EPG: Chapter 6 - Sustainable Sites

Question 1

The Sustainable Sites (SS) category closely addresses the environmental impacts of ___ design and management, ___water management, ___ ___ effect, and ___ pollution of a building site.

Answer 1

site / rain / heat island / light

Question 2

albedo

Answer 2

metric to define the reflectivity of an object from darkest black to white using a scale from 0 to 1

Question 3

aquifer

Answer 3

a body of saturated rock through wich water can easily move

Question 4

biodiversity

Answer 4

variety of all life on earth including plants, animals, insects, micro-organisms, and humans

Question 5

bioswale

Answer 5

a constructed rainwater control feature containing an engineered basin, soil, stone, and vegetation designed to reduce rainwater runoff and increase groundwater recharge

Question 6

dry pond

Answer 6

an excavated area designed to hold rainwater during a rain event, but is dry when there is no precipitation

Question 7

ecosystem

Answer 7

a complex set of interconnected relationships between the living organisms of a specific place that form a system

Question 8

green infrastructure (GI)

Answer 8

the patchwork of natural areas that provide habitat, flood protection, clean air, and clean water at the scale of a city or country, or rainwater management systems that mimic nature by soaking up and storing water at the scale of a neighborhood or site

Question 9

head island effect

Answer 9

the absorption of solar heat by hardscapes such as roofs, roads, parking lots, and sidewalks

Question 10

impervious

vs

pervious

Answer 10

the characteristic of a material preventing the penetration of liquids and/or gasses

vs

the characteristic of a material allowing the penetration of liquids and/or gasses

Question 11

integrated pest management (IPM)

Answer 11

a sustainable approach of pest control in an economical way while minimizing hazards to people, property and the environment

Question 12

light trespass

Answer 12

the spillage of light across a project boundary onto neighboring sites

Question 13

low impact development (LID)

Answer 13

a land management strategy that emulates natural systems to manage rainwater as close to its source as possible

Question 14

native and adapted species

Answer 14

plants that are either native to the region or have adapted to the region and require little to no irrigation

Question 15

nonpoint source pollution

Answer 15

water pollution caused by pollutants, such as gasoline, oil, salt, and fertilizers, which are washed into the nearest water bodies by rainwater runoff

Question 16

rain garden

Answer 16

a depressed area of ground containing soil, stone, vegetation that is designed to catch and slow rainwater

Question 17

rainwater harvesting

Answer 17

precipitation captured with a cistern or other catchment device from outside the building for use in irrigation, flush fixtures, or building processes, but not for potable uses

Question 18

rainwater runoff

Answer 18

water from precipitation that runs off of impervious surfaces into the nearest water bodies and sewer systems

Question 19

solar reflectance index (SRI)

Answer 19

a metric from 0 to 100 that measures how well a material reflects solar heat, with higher numbers signifying better reflectance

Question 20

watershed

Answer 20

the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes to the same place

Question 21

xeriscaping

Answer 21

landscaping designed to reduce or eliminate potable water use in irrigation through the planting of native and adapted species of vegetation and the use of other water-conserving techniques

Question 22

Project using the LEED BD+C: ____ and ____ rating systems MUST perform an environmental site assessment.

What does this prerequisite in SS require?

Answer 22

Schools and Healthcare

SS Prerequisite - Environmental Site Assessment requires that the site receives a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment to determine if there are any contaminants as described in ASTM E1527-05. If contamination seems evident, a Phase II assessment must be conducted. (Phase II indicates remediation must occur).

Question 23

What is the primary goal of the SS Prerequisite - Construction Activity Pollution Prevention?

What does this prerequisite require?

Answer 23

Reducing the impact of pollution on the building site due to construction activity (by controlling soil erosion, waterway sedimentation, and the generation of airborne dust).

Therefore, it is required to create and implement an erosion and sedimentation control plan for all construction activities.

Question 24

What are some examples of site operational procedures that can be used to fulfill the SS Prerequisite - Construction Activity Pollution Prevention?

Answer 24

silt fencing, control erosion, watering down the site, putting down gravel to control airborne dust, using filtration materials around inlets to control sedimentation.

Question 25

The strategy of reducing footprint is important for…?

Answer 25

cost savings and reduction of environmental impact of the project

Question 26

Building ___ rather than “out” maximizes the FAR of a building project.

Answer 26

“up”

Question 27

The SS Credit - Open Space requires project teams to provide outdoor space greater than or equal to ___% of the total site area.

Answer 27

30%

Question 28

A prerequisite for the LEED O+M: ____ rating system is SS Prerequisite - Site Management Policy.

What is the intent of this prerequisite?

Answer 28

Existing Buildings

The intent is to preserve ecological integrity and encourage environmentally sensitive site management practices that provide a clean, well-maintained, and safe building exterior and landscape.

Question 29

What is the intent of SS Credit - Rainwater Management?

Answer 29

To reduce rainwater runoff and improve water quality by duplicating the natural hydrology and water balance of the site. Rainwater may be captured to reduce the building’s potable water use.

Question 30

What are the two steps to do to earn points under SS Credit - Rainwater Management?

Answer 30

1. reduce the amount of impervious areas that cause runoff
2. manage runoff by using green infrastructure and low-impact development techniques.

Question 31

What is the most popular alternatives to pervious surface for rooftops?

Answer 31

green (vegetated) roof

Question 32

What is the challenge of using porous, permeable surfaces?

Answer 32

They are not only permeable to water, but also salt and soil. They will clog up over time so must be periodically cleaned to retain their permeability.

Question 33

Rainwater cannot be used for ___.

Answer 33

Drinking.

Note that rainwater harvesting is typically prohibited in states with drought issues (ie Western states) because water is allocated for downstream users.

Question 34

What does a passive rainwater management system do?

How about an active one?

Answer 34

It redirects rainwater to planted areas where it is allowed to saturate the soil.

On the other hand, an active rainwater management system captures, stores, and later transports rainwater to the desired application area.

Question 35

Flushing toilets use ___% of treated domestic water.

Answer 35

30%

Using harvested rainwater instead of treated water for toilets could greatly reduce the demand for treated water.

Question 36

Gabion

Answer 36

collection of rocks or boulders held together using wire mesh or metal fabric to reduce soil erosion. It slows the movement of water, which allows for saturation into the soil.

Question 37

What two strategies can be implemented in order to address the SS Credit - Heat Island Reduction?

Answer 37

• Reduce Exposed Hardscapes
• Use High-Reflectance Materials

Question 38

High-reflectance materials have a low or high SR/SRI rating?

Answer 38

A high SR/SRI rating is lighter in color and more reflective.

Question 39

What are the 3 main forms of light pollution?

Define their effect on light pollution.

Answer 39

uplight, glare, and light trespass

• Uplight causes artificial sky glow
• Glare is caused by high-angled front lighting
• Light trespass is caused by misdirecting light onto adjacent sites and unintended directions

Question 40

What are 2 strategies you can do to meet the SS Credit - Light Pollution Reduction?

Answer 40

• Install sensors and timers
• Eliminate unnecessary lighting (ie avoid overlighting)

Question 41

Strategic Lighting

Answer 41

helps eliminate overlight by locating fixtures appropriately and reducing the number of fixtures required

Question 42

Smart Fixtures

Answer 42

utilize proper shielding to focus light downward and to intended areas; may utilize motion sensors; are BUG rated

Question 43

What is a BUG rating?

Answer 43

classifies luminairs according to their potential to generate light pollution (backlight, upright, and glare). A low BUG rating means lower light pollution.