Sustainable Sites

Question 1

A team can conduct an assessment evaluating which site features?

Answer 1

• topography
• hydrology
• climate
• vegetation
• soils
• human use
• human health effects

Question 2

What is a building footprint?

Answer 2

The area that the building sits on

Question 3

What is a Development Footprint?

Answer 3

the sum of all areas that are affected by the project’s activity in the project site

Question 4

What two strategies can benefit the environment and society while increasing the project value?

Answer 4

• preserving open spaces, allowing occupants to spend more time outdoors
• project team can restore damaged vegetation on site

Question 5

If a project team uses ___ or ____ plants, they will need less irrigation & maintenance, which will reduce the water use of the project since those plants are naturally surviving in that climate.

Answer 5

Native or adaptive

Question 6

Define evaportranspiration

Answer 6

The return of water to the atmosphere through evaporation of plants

Question 7

What are invasive plants?

Answer 7

Types of plants that spread and damage the environment

Question 8

During lighting design, the project team should eliminate what 4 elements in order to conserve energy and to not create discomfort to adjacent properties?

Answer 8

• uplighting
• glare
• overlighting
• light trespass

Question 9

What can a project do to avoid light trespass to adjacent properties?

Answer 9

Direct cut off fixtures should point down

Use shield fixtures

Question 10

What is the benefit of using reflective paving materials?

Answer 10

Help distribute light across site

of fixtures needed reduced & building operation costs

Question 11

What is the backlight uplight glare (BUG) rating method?

Answer 11

Useful measurement of nighttime luminaire performance

Question 12

What does the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) do?

Answer 12

Set lighting specifications for building design

Question 13

To avoid erosion & sedimentation, what 6 methods can be considered?

Answer 13

• mulching
• sediment fencing
• erosion control blankets
• berms and constructed ponds
• seeding
• straw bales

Question 14

What is non point source pollution?

Answer 14

When point of pollution can not be identified

Question 15

What is the FIRST goal of a green building for rainwater management?

Answer 15

Contain the least number of impervious surfaces

Question 16

What is on site water retention?

Answer 16

Rainwater that falls onto the pervious surfaces that is collected and retained

Question 17

What are ways in which a project can minimize the number of impervious surfaces?

Answer 17

Vegetated roofs
Rain gardens 
Porous pavements
Grid pavers
Additional landscaping for rainwater to absorb through the soil

Question 18

In LEED, an impervious surface is a surface that contains less than ___% perviousness

Answer 18

50%

Question 19

What is rainwater harvesting?

Answer 19

A process whereby rainwater is collected and filtered to be reused as an alternative to potable water

Question 20

What is Low Impact Development (LID)?

Answer 20

An approach to mimic natural systems and to manage the storm water closest to its source

Used to slow down the flow of rainwater out of site and ensures that the rainwater doesn’t get contaminated

Question 21

What are 2 Low Impact Development strategies?

Answer 21

Decreasing impervious surfaces & increasing vegetation on site

Question 22

What are dry ponds?

Answer 22

Excavated areas that detain and slow down storm water but are dry at other times

Question 23

What are bioswales?

Answer 23

Stormwater control features that use a combination of engineered basin, soils & vegetation

Question 24

What are green infrastructures known to do with rainwater?

Answer 24

Direct rainwater from impervious surfaces to vegetation and soil surfaces without routing it to the storm sewer system

Question 25

Heat islands are responsible for what percentage of global warming?

Answer 25

24.2%

Question 26

What are heat islands responsible for?

Answer 26

Increased cooling loads in buildings, higher electricity use, harm to plants & animals, smog, ground level ozone

Question 27

What does an SRI (solar reflectance index) indicate?

Answer 27

A material’s ability to stay cool by reflecting solar radiation & emitting thermal radiation

Question 28

What is emissivity?

Answer 28

A measure that shows how much heat or infrared radiation a material can shed back into the atmosphere

Question 29

The ___ the SRI, the ___ the heat island effect

Answer 29

Higher, lower

Question 30

What is a name for another type of reflectivity measurement?

Answer 30

Albedo

Question 31

In LEED, in order to classify building materials according to their solar emissions and reflectance, the ___ will be used for roofing materials, and ____ will be used for non-roofing materials (such as hard scape)

Answer 31

SRI, | Solar reflectance

Question 32

What is a cool roof?

Answer 32

Roofs that reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat compared with traditional dark colored roofs

Question 33

In LEED, open grid paving should be at least ___% permeable

Answer 33

50%

Question 34

What is a cool pavement?

Answer 34

Pavements that don’t absorb as much heat & reflect more sunlight

Question 35

In colder climates, using roofing materials with a [higher/lower] SRI can benefit the project by decreasing the heating costs, as the roof will absorb more heat from the sun

Answer 35

Lower

Question 36

What is integrated pest management?

Answer 36

Sustainable approach that combines knowledge about pests, nature, pest prevention & control methods that minimize pest infestation & damage while minimizing hazards to the building, occupants & environment

Question 37

What is a way to use an integrated pest management system?

Answer 37

Using native and adaptive plants for landscaping

Question 38

In accordance to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s light ambient recommendations, all site lighting should do what?

Answer 38

Fully cut off and designed to eliminate nighttime light pollution while preserving the integrity of the night sky

Question 39

What does the construction activity pollution prevention pre req for sustainable sites say about the erosion & sedimentation control plan?

Answer 39

Ensures that even if there isn’t a local code, the project disturbances to the neighboring properties & rainwater systems are minimized

Question 40

Projects should establish Erosion & sedimentation control plan based on the requirements of what?

Answer 40

2012 EPA Construction General Permit (CGP) or local equivalent - whichever is more stringent

Question 41

Under the construction activity pollution prevention requirement of sustainable sites, the projects must apply ___ regardless of their size

Answer 41

CGP (construction general permit)

Question 42

How many total points can be earned max for the Sustainable Sites category?

Answer 42

10

Question 43

How many prerequisites does the Sustainable Sites category have?

Answer 43

1 - | Construction activity pollution prevention

Question 44

What has the greatest effect on the building’s energy consumption?

Answer 44

Building Orientation

Question 45

A site assessment includes evaluation of what?

Answer 45

``` Topography Hydrology Climate Vegetation Soils Human use Human health effects ```

Question 46

What are the credit categories for Sustainable Sites?

Answer 46

- site assessment - site development - open space - rainwater management - heat island reduction - light pollution reduction

Question 47

Under the site development credit category, the project teams should protect at least ___% of their greenfield on site during construction.

Answer 47

40%

Question 48

What qualifies an area as a greenfield?

Answer 48

Not previously developed, graded or disturbed

Question 49

Projects should restore at least ___% of the previously disturbed land by revegetation or provide financial support to a nationally/locally recognized land trust/conservation organization.

Answer 49

30%

Question 50

What is a reference soil?

Answer 50

Native soils of a site

Question 51

Soils are defined as prime farmland, unique farmland or farmland of statewide or local importance by what 2 things?

Answer 51

National Resource Conservation Service Web Soil Survey

Question 52

If a project chooses the option to provide financial support for the site development category, what is the required amount?

Answer 52

At least 40¢/sq ft for total site area including building footprint

Question 53

If a project team chooses to provide financial support under the protect or restore habitat category, it must be provided to a land trust or conservation organization within the same _____________ or the project’s state, within 100 miles in the US.

Answer 53

EPA Level III ecoregion

Question 54

International land trusts must be accredited by who?

Answer 54

Land Trust Alliance

Question 55

In LEED, an open space area should be a minimum of ___% of the total site area, and a minimum of __% of the open space should be vegetated.

Answer 55

30% 25%

Question 56

Types of roofs that do not include a variety of plants and require little maintenance. Soil layers are thin because they are designed for smaller sized vegetation.

Answer 56

Extensive Vegetated Roof

Question 57

Types of roofs with a wider variety of plants and more soil depth to support those plants

Answer 57

Intensive vegetated roofs

Question 58

_____ or naturally designed ____ can be counted as open space. But their side slope gradients should average _:_ or less to be vegetated.

Answer 58

Wetlands or naturally designed ponds 1:4

Question 59

Under the rainwater management credit, how is the total volume of rainwater runoff calculated?

Answer 59

According to rainfall data of project’s location

Question 60

What is a zero lot line?

Answer 60

Type of project which the building footprint covers the whole lot

Question 61

For heat island effect calculations, what values are used?

Answer 61

SR, SRI , three year aged SR, three year aged SRI

Question 62

For nonroof measures, __ values are used. For roofs, __ are used.

Answer 62

SR | SRI

Question 63

The use of ____ colored surfaces reduces the heat island effect

Answer 63

Light

Question 64

A higher SR & SRI means what?

Answer 64

Lower heat island effect

Question 65

In order to establish an efficient lighting design, the project team should reduce what 3 things?

Answer 65

Uplight, glare, light trespass

Question 66

______ is the primary factor of light trespass onto adjacent sites

Answer 66

Backlight

Question 67

What causes artificial glow?

Answer 67

Uplighting

Question 68

Luminaire classification system that classifies a luminaire according to backlight, uplight and glare

Answer 68

BUG Rating Method

Question 69

The uplight, light trespass & glare requirements should be met for all the exterior lights based on what 2 things?

Answer 69

Photometric characteristics | Lighting zone

Question 70

What types of lighting are exempt from the light pollution reduction credit requirement?

Answer 70

- theater lighting, stages, etc - directional lights for transportation - road marking lights - roadway lights - hospital emergency department & helipad lights - internally illuminated signs

Question 71

Where is the lighting boundary of a project located?

Answer 71

Property lines of the project

Question 72

For internally illuminated signage, do not exceed ___ cd/m2 luminance at night & ___ cd/m2 during the day

Answer 72

200; | 2000

Question 73

Who defines prime farmland?

Answer 73

US department of agriculture, US code of federal regulations title 7, volume 6

Question 74

Who defines national priority sites?

Answer 74

EPA, national priority list

Question 75

What defines federal empowerment zone, federal enterprise community & federal renewal community?

Answer 75

US housing & urban development

Question 76

Who provides funds for low income | communities?

Answer 76

US department of treasury, community development financial institutions fund

Question 77

Define clean waste

Answer 77

Materials that are left over from construction and demo that are non hazardous

Question 78

Define development footprint

Answer 78

The sum of all the areas affected by the project’s activity in the project site

Question 79

Define places of respite

Answer 79

An area in a natural environment, dedicated to connecting patients and visitors, in the hospitals

Question 80

What is reference soil?

Answer 80

Native soils of a site

Question 81

An approach to reduction of material use and waste in commercial office space is known as what?

Answer 81

Open office planning

Question 82

What is the baseline percentage of previously developed land that can be restored for the site development - protect & restore habitat credit?

Answer 82

30%