Glossary Flashcards
(124 cards)
1
Q
Agrifiber building products
A
are manufactured from agricultural fiber. Examples include particleboard, medium-density fiberboard, plywood, oriented strand board, wheatboard, and strawboard.
2
Q
Air economizer
A
is a system found in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning air-handling systems that takes advantage of favorable weather conditions to reduce mechanical cooling by introducing cooler outdoor air into the building.
3
Q
Albedo, or solar reflectance,
A
is a measure of the ability of a surface material to reflect sunlight on a scale of 0 to 1. Solar reflectance is also called albedo. Black paint has a solar reflectance of 0; white paint (titanium dioxide) has a solar reflectance of 1.
4
Q
Baseline building energy performance
A
is the annual energy cost for a building design intended for use as a baseline for rating above standard design, as defined in a given version of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1, Appendix G.
5
Q
Biobased product
A
is a commercial or industrial product using at least 50 percent (by weight) biologically generated substances, including but not limited to cellulosic materials (e.g., wood, straw, and natural fibers) and products derived from crops (e.g., soy-based and corn-based).
6
Q
Biobased product content
A
is that portion of a material or product derived from plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry resources.
7
Q
Biodiversity
A
is the variety of life in all forms, levels, and combinations, including ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity.
8
Q
Biomass
A
is plant material from trees, grasses, or crops that can be converted to heat energy to produce electricity.
9
Q
Biomimicry
A
is an emerging design discipline that looks to nature for sustainable design solutions. It sometimes is called biomimetic design.
10
Q
Biomimetic design
A
is an emerging design discipline that looks to nature for sustainable design solutions.
11
Q
Blackwater
A
is wastewater from toilets and urinals. Wastewater from kitchen sinks (especially when a garbage disposal is installed), showers, or bathtubs is also considered blackwater under some state or local codes.
12
Q
Brownfield
A
is a property whose use may be complicated by the presence or possible presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
13
Q
Building automation system (BAS)
A
is a commonly accepted name for the sensors, controls, and computers that control building energy systems such as lighting, heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems with the objective of minimizing energy consumption.
14
Q
Building information modeling (BIM)
A
is the process of generating and managing building data during its life cycle. It also refers to software that generates a three-dimensional building representation and with the ability to accommodate plugins that can potentially perform energy modeling, daylight studies, and life-cycle assessment of building systems.
15
Q
Building products
A
are building elements and assemblies.
16
Q
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)
A
is the primary building assessment system in the United Kingdom.
17
Q
Candela
A
is a measure of luminous intensity. One candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 × 1012 Hz and has a radiant intensity in that direction of 1/683 watt per steradian. See also Lumen.
18
Q
Carbon accounting
A
is the process of measuring the amount of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) an entity, activity, or facility is releasing into the atmosphere.
19
Q
Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e)
A
is a measure used to compare the impact of various greenhouse gases based on their global warming potential (GWP). CO2e approximates the time-integrated warming effect of a unit of a given greenhouse gas relative to that of carbon dioxide (CO2). GWP is an index for estimating the relative global warming contribution of atmospheric emissions of a unit mass of a particular greenhouse gas compared to emission of a unit mass of CO2. These GWP values are used based on a 100-year time horizon: 1 for CO2, 23 for methane (CH4), and 294 for nitrous oxide (N2O). See also Global warming potential.
20
Q
Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels
A
are the concentrations of carbon dioxide. They are indicators of ventilation effectiveness inside buildings. CO2 concentrations greater than 700 parts per million above outdoor CO2 conditions generally indicate inadequate ventilation.
21
Q
Carbon footprint
A
is the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) caused by an organization, event, product, or person.
22
Q
Carbon neutral building
A
is a building with a carbon footprint less than or equal to zero. The carbon accounting is a transparent process that calculates building operational emissions, reduces those emissions, and offsets residual emissions.
23
Q
Carbon offset
A
is a certificate representing the reduction of one metric ton (2,205 lbs.) of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
24
Q
Chain of custody (COC)
A
is a tracking procedure for a product from the point of harvest extraction to its end use, including all successive stages of processing, transformation, manufacturing, and distribution.
25
Charrette
is a collaborative session in which a project team creates a solution to a design or project problem. The structure may vary, depending on the complexity of the problem or desired outcome and the individuals working in the group. Charrettes can take place over multiple sessions in which the group divides into subgroups. Each subgroup then presents its work to the full group as material for future dialogue. Charrettes can serve as a way of quickly generating solutions while integrating the aptitudes and interests of a diverse group of people.
26
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
are hydrocarbons formerly used as refrigerants that cause depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer. CFCs were banned from use by international agreements, including the Montreal Protocol of 1987.
27
Climate zone, US,
is any of the eight principal zones, roughly demarcated by lines of latitude, into which the United States is divided on the basis of climate for the purpose of energy calculations and selecting prescriptive energy conservation measures.
28
Coefficient of performance (COP)
is a measure of the input power to a system compared to the output power of a system; the higher the COP, the more efficient a system is.
29
Combined heat and power (CHP)
or cogeneration, generates both electrical power and thermal energy from a single fuel source.
30
Comfort criteria
are specific design conditions that take into account indoor temperature, humidity, and air speed; and outdoor temperature, outdoor humidity, seasonal clothing, and expected activity.
31
Commissioning (Cx)
is the process of verifying and documenting that a building and all of its systems and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the owner's project requirements.
32
Commissioning authority (CxA)
is the individual designated to organize, lead, and review the completion of commissioning process activities. The CxA facilitates communication among the owner, designer, and contractor to ensure that complex systems are installed and function in accordance with the owner's project requirements.
33
Composite wood
consists of wood or plant particles or fibers bonded by a synthetic resin or binder. Examples include particleboard, medium-density fiberboard, plywood, oriented strand board, wheatboard, and strawboard.
34
Composting toilets
contain and control the composting of excrement, toilet paper, carbon additive, and, optionally, food wastes. (They sometimes are called biological toilets, dry toilets, and waterless toilets.)
35
Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency (CASBEE)
is the primary building assessment system used in Japan.
36
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
is more commonly known as the Superfund Act. Enacted in 1980, CERCLA addresses abandoned or historical waste sites and contamination by taxing the chemical and petroleum industries and providing federal authority to respond to releases of hazardous substances.
37
Constructed wetland
is an engineered system designed to simulate natural wetland functions to support ecological systems and water purification.
38
Construction and demolition debris
includes waste and recyclables generated from construction and from the renovation, demolition, or deconstruction of preexisting structures. It does not include land-clearing debris, such as soil, vegetation, and rocks.
39
Construction indoor air quality (IAQ) management plan
outlines measures to minimize indoor air contamination in a building during construction and describes procedures to flush the building to remove contaminants prior to occupancy.
40
Cradle-to-cradle
is a framework for designing manufacturing processes powered by renewable energy, in which materials flow in safe, regenerative, closed-loop cycles.
41
Cradle-to-gate product life cycle
is a partial product life cycle from resource extraction (cradle) to the factory gate before the product is transported to the consumer. This life cycle includes the product stages of raw material supply, transport, and manufacturing. The construction process, use, and end-of-life stages of the product are omitted in this case.
42
Cradle-to-grave product life cycle
is the full product life cycle from resource extraction (“cradle”) through the disposal stage (“grave”). This life cycle includes the product, construction process, use, and end-of-life stages.
43
Daylighting
is the controlled entry of natural light into a space, used to reduce or eliminate electric lighting.
44
Daylight-responsive lighting controls
are photosensors used in conjunction with other switching and dimming devices to control the amount of artificial lighting relative to the amount and quality of natural daylight.
45
Deconstruction
is the systematic dismantling and removal of a structure or its parts to salvage and harvest the components, for the purpose of reusing and recycling the reclaimed materials for their maximum value; the disassembly of a building with the explicit intent of recovering building materials for reuse in a safe and economical manner.
46
Demand-controlled ventilation (DCV)
is automatic ventilation control based on measured carbon dioxide levels.
47
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen (DGNB), or German Association for Sustainable Building
is both the primary building assessment system used in Germany and the name of the organization that is its proponent.
48
District cooling
distributes chilled water to multiple buildings primarily for air conditioning. The chilled water usually is provided by a dedicated cooling plant powered by waste heat.
49
District heating
is the distribution of heat from one or more sources, such as waste heat from a power plant, to multiple buildings.
50
Drip irrigation
delivers landscape irrigation water at low pressure through buried mains and submains. From the submains, water is distributed to the soil through a network of perforated tubes or emitters. Drip irrigation is a high-efficiency type of microirrigation.
51
Ecological design
is an approach to design that transforms matter and energy-using processes that are compatible and synergistic with nature and that are modeled on natural systems.
52
Ecological sustainability
is a school of sustainability that focuses on the capacity of ecosystems to maintain their essential functions and processes and retain their biodiversity in full measure over the long term.
53
Ecology
is the study of the living conditions of organisms in interaction with each other and with the surroundings, organic as well as inorganic.
54
Embodied energy
is the total energy of all types needed to produce goods or services and is considered to be the energy investment in the product or activity. Relative to buildings, it is the total energy investment in constructing the building and includes the embodied energy of all the materials composing the building plus the energy required to erect the structure and place and install all the products and materials.
55
Emissivity
is the ratio of the radiation emitted by a surface to the radiation emitted by a black body at the same temperature.
56
Energy conservation measures
are installations of, or modifications to, equipment or systems intended to reduce energy use and costs.
57
Energy simulation model, or energy model,
is a computer-generated representation of the anticipated energy consumption of a building. It permits a comparison of energy performance, given proposed energy efficiency measures, with the baseline.
58
Energy Star Rating
is a measure of a building's energy performance compared with that of similar buildings, as determined by the Energy Star Portfolio Manager. It has a scale of 1 to 100, with a score of 50 representing average building performance, while a score of 75 or better represents very good performance.
59
Enthalpy
is the total energy of a thermodynamic system and is the sum of its internal energy and the product of its pressure and volume.
60
Eutrophication
is the increase in chemical nutrients, such as the nitrogen and phosphorus often found in fertilizers, in an ecosystem. The added nutrients stimulate excessive plant growth, promoting algal blooms or weeds. The enhanced plant growth reduces oxygen in the land and water, reducing water quality and fish to other animal populations.
61
Evapotranspiration (ET) rate
is the amount of water lost from a vegetated surface in units of water depth. It is expressed in millimeters per unit of time.
62
Exhaust air
is air that is removed from a space and discharged outside the building by mechanical or natural ventilation systems.
63
Existing building
is a building or portion thereof that was previously occupied or approved for occupancy by the authority having jurisdiction.
64
Feed-in Tariff (solar)
is an incentivizing mechanism for stimulating investment in renewable energy that pays a higher per kilowatt-hour price than charged by the utility company providing energy.
65
Fly ash
is the solid residue derived from incineration processes. Fly ash can be used as a substitute for Portland cement in concrete.
66
Foot-candle (fc)
is the quantity of light falling on a 1-square-foot area from a 1-candela light source at a distance of 1 foot (or 1 lumen per square foot). Footcandles can be measured both horizontally and vertically by a foot-candle meter or light meter. 1 fc510.764 lux. See also Lumen, Lux.
67
Formaldehyde
is a naturally occurring volatile organic compound found in small amounts in animals and plants but is carcinogenic and an irritant to most people when present in high concentrations, causing headaches, dizziness, mental impairment, and other symptoms. When present in the air at levels above 0.1 parts per million, it can cause watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat; nausea; coughing; chest tightness; wheezing; skin rashes; and asthmatic and allergic reactions.
68
Fuel-efficient vehicles
have achieved a minimum green score of 40 according to the annual vehicle-rating guide of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
69
Full-time equivalent (FTE)
represents a regular building occupant who spends 40 hours per week in the project building. Part-time or overtime occupants have FTE values based on their hours per week divided by 40.
70
Fully shielded exterior light fixtures
have lower edges of their shields at or below the lowest edge of the lamp, such that all the light shines down.
71
Geoexchange system
is an electrically powered heating and cooling system for interior spaces. It utilizes earth or a body of water, such as a pond or lake, as both a heat source and heat sink. Components of this system include a heat pump, a hydronic pump, a ground heat exchanger, and a distribution subsystem.
72
Geothermal energy
is hot water or steam from within the Earth that is used to generate electricity.
73
Geothermal ground source heat pump (GSHP), or ground heat pump,
is a central heating and/or cooling system that pumps heat to or from the ground. It uses earth as a heat source (in the winter) or a heat sink (in the summer). See also Geoexchange system.
74
Glare
is any excessively bright source of light within the visual field that creates discomfort or loss of visibility.
75
Global warming potential (GWP)
is an index that describes the radiative characteristics of well-mixed greenhouse gases and that represents the combined effect of the differing times these gases remain in the atmosphere and their relative effectiveness in absorbing outgoing infrared radiation. This index approximates the time-integrated warming effect of a unit mass of a given greenhouse gas in today's atmosphere, relative to that of carbon dioxide, which has a GWP of 1.
76
Graywater
is untreated household wastewater that has not come into contact with toilet waste and has low organic content. Graywater includes used water from bathtubs, showers, bathroom wash basins, and water from clothes washers and laundry tubs. It must not include wastewater from kitchen sinks or dishwashers, which often has organic content.
77
Green Associate
is a credential offered by the US Green Building Council that designates a person as being knowledgeable about the fundamentals of green building. Passing the Green Associate examination is a prerequisite for an individual to become a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional (LEED AP).
78
Green building
is a facility designed using a holistic and collaborative process that addresses life-cycle resource consumption, environmental impacts, and the health of the occupants and local ecosystems.
79
Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI)
is a nonprofit, third-party organization that reviews the application for buildings applying for US Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and tests applicants for Green Associate or LEED AP credentials.
80
Green Building Initiative (GBI)
is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to accelerate the adoption of building practices that result in energy-efficient, healthier, and environmentally sustainable buildings by promoting credible and practical green building approaches for residential and commercial construction.
81
Green-e
is a program established by the Center of Resource Solutions to both promote green electricity products and provide consumers with a rigorous and nationally recognized method to identify those products.
82
Greenfield
is undeveloped land, such as fields, forests, farmland, and rangeland.
83
Green Globes
is a green building guidance and assessment program that offers an effective, practical, and affordable way to advance the overall environmental performance and sustainability of commercial buildings.
84
Green Globes Associate (GGA)
is a project team member who has taken and passed a course on the application of the Green Globes building assessment system. GGAs use their expertise to support the team in the Green Globes certification process
85
Green Globes Professional (GGP)
is a Green Globes certification expert who uses his/her professional and field skills to help clients through the certification process.
86
Greenhouse gases (GHGs)
absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared radiation emitted by earth's surface, clouds, and the atmosphere itself. Increased concentrations of greenhouse gases are a root cause of global climate change.
87
Green roof, or vegetated roof,
is a roof system that may include a waterproofing and root-repellant system, a drainage system, filter cloth, a lightweight growing medium, and plants. Vegetated roof systems can be modular, with drainage layers, filter cloth, growing media, and plants already prepared in movable, interlocking grids, or each component can be installed separately
88
Halons
are substances used in fire suppression systems and fire extinguishers that deplete the stratospheric ozone layer.
89
Hard costs
are the costs of the land, materials, labor, and machinery used to construct a building and are sometimes referred to as direct construction costs.
90
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
are equipment, distribution systems, and terminals that provide heating, ventilating, and air conditioning for a building.
91
Heat island effect
refers to absorption of heat by hardscapes, such as dark, nonreflective pavement and buildings, and its radiation to surrounding areas. Particularly in urban areas, other sources may include vehicle exhaust, air conditioners, and street equipment; reduced airflow from tall buildings and narrow streets exacerbates the effects.
92
High-performance green building
is the term used to more specifically define the intended outcome of a green building design and construction process.
93
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
are refrigerants that cause significantly less depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer than chlorofluorocarbons
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Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
are refrigerants that do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer but may have high global warming potential. HFCs are not considered environmentally benign
95
Impervious surfaces
are surficial structures constructed of materials that do not allow water to absorb or penetrate them. Examples include parking lots, roads, sidewalks, and plazas.
96
Indoor air quality (IAQ)
is the nature of air inside the space that affects the health and well-being of building occupants. It is considered acceptable when there are no known contaminants at harmful concentrations and a substantial majority (80 percent or more) of the occupants do not express dissatisfaction.
97
Indoor environmental quality (IEQ)
is the nature of the overall quality of the environment inside a building resulting from attention to a broad range of effects, which includes air quality, lighting quality, daylighting, acoustics, noise, vibration, odors, thermal comfort, and electromagnetic radiation.
98
Integrated Design
is a design process that includes the active and continuing participation of users and community members, code officials, building technologists, contractors, cost consultants, civil engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, structural engineers, specifications specialists, and consultants from many specialized fields. It is especially important for solving complex design problems such as optimizing the building envelope for heat transfer, daylighting, and noise control. The best buildings result from continual, organized collaboration among all players throughout the building's life cycle. (Adapted from the Whole Building Design Guide, www.wbdg.org.)
99
LCA
See Life-cycle assessment.
100
LCC
See Life-cycle costing.
101
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,
is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the US Green Building Council and administered by the Green Building Certification Institute.
102
LEED Accredited Professional (or LEED AP),
is a credential earned by passing an examination administered by the Green Building Certification Institute that designates the holder as having specialized knowledge regarding the LEED building assessment system.
103
Life-cycle assessment (LCA)
is an analysis of the environmental impacts and potential impacts associated with a product, process, or service.
104
Life-cycle costing (LCC)
is an accounting methodology used to evaluate the economic performance of a product or system over its useful life. It considers operating costs, maintenance expenses, and other economic factors.
105
Light pollution
is waste light from buildings and their sites that produces glare, is directed upward to the sky, or is directed off the site, wasting energy and creating navigation problems for some species, such as sea turtles.
106
Light trespass
is obtrusive light that is unwanted because of quantitative, directional, or spectral attributes. Light trespass can cause annoyance, discomfort, distraction, or loss of visibility.
107
Lumen
s a measure of the lighting power perceived by the human eye; the visible light emitted by a source; 1 lumen = 1 candela × steradian (or square radians). See also Candela.
108
Lux
is the SI unit of illuminance and luminous emittance measuring luminous power per area; intensity of light passing through or hitting a surface, as perceived by the human eye. One lux = 1 lumen per square meter. See also Lumen.
109
MEP
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing.
110
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV)
is a filter rating defined by a given version of ASHRAE Standard 52.2. MERV ratings range from 1 (very low efficiency) to 16 (very high).
111
Mixed-mode ventilation
combines mechanical and natural ventilation modes of ventilation system operation.
112
Modular building units
are factory-produced or shop-fabricated preengineered building units that are delivered to the site and assembled as large volumetric components or as substantial elements of a building.
113
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
is a permit program that controls water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into the waters of the United States. Industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters.
114
Native (or indigenous) plants
are plants that live or grow naturally in a particular region.
115
Natural, or passive, ventilation
is provided by thermal, wind, or diffusion effects openings in the building facade, roof, or other components for the purpose of creating low-energy air movement.
116
Net metering
is a metering arrangement that allows on-site generators to send excess electricity flows to the regional power grid. These electricity flows offset all or a portion of those drawn from the grid.
117
Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC)
is the arithmetic average of sound absorption coefficients at 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz for a material. Manufacturers often publish the NRC by in product specifications, particularly for acoustical ceiling tiles and acoustical wall panels.
118
Nonstructural elements
are elements attached to or housed in a building or building system that are not part of the main load-resisting structural system of the building. These include (1) architectural elements, such as a parapet wall, partition wall, non-load-carrying windows, suspended ceilings, furnishings, cladding systems, and veneer; (2) mechanical system components; (3) electrical system elements; and (4) miscellaneous components, such as signboards and file cabinets.
119
Off-gassing
is the emission of volatile organic compounds from synthetic and natural products.
120
Off-site renewable energy
is green power from an electrical utility or other off-site source. There is no physical renewable energy system either on-site or directly connected to the building.
121
On-site renewable energy
is energy derived from the sun, wind, water, earth's core, and biomass that is captured and used on the building site, using technologies such as wind turbines, photovoltaic solar panels, transpired solar collectors, solar thermal heaters, small-scale hydroelectric power plants, fuel cells, and ground source heat pumps.
122
Ozone (O 3 )
is an oxygen molecule with three oxygen atoms that is both an air pollutant and comprises an atmospheric layer. It is not usually emitted directly into the air, but at ground level. It is the product of a chemical reaction between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight. The ozone layer is an ultraviolet-absorbing layer in the atmosphere that was being destroyed by synthetic chlorine- and bromine-containing gases. The main objective of the Montreal Protocol of 1987 was protection of the ozone layer.
123
Ozone depletion potential (ODP)
is a number that refers to the amount of ozone depletion caused by a substance. The ODP is the ratio of the impact on ozone of a chemical compared to the impact of a similar mass of CFC-11. Thus, the ODP of CFC-11 is defined to be 1.0. Other chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons have ODPs that range from 0.01 to 1.0. The halons have ODPs ranging up to 10. Carbon tetrachloride has an ODP of 1.2, and methyl chloroform's ODP is 0.11. Hydrofluorocarbons have zero ODP because they do not contain chlorine.
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