Sustainable Sites Flashcards
A team can conduct an assessment evaluating which site features?
- topography
- hydrology
- climate
- vegetation
- soils
- human use
- human health effects
What is a building footprint?
The area that the building sits on
What is a Development Footprint?
the sum of all areas that are affected by the project’s activity in the project site
What two strategies can benefit the environment and society while increasing the project value?
- preserving open spaces, allowing occupants to spend more time outdoors
- project team can restore damaged vegetation on site
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.
Native or adaptive
Define evaportranspiration
The return of water to the atmosphere through evaporation of plants
What are invasive plants?
Types of plants that spread and damage the environment
During lighting design, the project team should eliminate what 4 elements in order to conserve energy and to not create discomfort to adjacent properties?
- uplighting
- glare
- overlighting
- light trespass
What can a project do to avoid light trespass to adjacent properties?
Direct cut off fixtures should point down
Use shield fixtures
What is the benefit of using reflective paving materials?
Help distribute light across site
of fixtures needed reduced & building operation costs
What is the backlight uplight glare (BUG) rating method?
Useful measurement of nighttime luminaire performance
What does the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) do?
Set lighting specifications for building design
To avoid erosion & sedimentation, what 6 methods can be considered?
- mulching
- sediment fencing
- erosion control blankets
- berms and constructed ponds
- seeding
- straw bales
What is non point source pollution?
When point of pollution can not be identified
What is the FIRST goal of a green building for rainwater management?
Contain the least number of impervious surfaces
What is on site water retention?
Rainwater that falls onto the pervious surfaces that is collected and retained
What are ways in which a project can minimize the number of impervious surfaces?
Vegetated roofs Rain gardens Porous pavements Grid pavers Additional landscaping for rainwater to absorb through the soil
In LEED, an impervious surface is a surface that contains less than ___% perviousness
50%
What is rainwater harvesting?
A process whereby rainwater is collected and filtered to be reused as an alternative to potable water
What is Low Impact Development (LID)?
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
What are 2 Low Impact Development strategies?
Decreasing impervious surfaces & increasing vegetation on site
What are dry ponds?
Excavated areas that detain and slow down storm water but are dry at other times
What are bioswales?
Stormwater control features that use a combination of engineered basin, soils & vegetation
What are green infrastructures known to do with rainwater?
Direct rainwater from impervious surfaces to vegetation and soil surfaces without routing it to the storm sewer system
Heat islands are responsible for what percentage of global warming?
24.2%
What are heat islands responsible for?
Increased cooling loads in buildings, higher electricity use, harm to plants & animals, smog, ground level ozone
What does an SRI (solar reflectance index) indicate?
A material’s ability to stay cool by reflecting solar radiation & emitting thermal radiation
What is emissivity?
A measure that shows how much heat or infrared radiation a material can shed back into the atmosphere
The ___ the SRI, the ___ the heat island effect
Higher, lower
What is a name for another type of reflectivity measurement?
Albedo
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)
SRI,
Solar reflectance
What is a cool roof?
Roofs that reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat compared with traditional dark colored roofs
In LEED, open grid paving should be at least ___% permeable
50%
What is a cool pavement?
Pavements that don’t absorb as much heat & reflect more sunlight
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
Lower
What is integrated pest management?
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
What is a way to use an integrated pest management system?
Using native and adaptive plants for landscaping
In accordance to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s light ambient recommendations, all site lighting should do what?
Fully cut off and designed to eliminate nighttime light pollution while preserving the integrity of the night sky
What does the construction activity pollution prevention pre req for sustainable sites say about the erosion & sedimentation control plan?
Ensures that even if there isn’t a local code, the project disturbances to the neighboring properties & rainwater systems are minimized
Projects should establish Erosion & sedimentation control plan based on the requirements of what?
2012 EPA Construction General Permit (CGP) or local equivalent - whichever is more stringent
Under the construction activity pollution prevention requirement of sustainable sites, the projects must apply ___ regardless of their size
CGP (construction general permit)
How many total points can be earned max for the Sustainable Sites category?
10
How many prerequisites does the Sustainable Sites category have?
1 -
Construction activity pollution prevention
What has the greatest effect on the building’s energy consumption?
Building Orientation
A site assessment includes evaluation of what?
Topography Hydrology Climate Vegetation Soils Human use Human health effects
What are the credit categories for Sustainable Sites?
- site assessment
- site development
- open space
- rainwater management
- heat island reduction
- light pollution reduction
Under the site development credit category, the project teams should protect at least ___% of their greenfield on site during construction.
40%
What qualifies an area as a greenfield?
Not previously developed, graded or disturbed
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.
30%
What is a reference soil?
Native soils of a site
Soils are defined as prime farmland, unique farmland or farmland of statewide or local importance by what 2 things?
National Resource Conservation Service Web Soil Survey
If a project chooses the option to provide financial support for the site development category, what is the required amount?
At least 40¢/sq ft for total site area including building footprint
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.
EPA Level III ecoregion
International land trusts must be accredited by who?
Land Trust Alliance
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.
30%
25%
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.
Extensive Vegetated Roof
Types of roofs with a wider variety of plants and more soil depth to support those plants
Intensive vegetated roofs
_____ or naturally designed ____ can be counted as open space. But their side slope gradients should average : or less to be vegetated.
Wetlands or naturally designed ponds
1:4
Under the rainwater management credit, how is the total volume of rainwater runoff calculated?
According to rainfall data of project’s location
What is a zero lot line?
Type of project which the building footprint covers the whole lot
For heat island effect calculations, what values are used?
SR, SRI , three year aged SR, three year aged SRI
For nonroof measures, __ values are used. For roofs, __ are used.
SR
SRI
The use of ____ colored surfaces reduces the heat island effect
Light
A higher SR & SRI means what?
Lower heat island effect
In order to establish an efficient lighting design, the project team should reduce what 3 things?
Uplight, glare, light trespass
______ is the primary factor of light trespass onto adjacent sites
Backlight
What causes artificial glow?
Uplighting
Luminaire classification system that classifies a luminaire according to backlight, uplight and glare
BUG Rating Method
The uplight, light trespass & glare requirements should be met for all the exterior lights based on what 2 things?
Photometric characteristics
Lighting zone
What types of lighting are exempt from the light pollution reduction credit requirement?
- theater lighting, stages, etc
- directional lights for transportation
- road marking lights
- roadway lights
- hospital emergency department & helipad lights
- internally illuminated signs
Where is the lighting boundary of a project located?
Property lines of the project
For internally illuminated signage, do not exceed ___ cd/m2 luminance at night & ___ cd/m2 during the day
200;
2000
Who defines prime farmland?
US department of agriculture, US code of federal regulations title 7, volume 6
Who defines national priority sites?
EPA, national priority list
What defines federal empowerment zone, federal enterprise community & federal renewal community?
US housing & urban development
Who provides funds for low income
communities?
US department of treasury, community development financial institutions fund
Define clean waste
Materials that are left over from construction and demo that are non hazardous
Define development footprint
The sum of all the areas affected by the project’s activity in the project site
Define places of respite
An area in a natural environment, dedicated to connecting patients and visitors, in the hospitals
What is reference soil?
Native soils of a site
An approach to reduction of material use and waste in commercial office space is known as what?
Open office planning
What is the baseline percentage of previously developed land that can be restored for the site development - protect & restore habitat credit?
30%
