Sustainable Sites

Question 1

Albedo

Answer 1

A metric to define the reflectivity of an object from darkest black to white using a scale from 0 to 1

Question 2

Aquifer

Answer 2

A body of saturated rock through which water can easily move

Question 3

Biodiversity

Answer 3

The variety of all life on earth including plants, animals, insects, micro-organisms and humans

Question 4

Bioswal

Answer 4

A constructed rainwater control feature containing an engineered basil, soil, stone and vegetation to reduce rainwater runoff and increase groundwater recharge

Question 5

Building footprint

Answer 5

The area of ground that the building occupies as defined by its perimeter

Question 6

Dry pond

Answer 6

An excavated area designed to hold rainwater during a rain event, but is dry when there is no precipitation

Question 7

Ecosystem

Answer 7

A complex set or interconnected relationships between the living organisms of a specific place that form a system, including plants, trees, animals, fish, birds, micro-organisms, water, soil and humans

Question 8

Floor are ratio (FAR)

Answer 8

The density of non-residential land use, exclusive of structured parking, measured as the total non-residential building floor area divided by the total buildable land area available for non-residential structures

Question 9

Green infrastructure (GI)

Answer 9

The patchwork of natural areas that provide habitat, flood protection, clean air and clean water at the scale of a city or country, rainwater management systems that mimic nature by soaking up and storing water at the scale of a neighborhood or site

Question 10

Heat island effect

Answer 10

The absorption of solar heat by hardscapes and includes other sources such as automobiles, HVAC equipment and street and building lighting

Question 11

Impervious

Answer 11

The characteristic of a material preventing the penetration of liquids and/or gases

Question 12

Integrated pest management (IPM)

Answer 12

A sustainable approach of controlling pest infestation and damage in an economical way while minimizing hazards to people, property and the environment

Question 13

Light trespass

Answer 13

The spillage of light across a project boundary onto neighboring sites

Question 14

Low impact development (LID)

Answer 14

A land management strategy that emulates natural systems to manage rainwater as close to its source as possible

Question 15

Native and adaptive species

Answer 15

Plants that are either native to the region or have adapted to the region and require little to no irrigation

Question 16

Nonpoint source pollution

Answer 16

Water pollution caused by pollutants, such as gasoline, oil, salt and fertilizers, which are washed into the nearest water bodies by rainwater runoff

Question 17

Pervious

Answer 17

The characteristic of a material allowing the penetration of liquids and/or gases

Question 18

Rain garden

Answer 18

A depressed area of ground containing soil, stone and vegetation that is designed to catch slow rainwater

Question 19

Rainwater harvesting

Answer 19

Precipitation captured with a cistern or other catchment device from outside the building for use in irrigation, flush fixtures or building processes, but not for potable uses

Question 20

Rainwater runoff

Answer 20

Water from precipitation that runs off of impervious landscapes in the built environment, such as sidewalks, roofs and parking lots, into the nearest water bodies and sewer systems

Question 21

Solar reflectance index (SRI)

Answer 21

A metric from 0 to 100 that measures how well a material reflects solar heat, with higher numbers signifying better reflectance

Question 22

Watershed

Answer 22

The area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes to the same place