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ARE 5.0 _ FL _ Plan + Desg > Sustainability DD > Flashcards

Sustainability DD Flashcards

1
Q

How can the amount of available rainwater be calculated?

A

[catchment-area] * anual rainfall * 0.75 * 0.6

Catchment Area : the amound of horizontal (plan) area from which rainwater can be collected (by roofs, gutters, ETC)

Anual Rainfall : in inches

  1. 75 : a factor for loss (mostly evaporation and channeling inefficiency)
  2. 6 : rough convertion rate of inches rainfall to gallons pre square foot
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2
Q

What are the general design priciples for using greywater in a building?

A
  • Usually only cost-effective in new buildings, since they need a separate plumbing collection system
  • Usually only cost-effective for types of buildings with high demand for this type of water (such as laundry, car/equipment washing, ETC)
  • Often requires considerable on-site treatment, especially is being used for laundry, plant irrigation, or flushing
  • At minimum, must have grease- and debris-interceptors
  • Cannot be stored for long periods of time
  • Can be used to pre-heat incoming potable water; effecive in buildings with a high hot water demand
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3
Q

According to LEED, what are the four steps of a Life-Cycle Analysis?

A 
# Define Goals and Scope
*Establish the limits of systems to be considered and comparative units to be used.*

Inventory Analysis
Discover and list all of the aspects in which a material affects the environment (raw materials, ancillary materials, energy use, waste production, ETC).

Impact Assessment
Determine the degree to which that material positively and negatively affects the environment by synthesizing all the previously listed impacts.

Report and Improvements Analysis
Report the findings and make suggestions for how to improve the environmental impacts.

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4
Q

What is the basic structure of a Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment?

A

Model the Base Case
Determine a hypothetical reference building with the same type, size, and location as the design building and using typical or standard materials and methods.

Model the Design Case
Determine the actual building design.

Compare the two to determine improvement in performance.

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5
Q

How does LEED award points for Whole-Building Life-Cycle Analysis?

A

The Design Case (actual design) must out-perform the Base Case (typical building of similar attributes) in at least three of six categories:

  • global warming
  • ozone layer depletion
  • acidification
  • eutrophication (polution by algae-causing nutrients)
  • ground-level ozone formation
  • depletion of non-renewable energy sources
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6
Q

What is an EPD (Environmental Product Declaration)?

A

A standardized document that gives a describes a product’s impact on the environment. It can be used to compare different materials on a level play field. Products of a certain type will all have the same PCR (Product Category Rules).

It is standardized by the International Standards Organization within ISO 14025. All EPDs must be reviewed (and are often produced by) an independant third party.

The two types are:

  • Industry-Wide : covers a fairly generic material that is produced similarly by many different companies (EG concrete, carpet yarn)
  • Product-Specific : covers a product by a specific manufacturer
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7
Q

What does LEED consider a “renewable material”?

A

A building material that self-renews and can be harvested on a 10-year-or-shorter cycle.

EX: wool carpets, bamboo flooring, ETC

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8
Q

What can be done to lower the embodied energy of concrete?

A
  • Use recycled aggregate
  • Use low-waste formwork
  • Incorporate fly ash (from 15-35%)
  • Use porous aggregates (such as pumice)
  • Use Autocalved Aerated Concrete where appropriate (concrete is desired, but structural strength is not necessary)
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9
Q

What makes a building metal more recyclable?

A

Using powder-coat or plastic-dipped finishes. Chemically-plated finishes make steel and aluminum harder to recycler.

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10
Q

In what way can the desire for wood as a building material be made more sustainable?

A
  • Use reclaimed wood (often desirable it is often more dense old-growth wood and is will dried)
  • Use manufactured wood products (which make use of wood waste)
  • Replace wood w/ plastics or foams
  • Replace wood w/ straw or particle boards (look for ones w/ low formaldehyde)
  • Use wood certified from sustainable forestry (such as by the Forestry Stewardship Council)
  • Use alternatives to pressure-treated lumber for exterior use
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11
Q

What are the three main types of low-VOC adhesives/sealants?

A
  • Dry Adhesives
  • Contain resins in capsules that are released y pressure*
  • Water-Based Adhesives
  • Latex or polyvinyl acetate in water*
  • Natural Adhesives
  • Plant-based resins in water*
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12
Q

What attributes and techniques can make carpets more sustainable?

A
  • Use carpets with recycled content blended in (PET from plastic bottles or recycled rubber from tires)
  • Use carpets with natural fibers (mainly wool)
  • Use carpet tiles (have to be replaced less often and often have specialized recycling programs through the manufacturer)
  • Use carpets bonded with a heat or needle-punch process (as opposed to latex resin bonded, which off-gasses)
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13
Q

What types of flooring are generally better for sustainability?

A
  • Those adhered with low-VOC adhisives
  • Vinyl flooring generates toxins when manufactured and disposed of, but is very durrable
  • Rubber can contain high amount of recycled content, but is best used in a building that already needs high air turnover
  • Linoleum is durable, make from largely renewable materials, fire-resistant, and biodegradable
  • Cork flooring is renewable and sound-resistant, but not extremely durable, must be imported from over-seas, and care should be taken to get a product with low-VOC binders
  • Wood can be sourced from sustainably-managed forests
  • Bamboo / palm wood, like cork, is very fast-growing (renewable) but is much more durable
  • Ceramic tile has a high embodied energy, but produces very few pollutants and is extremely durable and low-maintenance. They can be made from up to 100% recycled content.
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14
Q

What attributes can make furnishings more sustainable?

A
  • Refurbish and reuse old furniture
  • Use materials that are easily recyclable (steel, solid wood, and glass)
  • Use woods certified by the FSC or reclaimed wood
  • Use renewable alternatives to wood (bamboo, straw panels, ETC)
  • Use engineered products with low formaldehyde and other VOCs
  • Use padding and upholstry of natural (IE wool, cotton) or recycled (IE PET) fibers
  • Use biodegradable dyes
  • Use powder-coat instead of paint
  • Use foams w/ CO2 injection, as opposed to those that give off VOCs
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15
Q

What general design strategies can be employed to improve indoor air quality?

A
  • Specify materials w/ low VOCs and other off-gassing
  • Specify mold- and bacteria-resistant materials
  • Control moisure build-up in interior spaces and assemblies
  • Run the HVAC system at full capacity for two weeks and then change the filters before occupancy begins
  • Provide adequate ventillation, per ASHRAE standards (minimum 5 cfm per occupant)
  • Locate fresh air intakes away from sources of contaminant or moisture
  • Design HVAC system to be easily adjusted by facility personnel
  • Specify third-party commissional of HVAC system
  • Prepare the owner / occupant to maintain the building (specify systems/materials w/ warranties, have the GC assemble a manual binder, specify systems/materials that are easily maintained)
  • Install sensors for air quality issues (CO2, VOCs, moisture, particulates, ETC)
  • Specify panel filters for large particles, then media filters for finer particles, then finally a HEPA filter for very small particles
  • Specify absorbtion filters (activated carbon, ETC) to trap molecular chemical contaminants, and designate how and when to replace or recharge them
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16
Q

What factors affect the decision / ability to use rainwater collection at a site?

A
  • If it is permissible by regulation at that location
  • If annual rainfall is enough
  • If the air quality would yield acceptable water quality
  • Use of acceptable roofing materials
  • Cost of filtration and storage of rainwater
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17
Q

What are the main aspects of the Clean Air Act?

A
  • Passed in 1970
  • Mandates that the EPA establish clean air standards, which it does through the National Ambient Air Quality Standards
  • Regulates the emissions of:

lead, CO, NO2, O3, SO2, and particles

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18
Q

What are the main aspects of the ASHRAE air quality standards?

A
  • Established in ANSI/ASHRAE 62.1 (general buildings) and 62.2 (low-rise residential)
  • Is a voluntary standards, but is adopted by some local and state codes
  • Sets standards for:
  • outdoor air intake
  • contaminant control
  • indoor humidity
  • construction, commissioning, and maintenance of HVAC equipment
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19
Q

What are some of the lesser air quality standards?

A
  • “Proposition 65” or the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act
  • GREENGUARD certification, by UL
  • “SCAQMD” or South Coast Air Quality Management District, rule 1113 for architectural coatings
20
Q

What is the legal and regulatory history of the use of asbestos?

A
  • Banned by the EPA in 1989 vis the 1970 Clean Air Act (CAA)
  • Partially repealed by the courts in 1991
  • are still banned in flooring felt, building paper, and wall board
  • are still banned in new types of products that didn’t used to contain asbestos
  • Removal and abatement regulated by the 1978 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
  • Use regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
  • banned in textured pains and wall compounds
  • Use regulated by NESHAP (National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants), under the EPA, via the CAA
  • in 1973 NESHAP banned their use in spray-applied and wet-applied products
  • in 1978 NESHAP also banned their use for decorative purposes
21
Q

What types of costs are are considered in an LCCA and how are these costs rated?

A
  • All costs are rated (discounted) back to current-time dollars
  • All costs are evaluated over a given “study period”, which varies depending on the owner’s needs
  • Types of costs considered include:
  • initial costs of materials and construction
  • operational costs
  • maintenance costs
  • replacement costs (if any)
  • finance costs (if any)
  • tax benefits
  • removal / disposal costs (if any)
  • The final “life-cycle cost” is the sum of all the costs MINUS the “residual value” (which is the value of the element at the end of it’s lifecycle (as salvage, for resale, or it’s in-place value)
22
Q

What are the primary aspects of the BREEAM sustainability standard?

A
  • The BRE (Building Research Establishment) is a UK organization that provides building research, testing, and certification
  • The BRE’s EAM (Environmental Assessment Method) is a system for evaluating a building’s contribution toward sustainability
  • Points are awarded for different methods in several categories and the total points earns a grade of pass, good, very good, execellent, or outstanding.
23
Q

What are the primary aspects of the ENNERGY STAR program?

A
  • Administered by the EPA, started in 1992
  • A building records a year’s worth of energy performance data and is then rated on a scale of 0-100 compared to other similar facilities
  • Buildings earning over 75 aquire the “ENERGY STAR” label
24
Q

What are the primary aspects of the Green Globes program?

A
  • Administered by the Green Building Institute (GBI) in the US and Canada
  • Buildings and interiors are rated on a 0-100 (interiors 0-1000) scale in several categories.
  • Depending on overall results, a building can earn between one and four “globes” by a third party assessor
25
Q

What are the primary aspects of the National Green Building Standard?

A
  • Developed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the ICC, as ICC/ASHRAE 700
  • Covered residential design and construction
  • After constructiona third party reviews and award bronze, silver, gold, or emerald
26
Q

What are the primary aspects of the WELL Building Standard?

A
  • Administered by the International WELL Building Institute
  • Focuses on best practices and evidence-based requirements
  • 102 individual features that can be applied to buildings, focusing on physical and mental health, fitness, and comfort
  • Best tuned for commerical and institutional buildings
27
Q

What is a “coproduct” with respect to sustainability

A

A byproduct of a manufacturing process that is normally considered waste, but which can be used as a raw material to make another product.

28
Q

What is a “demand control device” in HVAC?

A

A system that adjust the amount of ventillation based on the number of occupants. Normally uses CO2 sensors to estimate occupancy, but can also use occupancy sensors or other types of air quality sensors.

29
Q

What is “detention” in stormwarter management?

A

The temporary storage of rainwater runoff which allows particulates to settle and for the runoff to drain away at a controlled rate.

30
Q

What is the “hydrologic soil group” (HSG) classification system?

A

Classifies soils based on how they contribute to runoff. From Group A (sandy gravels with a high permeability) to Group D (silty clays with low permeability).

31
Q

In stormwater management, what is a “watercourse” and a “waterway”?

A

Watercourse: any body of water, such as a lake, pond, river, or stream.

Waterway: any channel that directs stormwater to a watercourse or to a storm drain.

32
Q

What is Solar Reflectance Index?

A

Adjusted scale for a roof’s ability to reject radiant energy.

For a standard black surface (reflectivity 0.05) SRI is 0. For a standard white surface (reflectivity 0.90) SRI is 100. For perfectly reflective materials, SRI is 122.

33
Q

What is reflectivity?

A

The LEED-specific rating for how much solar energy a non-roof material reflects. Closely related to albedo.

34
Q

How does LEED use solar rating metrics to encourage reduction of the heat-island effect?

A

SRI of roof materials and SR of non-roof materials are combine to give points for designs that reduce re-emitted heat. Higher SRI and SR means cooler (less re-emitted heat)

35
Q

What are the general methods by which sustainability can be advanced?

A
  • Effective use of materials
  • Energy conservation
  • Use of alternative energy sources
  • Adaptive re-use of existing buildings
  • Indoor air quality
  • Recycling / re-use of materials
36
Q

What are primary the historical and practical aspects of an Environmental Impact Statement?

A
  • Analyzes and predicts the impact of a planned development on the air, water, land, and wildlife
  • Mandated by the Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and enforced by the EPA, all developments by a Federal organization must submit one
  • Many States also require an EIS for State-sponsored developments
37
Q

What are some general ecological consideration for rural and semi-rural sites?

A
  • Analyze potential impact on landforms, water runoff, wildlife, and existing vegitation
  • Disturb natural contours a little as possible; do not distrub existing drainage patterns
  • Do not create additional runoff (from roofs and paving) that existing natural or artificial draingage systems cannot handle
38
Q

What are some general ecological considerations for urban sites?

A
  • Considerations are primarily with respect to artificial, rather than natural, ecologies
  • Minimize the production of pollution (including noise)
  • Avoid creating undesirable wind conditions, including for neighboring buildings / spaces
  • Avoid creating undesirable glar / reflectins for neighboring buildings / spaces
  • Understand and minimize the blocking of sunlight for neighboring buildings / spaces
  • Thoroughly understand the impact of the development on nearby utilities and transportation
39
Q

What are the primary historical and practical aspects of a wetland?

A
  • Classified as areas where soil is saturated by surface or ground water frequently enough that it can support plants that are adapted to live in saturated soil
  • Codified and regulated under the Clean Water Act of 1972
  • Sometimes also protected by State or local laws
  • When administered by the Army Corp of Engineers, sometimes called Jurisdictional Wetlands
  • Protected from damage due to nearby development, discharge, or outright destruction
  • Limited discharge into wetlands is allowed with a permit from the Army Corp of Engineer, or for certain agricultural or forestry activities
40
Q

What are the general ecolopical factors that limit the size and location of development?

A
  • Wetlands, including development within 100ft of a wetland
  • Elevations within 5ft of a 100-year flood plain
  • Habitats for endangered species
  • Potential historical / archeological sites
  • Prime farmland
41
Q

What are some miscellaneous ecolopical aspects which should be considered when designing any site?

A

Local Historical and Cultural Aspects

May suggest that the new site should reflect the existing fabric or integrate with the community in a certian way

Likely Future Development

Consider the effect OF the building on and ON the building of solar access, transporation, infrastructure, micro-climate, views, and shared amenities

Air Quality

Analysis (by a certified lab) of the existing air quality and the impct the develpment is likely to have on air quality

Soil Contamination

Test for possible existing soil contamination

42
Q

What are some general design strategies related to building location that can increase sustainability?

A
  • use urban sites or sites with existing infrastructure, to minimize the amount of new development necessary
  • encourage mixed-use development to give inhabitants the option not have to use motorized transit
  • locate buildings near public transit or bike/pedestrian routes
  • minimize the amount of necessary clearing of vegetation
  • maximize use of / minimize detrimental affects of the sun and wind on the building
  • minimize solar shadows on neighboring properties
  • locate buildings so that gravity storm / sewer may be used
  • locate buildings on previously disturbed land
  • position buildings and roads along land contours and on flat slopes to minimize necessary earthwork and clearing
  • limit site disturbance to 5ft beyond roads, 25 beyond impermeable surfaces, and 40ft beyond buildings
43
Q

What are some general design strategies related to building configuration that can increase sustainability?

A
  • minimize footprint by using multiple floors
  • minimize material waste using form of building
  • use green roof or reflective roof to reduce heat island effect
  • include bike storage and shower + changing facilities to encourage bike use
44
Q

What are some general design strategies related to site configuration that can increase sustainability?

A
  • place some parking within building footprint
  • minimized surface areas necessary for transit and parking
  • consolidate pedestrian, automobile, and service pathways; double-load parking lots
  • provide shade and use materials with a minimum reflectance of 0.3
  • minimize necessary site lighting
45
Q

What are some general design strategies related to drainage and water management that can increase sustainability?

A
  • use pervious paving when possible (such as open-grid pavers, gravel, and permeable concrete)
  • use mechanical or natural on-site treatment systems, such as constructed wetlands, infiltration basins, or bioswales
  • use vegetative buffer areas around parking lots to mitigate runoff containing pollutants
  • use collected rainwater to supplement irrigation, if permitted and feasible
  • use native plants
  • minimize use of high-maintenance lawns
  • use vegetation and landscaping to minimize erosion, minimize need for irrigation, and provide habitats for native fauna
46
Q

What is a catch basin, an infiltration basin, and a bioswale?

A

Catch Basin – a depression in the earth that collects runoff and allows it to slowly enter the storm water system

Infiltration Basin – a depression in the earth that collects runoff and only allows it to soak into the soil

Bioswale – similar to an infiltration basin, but is ling with vegetation and is designed do remove sediment and other contaminants as water soaks into the soil

47
Q

What are albedo and emissivity?

A

Albedo:

  • The amount of solar energy that hits a surface which is reflected away.
  • Also called the Solar Reflectance (SR).

Emissivity:

  • The amount of stored solar energy that a surface releases
  • Emittance (sometimes “thermal emittance”) is the same but specifically for thermal radiation

For opaque materials, Albedo and Emissivity add up to 1.0

ARE 5.0 _ FL _ Plan + Desg (5 decks)

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