LEED Green Associate Flashcards
The process of growing plants in suspension in an air or mist environment without the use of soil.
aeroponics
An alternative fuel that is generated from decomposing organic matter, such as food and animal waste, which is processed in an anaerobic digester.
biogas
An odorless, colorless, and toxic gas that is produced from vehicle exhaust, incomplete combustion of fuel in boilers or furnaces, and improperly vented appliances.
carbon monoxide (CO)
Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere (i.e. CO2).
greenhouse gases
This is the most abundant greenhouse gas and it is released through the burning of fossil fuels and the manufacturing of cement.
carbon dioxide (CO2)
Program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is the preeminent program for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of high-performance green buildings.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
The principle of continuously improving any process through the elimination of waste in every step of manufacturing.
lean process improvement
The advanced level of LEED credentials that requires an advanced knowledge in green building as well as expertise in a particular LEED rating system.
LEED AP
The basic level of LEED credentials that requires a documented, up-to-date understanding of the most current green building principles and practices.
LEED Green Associate
A highly reactive gas that is primarily produced through the combustion of fossil fuels at power generation plants and other processes at manufacturing facilities.
sulfur dioxide (SO2)
An accounting framework that incorporates the social, environmental and economic dimensions or an organization.
triple bottom line
A crop grown vertically instead of horizontally on the ground. Also known as a farmscraper.
vertical farm
Harmful organic chemical compounds that evaporate under normal indoor temperature and pressure conditions and are released by synthetic materials such as flooring, wall-coverings, furniture and paints, adhesives and sealants.
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
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.
xeriscaping
A level of efficiency for a high-performance building that produces all the energy it uses and is so energy efficient, a renewable energy system can offset all or most of its annual energy consumption.
zero net energy
Lean process improvement is the process of continuously improving any process through the ___ in every step of manufacturing.
elimination of waste
A(n) ____ director would be responsible for activities such as creating energy efficiency and water conservation strategies.
sustainability
Induction cooktops can be used in kitchens as sustainable practice because they transfer ___% of their heat to pots.
90
Many menus are also being influenced by the products of ___ gardens, which are gardens without a soil system.
aeroponic
The integration of sustainability into urban planning has given birth to the popular term “___ city.”
sustainable
The names and photos of credentialed individuals are published in the online ___ directory, which employers can use for verification purposes.
USGBC
___ analyze energy-usage data to create actionable solutions for energy efficiency.
Energy consultants
The content areas of the LEED Green Associate exam that reflect the rating systems’ credit categories and what an exam candidate needs to know, including concepts such as the LEED process, integrative strategies, LEED credit categories, and project surrounding and public outreach.
knowledge domains
A guide that introduces green building fundamentals to serve as a foundation for more advanced study of green building and the LEED rating systems. It is one of the primary references candidates should study for the LEED Green Associate exam.
LEED Core Concepts Guide
A LEED professional credential exam that tests general knowledge of commercial and residential green building practices for both new construction and existing buildings, developed and updated by subject matter experts.
LEED Green Associate exam
An important exam reference that features current policies and procedures for the LEED v4 Green Associate professional credentialing exam and includes exam specifications (such as the task and knowledge domains), exam references and sample questions.
LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook
A list of important reference sources presented in the LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook that an exam candidate should study as a basis for test day success.
primary references
The content areas of the LEED Green Associate exam that reflect the tasks necessary to perform LEED safely and effectively, including concepts such as LEED project and team coordination, LEED certification process, analyses required for LEED credits, and advocacy and education for adoption for LEED rating system.
task domains
The first step in preparing for the LEED Green Associate exam is to read the ___.
LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook
Each rating system includes adaptions with unique checklists that address specific ___.
project types
Memorizing the LEED BD+C: ___ checklist for the LEED Green Associate exam can be one important factor for exam day success.
New Construction
The LEED Green Associate exam is scored out of ___ points.
200
The LEED Green Associate consistes of ___ multiple-choice questions.
100
A score of ___ is required to pass the LEED Green Associate exam.
170
___ items give a candidate a problem or situation that they can solve using the concepts from the reference material.
Application
Every two years, a Green Associate must report ___ hours of continuing education.
15
A system in which materials and resources are reused or recycled.
closed system
A term applied to a product if a new use can be applied to it after the end of its first useful life, diverting it from a landfill.
cradle to cradle
A term applied to a product if its lifetime is limited to one application or use, ending in a landfill.
cradle to grave
An activity related to the processing of materials all the way through to the delivery of the final product to the end user.
downstream activity
The total amount of energy used to extract materials and manufacture, transport, install and use a product across its life cycle.
embodied energy
The section of a system that allows for feedback and self-corrrection and adjusts its operation according to differences between the actual output and the desired output.
feedback loop
A design process in which multidisciplinary teams collaborate to meet sustainable design objectives from the inception of a project to its completion.
integrative process
A process used in design that involves conducting research, sharing data, receiving feedback, and refining the design repeatedly until all of a project’s sustainable goals are me.
iterative process
A point in a system in which a small change can yield large results.
leverage point
An assessment of the environmental impacts associated with a material or product throughout its life cycle.
life-cycle assessment (LCA)
An analytic tool used to determine the most cost-effective option among competing alternatives based on the costs of the options throughout their life cycles.
life-cycle costing (LCC)
A section of a system in which the system self-corrects and stays within a particular set of parameters.
negative feedback loop
A system in which materials and resources are continually brought in from the outside, consumed, and then removed from the system as waste.
open system
A section of a system in which the output of the system is applied to the input, resulting in constant increases.
positive feedback loop
The effect of changed behavior as a result of making information about a subject more visible and available.
Prius effect
A closed system that uses only as much water and energy as it can produce.
regenerative building
An activity related to the extraction of the raw materials used in a product.
upstream activity
The iterative process, which means repeating, is associated with:
the integrative process
The integrative process should be started…
before the design process begins.
The purpose of systems thinking is to:
think about a system as a smaller part of a much greater whole
The three phases of the integrative process include:
discovery, implementation and occupancy
According to the UNEP Buildings and Climate Change Report, buidlings account for approximately ___% of total energy used today.
40
The Montreal Protocol banned the production of ___ refrigerants.
CFC
___ materials are sustainable.
Cradle-to-cradle
In direct comparisons between building types, green buildings only cost roughly ___% more than nongreen buildings.
2
___ energy buildings produce their own energy.
Net-zero
The ___ phase of the integrative process occurs before schematic design begins.
Discovery
A(n) ___ system is a system in which materials and resources are consumed and then reused or recycled.
closed
With a(n) ___ loop, systems self-correct and stay within a particular set of parameters.
negative feedback
Person (or entity) who is granted actual authority by the owner to register the project and accept the certification agreement.
agent
A LEED designation based on point thresholds met, such as LEED Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
certification level
A single page list containing the name of the rating system adaption and a series of categories that pertain to the site, transportation, water, energy, materials, indoor air, and innovation of the project.
checklist
A point or range of points given depending on its credit weighting.
credit
A fee-based inquiry to the USGBC as to how to implement a strategy for a certain prerequisite or credit.
Credit interpretation request (CIR)
A third-party organization that provides independent oversight of professional credentialing and project certification programs related to green building.
Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI)
The environmental issues the LEED projects aims to address.
impact categories
The most prestigious LEED designation that recognizes LEED APs who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in technical knowledge and skill, leadership, advocacy, commitment and service, and teaching, mentoring, or research.
LEED Fellow
The requirements that a building must meet before it can consider LEED certification.
minimum program requirements (MPRs)
Person (or entity) who has the authority to hold and control the real and personal property associated with the project and accept the certification agreement.
owner
A database of credits that are being tested for future versions of the LEED rating systems.
pilot credit library
A mandatory project requirement that ensures a minimum level of achievement within a category.
prerequisite
Person who plays a key quality role by checking that the LEED submission is complete and accurate before submitting the project to GBCI for review and by accepting the review results once the review is complete.
project administrator
The interrelationship between credit categories, systems, and components that can be realized through the integrative process to achieve high levels of building performance, human performance, and environmental benefits.
synergy
A committee formed by members of the USGBC to make consensus-based decisions and to recommend technical solutions to rating system developemnt and maintenance issues, based on espertise.
technical advisory group (TAGs)
A nonprofit organization made up of member organizations, chapters, and credentialed professionals that was formed to promote sustainability within the built environment and has been releasing versions of the LEED rating systems since 2000.
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
There are ___ different rating system adaptions within five categories.
21
LEED BD+C: ___ applies to building equipped to contain high-density computing equipment such as server racks.
Data centers
The associated reference guide for the LEED for ___ rating system applies to general commercial, retail and hospitality interiors.
Interior Design and Construction
LEED certified homes are inspected by at third party and performance-tested to use at least ___% less energy than conventional homes.
20
The focus of credits in the ____ category is on reducing environmental impacts through site assessment, site design and site management.
Sustainable sites
___ points are available in the materials and resources category for LEED BD+C: New construction.
13
A total of ___ possible points may be earned with most rating systems.
110
Recertification for LEED O+M: Existing buidlings must take place at a minimum of every ___ years.
5
LEED Fellow nominees must have ___ years of professional green building experience.
10
A nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1980 whose mission is to advance energy efficiency as a fast, cheap and effective means of meeting energy challenges.
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE)
A path or series of paths in rural, urban or suburban areas that are clearly marked for bicycle travel.
bicycle network
A property on wich redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or possible presense of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.
brownfield
The portion of a site where construction can occur, including land voluntarily set aside and not constructed on.
buildable land
The amount of connection between a site and the surrounding community, measured by proximity of the site to homes, schools, parks, stores, restaurants, medical facilities and other services and amenities.
community connectivity
A measure of the total building floor area or dwelling units on a parcel of land relative to the buidlable land of that parcel.
density
The total square footage of all buildings within a particular area measured in square feet per acre (square meter per hectare).
development density
A distinct, officially recognized business, nonprofit, civic, religious, or governmental organization, or dwelling units (residential use) or offices (commeercial). It has a stationary postal address and is publicly available.
diverse use
Land that is likely to be flooded by a storm of a given size (such as a 100-year storm).
floodplain
The density of nonresidential land use, exclusive of structured parking, measured as the total nonresidential building floor area divided by the total buildable land area available for nonresidential structures.
floor-area ratio (FAR)
The area of ground that the building sits upon as defined by its perimeter.
footprint
The increase in temperature of Earth’s atmosphere due primarily to the greenhouse gases released from the burning of fossil fuels such as wood, coal, natural gas and oil.
Global warming
A site that has never been built on or developed for human use.
Greenfield
Vehicles that provide less harmful impacts to the environment than conventionally fueled vehicles.
Green vehicles
A natural environment such as a field, stream, or forest that is home to one or more wildlife species and plants. The LEED rating systems aim to reduce the destruction these during construction.
Habitats
Building and developing in vacant areas of high-density urban centers which can reduce traffic congestion, save open space, and create more livable communities.
Infill development
Roads, electrical lines, sewer lines, phone lines, and other public services permanently installed on developed sites. Locating a project on a previously developed site is advantageous because when this is existing it saves cost and lowers the carbon footprint of the project.
infrastructure
parking spaces that are shared among two are more buildings
pooled parking
parking spaces that have the shortest walking distance to the main entrance of the project, exclusive of spaces designated for people with disabilities
preferred parking
a site that once had buildings, roadways, and parking lots or that was graded or otherwise altered by direct human activities
previously developed/disturbed site
Previously undeveloped land with soil suitable for cultivation which helps protect agricultural lands, which are needed for food production.
prime farmland
Reusing previously developed land.
Redevelopment
The process of cleaning up contaminated site by physical, chemical or biological means; typically applied to contaminated soil or groundwater.
Remediation
A measurement of how far a pedestrian and bicyclist would travel from a point of origin to a destination, reflecting access to ammenities, safety, convenience, and obstruction to movement.
shortest path analysis
An approach that protects open space and farmland by emphasizing development with houses, jobs, and services near each other.
Smart growth
The total amount of parking spaces for a site that includes new and existing surface parking spaces, new and existing garage or multilevel parking spaces, and any off-street parking spaces outside the project boundary that are available to the building’s users. Not included are on-street (parallel or pull-in) parking spaces on public rights of way, parking spaces for fleet and inventory vehicles and motorbike or bicycle spaces.
Total parking capacity
A metric for how amenable an area is to walking.
walkability
The surface water of a stream, arroyo, river, canal, lake, esuary, bay or ocean. It does not include irrigation ditches.
water body
Land areas saturated by water, such as swamps, marshes and bogs; they habitats for fish and wildlife, geed downstream waters, trap gloodwaters, remove pollution, and recharge groundwater supplies.
wetlands
In the Location and Transportion (LT) category, project fulfilling the first credit, LEED for Neighborhood Development Location are….
not eligible to earn other credits in this category.
What are three types of sensitive sites that should note be built on?
Wetlands, prime farmland, floodplains
The purpose of _______ is to determine the square footage of buildings per acre of land.
density calculation
The Location and Transportation (LT) category came out of the ____ category.
sustainable sites
According to the US EIA, transportation emissions contributed to ___% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the US in 2008.
33
By most accounts, selecting the ___ for a building project is the single most important decision a project team can make.
site location
The purpose of ___ is to reduce the number of vehicles traveling to the site, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
limited available parking
A ___ site is previously undeveloped and unused suburban or rural land.
greenfield
Promoting the health and livability of building ___ is an important goal of every LEED category.
stakeholders
A metric to define relectivity of an object from darkest black (0) to white (1).
albedo
A body of saturated rock thorugh which water can easily move.
aquifer
The variety of all life on earth including plants, animals, insects, micro-organisms, and humans
biodiversity
A constructed rainwater control feature containing an engineered basin, soil, stone, and vegetation designed to reduce rainwater runoff and increase groundwater recharge.
bioswale
The patchwork of natural areas that provide habitat, flood protection, clean air, and clean water at the scale of a city or county, or rainwater management systems that mimic nature by soaking up and storing water at the scale of the neighborhood or site.
green infrastructure (GI)
The absorption of solar heat by hardscapes such as roofs, roads, parking lots and sidewalks, and includes other sources such as automobiles, HVAC equipment and street and building lighting.
heat island effect
The characteristic of a material preventing the penetration of liquids and/or gases
impervious
A sustainable approach of controlling pest infestation and damage in an economical way while minimizing hazards to people, property and the environment.
integrated pest management (IPM)
the spillage of light across a project boundary onto neighboring sites
light trespass
A land management strategy that emulates natural systems to manage rainwater as close to its sources as possible.
low impact development (LID)
Water pollution caused by pollutants, such as gasoline, oil, salt and fertilizers, which are washed into the nearest water bodies by rainwater runoff.
Nonpoint source pollution
The characteristic of a material allowing the penetration of liquids and/or gases.
Pervious
A depressed area of ground containing soil, stone, and vegetation that is designed to catch and slow rainwater.
rain garden
Water from precipitation that runs off impervious hardscapes in the built environments, such as sidewalks, roof, and parking lots, into the nearest water bodies and sewer systems.
rainwater runoff
Precipitation captured with a cistern or other catchment device from outside the buiding for use in irrigation, flush fixtures, or building processes but not for potable uses.
rainwater harvesting
A metric from 0 to 100 that measures how well a material reflects solar heat, with higher numbers signifying better reflectance.
solar reflectance index (SRI)
The area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes to the same place.
watershed
What are two strategies to reduce light trespass?
- install downlighting to reduce spillage of light across a project boundary
- install motion sensors or timesr to reduce the amount of time exterior lights stay on when they are not needed
Name three strategies for reducing rainwater runoff on a site.
- vegetated roof
- pervious concrete for sidewalks
- harvest rainwater for irrigation use
Exterior space that encourages interaction with the environment, social interatcion, passive recreation and physical activities.
open space
Installing underground parking can achieve synergies across multiple credits by reducing what two environmental impacts?
- rainwater runoff
- heat island effect
Installing a vegetated or green roof can achieve synergies across multiple credits by reducing what two environental impacts?
- rainwater runoff
- heat island effect
In LEED v4, strategies for selecting the project site are explained in the new ___ category.
sustainable sites
If a phase ___ environmental site assessment indicates soil or groundwater contamination, site remediation must occur.
II
A building ___ is the perimeter of a building at it meets the land on which it occupies.
footprint
SS Credit - Open space requires project teams to provide outdoor space greater than or equal to ___ of the total site area.
30%
There are ___ additional healthcare credits in the SS category that build off the idea of providing accessible open space.
2
The most popular choice of pervious surface for rooftops is the ___ roof.
green
A(n) ___ is a collection of rocks or boulders held together using wire mesh of metal fabric material for the purpose of reducing soil erosion.
gabion
___ roofing surface and concrete are often used to reflect sunlight and reduce heat gain.
white
___ is caused by high-angled front lighting.
glare
___ ratings offer a quick and useful way for project teams to assess and select lighting options with minimal impact.
BUG
A water flow constrictor attached to the tip of an indoor water faucet to limit the amount of water that flows out of it.
aerator
A standard from which a basis of change can be measured for improvement.
baseline case
Water from toilets and urinals that is considered under all codes to be wastewater. Some states also consider water from kichen sinks, showers and bathtubs to be this.
blackwater
A structure that regulates air temperature in a facility by using water to absorb heat from air conditioning systems.
cooling tower
The actual project design metrics that are compared to a baseline to show efficiency gains.
design case
Water delivered at a low pressure directly to the roots of a plant.
Drip irrigation
Requires that all toilets use no more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush and all urinals use no more than 1.0 gallon per flush, among other requiements. This standard is used in the LEED credits for Water Efficiency (WE) category to calculate the baseline daily water usage of a project.
EPAct of 1992
Amount of water lost through evaporation in irrigation
evapotranspiration
The designation for a building occupant who spends 40 hours per week in the project building. Transient occupants have values based on their hours per week divided by 40.
full-time equivalent (FTE)
Untreated household wastewater that has not come into contact with toilet waste. This inclues wastewater from bathtubs, showers, bathroom sinks, and washing machines. Does not include wastewater from kitchen sinks and dishwashers.
Greywater
A bathroom sink.
Lavatory
Plants that are from the region or have adapted to the region and require little to no irrigation.
native and adapted species
Water collected from a variety of sources, such as rainwater, that has not been approved for human consumption but can be used for irrigation and toilet flushing.
nonpotable water
Water that is treated to a standard that makes it safe for human consumption.
Potable water
Wastewater that has been treated and purified for nonpotable uses.
reclaimed water
The installation of these on water systems to allow buildings to track water usage trends, monitor fixture performance and identify leaks.
submetering
A toilet.
water closet
A partnership program by the US EPA that brings togehter a variety of stakeholders to provide consumers with easy ways to save water, as both a label for producs and an imformation resource to help people use water mor efficiently. In LEED v4, fixtures are required to be labeled this.
WaterSense
The standard used by LEED in the WE category to determine the baseline case for building water usage is the national standard for maximum flush and flow rates is called:
EPAct of 1992
To significantly reduce water use in a commercial mall what can be done? (2)
- install waterless urinals
- replace traditional water closets with high-efficiency dual-flush water closets
The intent of the WE category is to:
decrease potable water use.
The purpose of the design case in the WE category is to:
show that the project design will achieve significant reductions in water use from the baseline water use calculations.
After a building’s water usage is successfully reduced through efficient fixtures, irrigation, and nonpotable water use, what is the final step that must be done to track usage and identify leaks?
install submeters on indoor water fixtures, process systems, and outdoor irrgation equipment
Commercial buildings account for almost ___% of US energy use.
20
In the WE category, daily water use is calucated utiilizing the _____.
EPAct of 1992
An occupant who is in a building for 8 hours a day receives and FTE of ___.
1.0
___ is untreated houshold wwastewater that has not come into contact with toilet waste.
graywater
LEED v4 requires a minimum of a ___% reduction of the baseliene for water used indoors.
20
WaterSense-labeled products are ___% more water efficient than average products in the same category.
20
A(n) ___ water closet includes a pressure tank to produce a pressure-assisted or vacuum-assisted flush.
ultra-low-flow
An ultra-low-flow urinal reduces water use to ___gpf.
0.125
Generally, untreated rainwater is used for ___.
landscape irrigation
___ is all of the building water that is used for industrial pruposes in buidling systems, such as in boilers and cooling towers.
Process water
Reclaimed water systems are identified by ___ pipes and valve box covers.
purple
The organization that overseas the creation, promulgation and use of thousands of standards and guidelines that directly impact businesses in nearly every sector.
Amercian National Standards Institute (ANSI)
A standard that sets the minimum requirements for energy-efficient design of most buildings, except low-rise residential buildings, by offering, in detail, the minimum energy-efficient design and construction of new buildlings and their systems, and new systems and equipement in existing buildings, as well as criteria for determining complicance with these requirements.
ASHRAE 90.1-2010
The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of liquid water 1 degree F. This standard measure of energy is used to describe the energy content of fuels and compare energy use.
British thermal unit (Btu)
The interface between the interior of a building and the outdoor environment. Reducing the transfer of hot or cold air through this is important for energy efficiency measures. Insulation, air sealing and windows play an important role in minimizing heat transfer.
building envelope
The amount of energy and the devices and systems that use the energy in a building.
building loads
The amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by something such as a company or he manufacture and transport of a product during a given period.
carbon footprint
A purchasable form of trade that funds projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as a forest restoration, power plant and factory updates, or increases to the energy efficiency of buildings and transportation.
carbon offsets
A machine that removes heat from a liquid via a vapor-compression or absorption refrigeration cycle. This liquid can than be circulated through a heat exhanger to cool air or equipment as required.
chiller
Any of several simple gaseaous compounds that contain carbon, chlorine, fluorine and setimes hydrogen, that are used as refrigerants, cleaning solvents, and aerosol propellants and in the manufacure of plastic foams, and that are believed to be a mahor cause of stratospheric ozone depletion. Theses are banned in many countries including the US.
chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
Verification after construction that a structure and its systems and subsystems meet project requirements as intended and designed.
commissioning (Cx)
A third party contracted by a building owner who reports directly to the owner and oversees the incorportation of the design and energy goals throughout the lifetime of a project.
commissioning authority (CxA)
A program offered by utlilites that allow large energy users to reduce energy loads during peak energy usage times in exchage for reduced rates.
demand response program (DR)
Utilizing less energy to complete the same amount of work.
energy efficiency
An EPA-provided building benchmarking system that is the most widely used in the US. The energy and water data for a building is entered into a web-based tool that then displays where the building type falls in whole-building energy use compared to other buildings of the same type. Greenhouse gas emissions are also measured.
Energy Star Portfolio Manager
A metric that expresses a building’s energy use as a funtion of its size.
energy use intensity (EUI)
Nonrenewable energy prduced from the burning of ancient, organic remains such as peat, coal, crude oil and natural gas.
fossil fuels
Renewable energy from solar, wind, biobased, water, and geothermal sources.
green power
A refrigerant used as a replacement for chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants and propoellants in aerosal canisters; considered to be less destructive to the atmosphere.
hydrochlorofuorocarbon (HCHC)
A refrigerant that is considered a long-term replacement for CFC and HCFC refrigerants since it consists of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon but not ozone-damaging chlorine; it does contribute to a small amount of global warming.
hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)
An organization that publishes nationally and internationally used standards for the lighting industry.
Illuminating Engineer Society of North America (IESNA)
The installed lighting power per unit area.
lighting power density
The process of supplying, directing, and removing air from an indoor space by mechanical means.
mechanical ventilation
One renewable energy certificate (REC) represent ___ MWh of renewable energy produced.
1
An international treaty that was adopted in 1987 to eliminate the production and consumption of ozone-depleting chemicals, ratified by the United Nations by 197 countries and the EU. This bans the uses of CFCs and phases out the use of HCFCs
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
The process of supplying, directing and removing air from an indoor space by natural means, meaning without the use of a fan or other mechanical system.
Natural ventilation
A project that uses no more energy from the grid than it can produce on site
net-zero energy project
Resources such as fossil fuesl that are depleted by use.
nonrenewable energy
A design strategy that uses natural climatic conditions to heat, cool or light a building
passive design
Continuously tracks efficiency metrics of energy, water, and other systems, to achieve increased levels of efficiency.
performance monitoring
Electricity from these types of cells where energy from sunlight is converted to electricity.
photovoltaic (PV) energy
One of any number of substances, such as CFCs, HFCs and HCFCs used in cooling systems to transfer thermal energy in mechanical systems.
refrigerant
resources such as sunlight and wind that are not depleted by use
renewable energy
a tradable commondity sold by producers of renewable energy on the open market (such as a stock exchange) which supports the production of additional renewable energy.
renewable energy certificate (REC)
one REC = ______ of renewable energy produced
one megawatt hour
a commissioning process that can be performed on existing building to identify and recognize system improvements that make the building more suitable for current use
retrocommissioning
The Montreal Protocol banned the production of which refrigerant and is phasing out which other refrigerant?
CFCs, HCFCs
Green power, carbon offsets, and RECs must be certified by which program to qualify for points in EA Credit - Green Power and Carbon Offsets?
Green-e certification program
For the EPA Energy Star Portflio Manager, what score represents average building performance and what score (or above) represents a top performer?
50, 75
What is the trade-off in using refrigerants?
some have a higher ozone depletion potential (ODP) and a low global warming potential (GWP); others are opposite, regardless they will be harmful to environment
The ___ authority oversees the incorporation of the design and energy goals troughout the life of the project.
commissioning
___is a means to compare one data set to an optimal data set for purposes of improvement.
benchmarking
Renewable energy sources make up ___% of US energy consumption.
10
___ is energy produced from the force of moving water.
hydropower
A number issued by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) assigned to each order of certified wood purchased by a consumer.
chain of custody
A product certification program for assessing and constantly improving products by requiring product ingredients to be disclosed to an independent, accredited assessor.
Cradle to Cradle Certified (C2C)
What are the five categories that C2C rewards achievement?
- material health
- material reutilization
- renewable energy and carbon management
- water stewardship
- social fairness
What are the five C2C levels?
- basic
- bronze
- silver
- gold
- platinum
A term describing the system boundaries of an environmental life-cycle assessment (LCA) that covers all activities from the beginning of its production up to the factory.
Cradle to gate
The systematic disassembly of building structures to salvage materials for reuse.
deconstruction
The revealing of product or material information to a person or group for the use of making informed decisions.
disclosure
A standardized, internationally recognized, comprehensive tool for providing information on a product’s environmental impact, based on an ISO-compliant life-cycle assessment (LCA) and can be verified by a third party. This includes a detailed analysis that considers all processes in the life cycle of the product such as raw material extraction and refining, energy use and efficiiency during manufacture, transportation methods and end-of-service life recycling.
environmental product declaration (EPD)
A third-party certification body that certifies wood is cut from a sustainably managed forest.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
A hazard assessment method that evaluates individual chemicals. Chemicals are assigned to one of four main categories.
GreenScreen
With GreenScreen Assessment what is the difference between benchmark 1 and 4?
- benchmark 1 is known to be associated with certain health problems and are of the highest concern
- benchmark 4 is chemicals with the lowest level of concern
An open standard for reporting product ingredients and their associated health hazards. These are several pages long with a one-page summary listing company info, metadata about the report, and ingredients and continuing on subsequen pages with more detail about individual ingredients and their associated health hazards, plus deatils on any certifications and associated materials.
Health Product Declaration (HPD)
The reuse of materials whose lifetime has been extended to be used in the same purpose for which they were designed.
materials reuse
The process of improving a product or material to meet specific performance goals.
optimization
Material that has experienced a useful life and has been recycled by a consumer such as paper aluminum and plastic.
post consumer recycled content
Material from manufacturing waste, such as sawdust, agricultural by-products, over-runs, and other scrap material, that can be created into a new product.
Preconsumer recycled content or postindustrial recycled content
Fiber or animal-based material that can be grown, harvested and manufactured in under ten years or less.
rapidly renewable materials
The percentage of material in a product that has been recycled from the waste stream, either preconsumer or postconsumer, and is used to make new materials.
recycled content
material that is extracted, manufactured, and purchased withing 100 miles of a project site
regional material
EU legislation that requires all chemicals sold in quantity in EU countires to be registered in a centeral database and prioritized for evaluation and possible avoidance based on their hazard profile.
Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)
Building elements such as beams, roofing, flooring, brick and cabinetry that are from existing buildings.
salvaged material
the process of designing products, activities and systems to reduce waste and toxicity to the environment and human health for long-lasting effects.
source reduction
the practice of managing forest resources to meet the long-term product needs of humans while maintaining the biodiversity of forested landscapes.
sustainable forestry
the amount of waste diverted from the landfill, expressed in tons
waste diversion
a plan included in the construction documents for a project that identifies the amount of construction waste that will be diverted from the landfill and where it will go
waste management plan
The LEED v4 MR category credits approach to materials and resources include what?
examining environmental and human health factors across a product’s entire life cycle
The location valuation factor values products and materials extracted, manufactured and purchased within 100 miles of the project site at what percentage of their base contributing cost?
200%
___ are an impartial tool for the accurate reporting of product contents and the relationship of each ingredient to human and ecological health.
Health Product Declarations
Maintaining at least ___% of an abandoned or blighted building receives up to 6 points.
50
Reusing 25% to 75% of off-site salvaged building materials recieves up to ___ points.
5
A(n) ___ EPD has third-party certification and verification and may not necessarily reflect the practices fo the rest of the industry.
product-specific
A net-zero wast building is one that diverts ___% of its waste from the landfill.
100
A(n) ___ stream audit is a process that takes a sample of all waste produced by a facility.
waste
Construction and demolition waste accounts for about ___% of the total solid waste stream in the US.
40
Composting starts with collecting ___ waste separately from all other waste.
food
A furniture sustainability standard developed by a joint committee of stakeholders using a consensus process.
ANSI/BIFMA e3-2011
A standard that defines the range of indoor thermal environmental conditions acceptable to a majority of occupants, but accommodates an ever increasing variety of design solutions intended both to provide comfort and to respect today’s imperative for sustainable buildings.
ASHRAE 55-2010
A standard that specifies minimum ventilation rates and other measures intended to provide indoor air quality that is acceptable to human occupants and that minimizes adverse health effects, and is the recognized standard for ventilation systems design and acceptable indoor air quality.
ASHRAE 62.1-2010
process used to remove airborne contaiminants from a building caused by the off-gassing of furniture, paints, adhesives, sealants, carpets, wall-coverings and other building materials by increasing the temperature in the building before it is occupied.
bake-out
A measurement of indoor air quality that determines the safety of a space for human occupancy depending on whether concentrations greater than 530 ppm above outdoor air quality are present.
carbon dioxide concentration
standard that defines the process for natural ventilation in nondomestic buildings
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Applications Manual AM 10
the natural pattern of physiological and behavioural processes that are timed to a near 24-hour period
circadian rhythms
an airborne particle that has qualties that would adversely affect human health should it be inhaled
contaminant
the measurement used to determine airflow rates
cubic feet per minute (cfm)
the purposeful amount of natural daylight in a building that decreases the amount of electrical lighting required
daylighting
a process used to remove airborne contaminants from a building caused by the off-gassing of furniture, paints, adhesives, sealants, carpets, wall-coverings and other building materials by flushing out all the interior air several times with outdoor air
flush-out
a program that gives assurance that products designed for use in indoor spaces meet strict chemical emissions limits, which contributes to the creation of healthier interiors and gives credence to manufacturers sustainability claims with empirical scientific data from an unbiased, third-party organization
Greenguard Certification
a rating system that ranges from 1 (low) to 16 (high) for filters made for a mechanical building ventilation system that filters particulates and airborne contaminants out of the air
minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV)
a survey distributed electronically or on paper to building occupants to determine their comfort level with building temperature, airflow, acoustics and lighting
occupant comfort survey
the emittance of VOCs from building elements such as flooring, wall-coverings, furniture, paints, adhesives, and sealants
off-gassing
a series of symptoms connected with the phenomenon of building occupants feeling sick when they are in a building and recovering when they leave a building
sick buidling syndrom (SBS)
the range of indoor air temperature that most building occupants are comfortable at as prescribed by ASHRAE 55-2010
thermal comfort
the amount of air circulated through an indoor air space measured by air changes per hour as set by the ASHRAE 62.1-2010 baseline
ventilation rate
ASHRAE 62.1-2010 is the standard used by LEED to create the baseline for:
ventilation design and indoor air quality
Greenguard Certification is a third-party certification for:
products for use in indoor space
CIBSE AM10 defines the correct format of what process for a building
natural ventilation
During construction of an occupied buildng, what must be done to protect the indoor air quality (2)?
- protect ductwork and ventilation to occupied spaces
- seal off occupied areas of the building from the construction
ASHRAE 55-2010 is the standard used by LEED to create the baseline for:
thermal comfort
Current US building codes and professional standards generally require a minimum of ___ per person in offices.
15 cfm to 20 cfm
Smoking should ony be allowed outside the building in designated smoking areas located at least ___ feet from all entries.
25
EQ Credit - ____ is related to the safeguarding of building occupants after construction.
IAQ Assessment
To receive credit for quality views, projects must achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoors via vision glazing for ___ % of all regularly occupied floor area.
75
A LEED reating system credit that can be earned for achieveing double the credit requirements or the next incremental percentage threshold.
exemplary performance credit
A LEED rating system credit that achieves significant, measurable environmental perfomance using a strategy not addressed in the LEED green building rating system.
innovation credit
A LEED rating system credit that is designed to test new and revised LEED credit language, alternative compliance paths and new or innovative green building technologies and concepts.
pilot credit
A LEED rating system credit that attains additional points for other category credits identified by the USGBC local councils and chapters, as well as the member countires of the LEED international roundtable as having additional importance for the projects location.
regional priority credit
A total of how many credits and points are available in the innovation category?
two credits, six points
How many LEED APs are required on LEED certified project teams?
none
To achieve exemplary performance for an innovation credit, a project team must:
achieve double the credit requirements or the next incremental percentage threshold of an existing credit
A total of how many regional priority credit choices are available for a total of how many points?
Six credit choices for four points
Innovation credits are available in which rating system?
all
The IN Credit - Innovation allows up to ___ possible points.
5
If a project team achieves an increase in ventilation of ___% or more above the baseline, they can earn a point for exemplary performance.
60
The ___ category was instituted in LEED 2009 in response to requests from LEED users for credits specific to diverse regional climates.
Regional priority
In LEED v4, regional priorities were created using a(n) ___-based program.
GIS
What are the different rating systems families within LEED?
- BD+C
- O+M
- ID+C
- ND
- Homes
What is the mission of the USGBC?
To transfrm the way buildins and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.
Ongoing improvements to LEED, which are based on principles of transparency, penness, and inclusiveness, involve volunteer committees and working groups as well as USGBC staff, and are approved by a:
membership-wide vote
In its solid waste management hierarchy, the EPA ranks which four preferred strategies for reducing waste?
sourece reduction, reuse, recycing, and waste to energy
The plan that outlines measures to minimize contamination in a building during construciton and describes procedures to flush the building of contaminants prior to occupancy is called:
construction indoor air quality management plan
Exemplary performace credits can be achieved in which LEED rating system category?
Innovation
Pervious paving areas support which two Sustainable Sites (SS) goals?
- inprove groundwater quality
- reduce rainwater runoff
The role of Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI) is to:
Administer LEED certification
Installing a vegetative roof will utilize synergies between which two credits?
- WE credit - outdoor water use reduction
- SS Credit - rainwater management
Saving energy begins with:
reducing energy demand
A study conducted by the New BUildings Institute investigated 121 LEED - certified commercial office buildings in the US and found that they used what percentage less energy than the national average?
24%
What is the USGBC’s vision statement?
Buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life withing a generation.
Green Seal and Environmental Choice are standards that should be met by what type of products?
green cleaning products
Furniture is note required to be included in Materials and Resources (MR) credit calculations. However, if furniture is included in MR credit calculations:
It must be included consistently in all cost-based credits.
Some project teams use their sites’ annual precipitation to determine ow much water they should use. This is called:
water balance approach
Furniture, office equipment, appliances and audio-visual equipment are all examples of:
durable goods
A landmark national effort to codify green building practices into adoptable, adaptable and enforceable green building codes has produced a green building code now available as an overlay to traditional buidling codes called:
International Green Construction Code (IgCC)
How much does a Credit Interpretation Request Cost (CIR)?
$220
What factor can affect or degrade a material’s ability to reject solar heat?
weather exposure
Percentatge of an analysis where computation for annual sufficiency of ambient daylight levels in interior environments is measured.
Daylight percentage
