in energy costs is required for the minimum energy performance EA pre req - if the project team chooses to perform a whole building energy simulation?
5%
72
ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2010 appendix G with errata deals with what?
Entire building energy simulation
73
In option 2 of the minimum energy performance pre req- instead of performing a whole building simulation & establishing 5% reduction - teams can choose to achieve prescriptive compliance to what?
ASHRAE 50% advanced energy design guide
74
In addition to ASHRAE standard 90.1-2010 with errata, projects trying to achieve the minimum energy performance pre req can choose option 3, which uses what guide?
Advanced building core performance guide
75
When doing a whole building simulation, the calculations should take into account what 2 things?
```
Process energy (unregulated energy)
& non process energy (regulated energy)
```
76
What are some examples of process energy or unregulated energy?
```
(Connected to a plug)
Computers
Office equipment
Kitchen stoves
Kitchen refrigerators
Cooking & food prep equip.
Washers & dryers
Elevators & escalators
```
77
What is a plug load?
Receptacle load
| Represent electrical use by all equipment connected to the electrical system via outlet
78
What are some examples of non process or regulated energy?
(condition spaces & maintain comfort & amenities for building occupants)
```
HVAC
Interior & exterior lighting
Hot water heating
Toilet exhaust
Parking garage ventilation
```
79
With the consumption of process energy in the building, ____ loads occur; with the consumption of nonprocess energy, ____ loads occur
Building process loads
| Building nonprocess loads
80
What guidelines can be used to implement measures for reducing unregulated loads?
COMNET modeling guidelines & procedures
81
To be able to pursue option 3 of the minimum energy performance pre req, using the advanced buildings core performance guide, the project should be less than _____ sq ft
100,000
82
In option 3 of the minimum energy performance pre req, energy performance target should be established using ____, and a minimum score of 90 should be achieved
Energy star’s target finder
83
In order to pursue the max # of points in the optimize energy performance credit, the project team will need to choose option 1 because it contains the most points (___)
18
84
Installing new or using existing building level energy meters/submeters can provide data on total building energy consumption from various sources such as what?
```
Electricity ⚡️
Natural gas 🗿🪨
Chilled water🧊
Steam 😤
Fuel oil ⛽️
Propane 🍔
Biomass 💩
```
85
The total building energy consumption & electrical demand data should be shared with USGBC at a minimum of ____ intervals for __ years or until the building changes ownership or lessee, & starting from the LEED cert date
One month;
| 5 years
86
What are 2 reasons USGBC collects water data usage?
Identify common traits amount high & low performers
Share findings with project teams to improve performance
87
What is the primary cause of ozone depletion?
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)
88
If a project is reusing an existing HVAC&R system, the project team should complete what before project completion?
CFC phase out conversion
89
What are halons?
Chemicals used in fire suppression systems
90
Existing HVAC&R or other equipment - such as standard refrigerators & small water cooler units containing less than ___ lb of refrigerant - are exempt from LEED requirements
0.5 lb
91
CFC production was phased out before ____ in the countries that signed the 1987 Montreal protocol. Before _____,CFC production was phased out in most of the other countries
1995;
| 2010
92
Monitor-Based Commissioning (MBCx)
The process of utilizing a software that will monitor real time data from the building automation system and building meters
93
Building Envelope Commissioning (BECx)
A process that ensures the building envelope is tested and verified to achieve the target building performance with respect to energy, water, indoor environmental quality & durability
94
___ increases the occupants’ comfort levels through infiltration testing, reduced solar heat gain & glare control
Building envelope commissioning
95
Building envelope commissioning should start in which phase?
Design phase
96
A qualified CxA should have completed commissioning for at least two similar projects from the early design phase to the minimum ____ months of occupancy
10 months
97
ASHRAE guideline 0-2005 deals with what?
Commissioning essentials
98
ASHRAE guideline 1.1-2007 deals with what?
HVAC&R technical requirements for commissioning
99
ASHRAE 90.1 deals with what?
Energy standards for buildings, also used to identify project’s climate zone
100
Who develops lighting specifications?
Illuminating engineering society of North America (IESNA)
101
What is National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) Guideline 3-2012, Exterior Technical Requirements for the Cx process used for?
Envelope commissioning
102
What is the US department of energy’s commercial buildings energy consumption survey (CBECS)?
Database used to eliminate a building’s total energy cost
103
Reviewing the building operations 10 months after project completion is called what?
Post construction verification
104
What steps does the CxA take in the enhanced commissioning process?
- review contractor submittals
- verify operator and occupant trainings’ delivery and effectiveness
- conduct a post construction verification 10 months after project completion
- develop ongoing commissioning plan
105
What credit contains the most points in the EA category?
Optimize energy performance (1-18)
106
Projects will be awarded points under the optimize energy performance credit according to their % of annual energy cost savings. Projects that make a reduction of 6% will get __ point & projects that make a reduction of 50% will get ___ points.
1 point;
| 18 points
107
Percentage of energy improvement is calculated by using ________ not energy use
Energy cost savings
108
In LEED, any individual energy end uses that consume __% or more of the total consumption of the building should be tracked SEPARATELY for advanced energy metering
10%
109
What is demand response?
Intensional reduction in the electricity usage in response to a demand response event or changes in the price of electricity
110
Demand response event/curtailment event
The period the utility company asks for a reduction in electricity usage from its program participants
111
To promote participation in demand response technologies and programs that enable more efficient energy generation & distraction systems, what 2 things should be done?
Reduce green house gases
| Increase grid availability
112
Project teams need to design the building and equipment to allow participation in demand response programs through what?
Load shedding or shifting
113
What happens if a demand response program is not available in a project’s location?
Projects can still provide infrastructure for future demand response programs to earn the credit
114
What is load shedding?
Intentional action by the power utility to reduce the load in the power system in order to prevent a total failure of the system
115
What is load shifting?
Storing the energy generated during off-peak hours to use it during peak-demand hours
116
In the renewable energy production credit, projects can still earn the credit as long as what?
Renewable energy provider sells green power in the same utility service area
117
What is the formula for how the percentage of renewable energy can be calculated?
% renewable energy =
equivalent cost of usable energy produced by the renewable energy system
————————————————-
Total building energy cost
118
If the project owns a system for at least 10 years & is located within the same utility service area, what other 2 things are allowed?
Solar garden, renewable energy systems
119
To earn the enhanced refrigerant management credit, what two things must be achieved?
Use no refrigerants
Or
Only use refrigerants with zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) & global warming potential (GWP) of less than 50
120
In LEED, enhanced refrigerant management addresses what 2 factors?
ODP & GWP
121
What are the common building applications for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)?
Chillers, refrigerators, humidifiers
122
What are the common building applications for hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)?
Air conditioning, CFC-11 replacement
123
What is the replacement for HCFC-123?
CFC-11
124
What are the common building applications of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
Ultra low & low temp refrigeration
Insulation agent
AC
125
What is a replacement for CFC-12 or HCFC-22?
HFC-134a
126
What is the replacement for HFC-22?
HFC-407c
127
Natural refrigerants have ____ ozone depletion & HFC’s ozone depletion potentials are very close to ____
0;
| 0
128
In order to get the green power & carbon offsets credit, the project must engage in a contract for a minimum of how many years?
5
129
A green power/carbon offset contract should specify the provision of at least ___% or ___% of the project’s energy from green power, carbon offsets or renewable energy certificates
50%,
| 100%
130
Carbon offsets may be used to mitigate what scope(s) emissions on a metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent basis?
Scope 1 or 2
131
ReNewable energy certificates (RECs) can only be used to mitigate the effects of scope ___, electricity use
Scope 2
132
For projects in the US, carbon offsets must be from what?
Green house gas emission reduction projects within the US
133
Define carbon offset
Reduction of CO2 made in order to compensate or offset an equivalent CO2 emission made elsewhere
134
In LEED, the US department of energy’s commercial buildings energy consumption survey is always used to estimate what if the project teams did not choose to create a building energy model?
Energy use/cost
135
What is the most environmentally friendly refrigerant?
HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons)
136
ASHRAE 0-2005 - what is it a pre req & credit for?
Pre req - fundamental commissioning & verification
Credit - enhanced commissioning
137
ASHRAE 1.1-2007 - pre req & credit for what categories?
Pre req - fundamental commissioning & verification
Credit - enhanced commissioning
138
ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2010, Appendix G with errata is a pre req for what category?
Minimum energy performance
139
ASHRAE advanced energy design guide is a pre req & credit for what categories?
Pre req - minimum energy performance
Credit - optimize energy performance
140
ASHRAE 62.1-2010 - pre req for what category?
Minimum air quality performance
141
ASHRAE 52.2-2007 - credit for what category?
Enhanced indoor air quality strategies
142
ASHRAE 55-2010 - credit for what category?
Thermal comfort
143
2011 ASHRAE handbook - credit for what category?
Acoustic performance
144
What does the 2011 ASHRAE handbook relate to?
HVAC applications & HVAC background noise
145
What is the Green-e Climate program used for?
Carbon offset certification program
146
What does NIBS stand for?
National institute of building sciences
147
NIBS Guideline 3-2012, exterior enclosure technical requirements for the CX process is used for what?
Envelope commissioning
148
What does CBECS stand for?
Commercial buildings energy consumption survey
149
What does the US Department of Energy’s CBECS database do?
Estimate a buildings total energy cost
150
What is a district energy system (DES)?
Central energy conversion plant that provides thermal energy, shared by a group of buildings
151
Define energy use intensity (EUI)
Measurement unit that describes the building’s energy use relative to its size
152
What is radon?
A radioactive gas that is naturally found in soil, rocks, water bodies that is harmful to human health
153
Define scope 1 energy
direct energy from owned or controlled sources
154
Define scope 2 energy
Purchased energy
155
Define scope 3 energy
Energy that is not directly owned or controlled
156
For energy star, a score of __ is average building performance, a score of __ is required to become energy star certified
50;
| 75
157
According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, commissioning of existing buildings has what average cost per square ft?
27¢
158
What is the average ENERGY STAR portfolio manager rating that LEED certified buildings usually receive?
68
159
Which two standards should LEED project teams consult first when conducting an LCA?
ISO 14040 & 14044
160
What does ASHRAE 189.1 do?
Alternative compliance path for energy performance
161
What standard is used in LEED to measure the actual energy performance of buildings?
ENERGY STAR
162
Is ENERGY STAR building performance rating a pre req to achieve credits under energy & atmosphere?
Yes, for eligible projects seeking O+M: existing buildings
163
Performance rating method & energy cost budget method are analysis procedures based on which standard?
ASHRAE 90.1
164
What are the 3 low impact refrigerants?
HCFCs, HFCs & natural refrigerants
