The amount lowered; a reduction.
An obligation or willingness to accept responsibility
A system using mechanical devices (pumps, fans, etc.) that transfers collected heat to the storage medium and/or the end-use.
Design strategy that allows for multiple future uses in a space as needs evolve and change. Adaptable design is considered a sustainable building strategy as it reduces the need to resort to major renovations or tearing down a structure to meet future needs.
Plants that reliably grow well in a given habitat with minimal attention from humans in the form of winter protection, pest protection, water irrigation, or fertilizer once root systems are established in the soil. Adapted plants are considered to be low maintenance but not invasive.
Renovation of a building or site to include elements that allow a particular use or uses to occupy a space that originally was intended for a different use.
Any substance that is used to bond one surface to another surface by attachment. Adhesives include adhesive bonding primers, adhesive primers, adhesive primers for plastics, and any other primer.
Materials left over from agricultural processes (e.g., wheat stalks, shell hulls, etc.). Some of these materials are finding new applications as building materials and finishes. Examples include structural sheathing and particleboard alternatives made from wheat, rye and other grain stalks, and panels made from sunflower seed hulls.
A composite panel product derived from recovered agricultural waste fiber from sources including, but not limited to, cereal straw, sugarcane bagasse, sunflower husk, walnut shells, coconut husks, and agricultural prunings. The raw fibers are processed and mixed with resins to produce panel products with characteristics similar to those derived from wood fiber. The products must comply with the following requirements:
1. The product is inside of the buildings waterproofing system.
2. Composite components used in assemblies are to be included (e.g., door cores, panel substrates, etc.)
3. The product is part of the base building systems
Membrane designed to reduce the movement of moisture-laden air between the interior and exterior of a building.
A measurement of the performance of a ventilation system, by measuring the age of air in a volume. Often accomplished by using a tracer gas decay technique.
The movement of a volume of air in a given period of time; if a house has one air change per hour, it means that the air in the house will be replaced in a one-hour period.
The process of treating air to meet the requirements of a conditioned space by controlling its temperature, humidity, cleanliness and distribution. (ASHRAE 62.1 – 2004)
The rate at which outside air replaces indoor air in a given space.
Equipment that includes a fan or blower, heating and/or cooling coils, regulator controls, condensate drain pans, and air filters.
Any space used to convey air in a building, furnace, or structure. The space above a suspended ceiling is often used as an air plenum.
Any substance in air that could, in high enough concentration, harm man, other animals, vegetation, or material. Pollutants may include almost any natural or artificial composition of airborne matter capable of being airborne. They may be in the form of solid particles, liquid droplets, gases, or in combination thereof. Generally, they fall into two main groups: (1) those emitted directly from identifiable sources, and (2) those produced in the air by interaction between two or more primary pollutants, or by reaction with normal atmospheric constituents, with or without photoactivation. Exclusive of pollen, fog, and dust, which are of natural origin, about 100 contaminants have been identified. Air pollutants are often grouped in categories for ease in classification; some of he categories are: solids, sulfur compounds, volatile organic chemicals, particulate matter, nitrogen compounds, oxygen compounds, halogen compounds, radioactive compound, and odors.
A systematic plan for addressing construction practices that can impact air quality during construction and continuing on to occupation.
Total suspended particulate matter found in the atmosphere as solid particles or liquid droplets. Chemical composition of particulates varies widely, depending on location and time of year. Sources of airborne particulates include dust, emissions from industrial processes, combustion products from the burning of wood and coal, combustion products associated with motor vehicle or non-road engine exhausts, and reactions to gases in the atmosphere.
Synonymous with solar reflectance.
Energy from a source other than the conventional fossil-fuel sources of oil, natural gas and coal (i.e., wind, running water, the sun). Also referred to as "alternative fuel."
Substitutes for traditional liquid, oil-derived motor vehicle fuels like gasoline and diesel. Includes mixtures of alcohol-based fuels with gasoline, methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, and others.
Vehicles that use low-polluting, non-gasoline fuels such as electricity, hydrogen, propane or compressed natural gas, liquid natural gas, methanol, and ethanol. Efficient gas-electric hybrid vehicles are included in this group for LEED purposes.
Location that provides the service of refueling an alternative fuel vehicle (e.g., electricity, compressed natural gas). Providing access to alternative fuels with a refueling station is considered a sustainable building strategy in that it encourages the use of alternative fuels and the vehicles that use them.
The direction in which the luminaire emits the greatest luminous intensity.
Coatings formulated and recommended for use in preventing the corrosion of ferrous metal substrates.
Ecologically designed treatment systems that utilize a diverse community of biological organisms (e.g., bacteria, plants and fish) to treat wastewater to advanced levels.
An underground water-bearing rock formation or group of formations, which supplies groundwater, wells or springs.
A mineral fiber that can pollute air or water and is a breathing hazard linked to lung cancer and asbestosis which may appear in pre-1970s homes in insulation around steam-pipes, boilers and furnace ducts; vinyl floor tile; roofing, shingles and siding; and dry-wall joint compound. It should be removed only by professionals.
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers.
Includes the percentages of post-consumer and pre-consumer content. The determination is made by dividing the weight of the recycled content by the overall weight of the assembly.
The American Society for Testing and Materials, is an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services.
Motion sensors that automatically turn on/off lavatories, sinks, water closets, and urinals. Sensors may be hard wired or battery operated.
The pressure-induced spillage of exhaust gases from combustion appliances into the living space.
Process by which a building is heated in an attempt to accelerate VOC emissions from furniture and materials.
Extends the farthest underground, typically used where there are deep frost lines and low water tables.
Includes design information necessary to accomplish the owner’s project requirements, including system descriptions, indoor environmental quality criteria, other pertinent design assumptions (such as weather data), and references to applicable codes, standards, regulations and guidelines.
intended to bear loads
An economic method for assessing the benefits and costs of achieving alternative health-based standards at given levels of health protection.
Methods that have been determined to be the most effective, practical means of preventing or reducing pollution from non-point sources.
Covered and/or secured storage for building occupants commuting by bicycle. This amenity is considered a sustainable building technique in that it encourages human-powered transportation options. Some local governments offer subsidies or incentives to include bicycle storage in an existing or proposed building project.
Landscaped areas designed to reduce runoff and soil erosion.
Substances that increase in concentration in living organisms as they take in contaminated air, water, or food because the substances are very slowly metabolized or excreted.
A measure of the amount of oxygen consumed in the biological processes that break down organic matter in water. The greater the BOD, the greater the degree of pollution.
The accumulation of a chemical in tissues of a fish or other organism to levels greater than in the surrounding medium.
Capable of decomposing under natural conditions. Biodegradation is the chemical breakdown of materials by a physiological environment. The term is often used in relation to ecology, waste management and environmental remediation (bioremediation). Organic material can be degraded aerobically with oxygen, or anaerobically, without oxygen.
Capable of decomposing under natural conditions. Biodegradation is the chemical breakdown of materials by a physiological environment. The term is often used in relation to ecology, waste management and environmental remediation (bioremediation). Organic material can be degraded aerobically with oxygen, or anaerobically, without oxygen.
Contamination of a building environment caused by bacteria, molds and their spores, pollen, viruses, and other biological materials. It is often linked to poorly designed and maintained HVAC systems. People exposed to biologically contaminated environments may display allergic-type responses or physical symptoms such as coughing, muscle aches and respiratory congestion.
All of the living material in a given area; often refers to vegetation. 1 Plant material such as trees, grasses and crops that can be converted to heat energy to produce electricity.
Entire community of living organisms in a single major ecological area.
The cleanup of a contaminated site using biological methods, i.e., bacteria, fungi, plants, etc. Organisms are used to either break down contaminants in soil or water, or accumulate the contaminants in their tissue for disposal. Many bioremediation techniques are substantially less costly than traditional remediation methods using heat, chemical or mechanical means.
A technology that uses plants and soil and/or compost to retain and cleanse runoff from a site, roadway, or other source.
Does not have a single definition that is accepted nationwide. Wastewater from toilets and urinals is, however, always considered blackwater. Wastewater from kitchen sinks (perhaps differentiated by the use of a garbage disposal), showers, or bathtubs may be considered blackwater by state or local codes. Project teams should comply with the blackwater definition as established by the authority having jurisdiction in their areas.
A variable speed fan used to pressurize or depressurize a building to measure air leakage. Fits snugly in a doorway.
The region within an occupied space between planes 3 and 6 feet above the floor and more than 2 feet from the walls or fixed air-conditioning equipment.
Abandoned, idled, or under used industrial and commercial facilities/sites where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. They can be in urban, suburban, or rural areas. EPA's Brownfields initiative helps communities mitigate potential health risks and restore the economic viability of such areas or properties.
The hourly amount of heat that must be removed from a building to maintain indoor comfort (measured in British thermal units [Btu]).
The floor area of the building divided by the total area of the site (square feet per acre).
The exterior surface of a building's construction--the walls, windows, floors, roof, and floor that enclose conditioned spaces through which thermal energy may be transferred to or from the exterior or to or from unconditioned spaces. Also called building shell.
See Flush-Out.
The area on a project site that is sued by the building structure and is defined by the perimeter of the building plan. Parking lots, landscapes and other non-building facilities are not included in the building footprint.
BPI certified professionals are specialists in their chosen field(s). By attaining certification, they demonstrate that their knowledge and skills are among the best in the country – capable of diagnosing critical performance factors in a home that impact comfort, health, safety, durability and energy efficiency.
http://www.bpi.org/
Diagnosable illness whose cause and symptoms can be directly attributed to a specific pollutant source within a building (e.g., Legionnaire's disease, hypersensitivity, pneumonitis). (See: sick building syndrome; biological contamination).
Small spaces in a wet material cause water to climb up the material
A material or technique, such as crushed stone with air gaps, damp- proofing, or rigid foam insulation, that blocks capillarity from happening.
A system under which multiple households share a pool of automobiles, either through cooperative ownership or through some other mechanism.
A method for determining indoor air quality by using the concentration of carbon dioxide as an indicator. Although the level of CO2 is a good general indicator of air quality, it is reliant on the presence of certain conditions and must be applied accordingly.
Device for monitoring the amount of carbon dioxide in an air volume.
A colorless, odorless, very toxic gas made up of carbon and oxygen that burns to carbon dioxide with a blue flame and is formed as a product of the incomplete combustion of carbon.
Any substance that can cause or aggravate cancer.
An arrangement in which two or more people share a vehicle for transportation.
The uppermost limit on the number of species and ecosystems or habitats possible given the supply and availability of nutrients in a given area. [6] In human settlements, this term also refers to the upper limits beyond which the quality of life, community character, or human health, welfare, and safety will be impaired, such as the estimated maximum number of people that can be served by existing and planned infrastructure systems, or the maximum number of vehicles that can be accommodated on roadway.
Trim that covers the gaps around a door or window frame.
Heavy paste incapable of significant expansion or contraction, used to make a seam airtight, watertight, or steamtight. Caulks fabricated with butyl rubber or polyurethane can be sources of VOC emissions indoors.
Insulation alternative to glass fiber insulation. Cellulose insulation is most often a mixture of waste paper and fire retardant, and has thermal properties often superior to glass fiber. Glass fiber batt insulation often contains formaldehyde, which can adversely affect indoor air quality and human health, and the glass fibers themselves are hazardous if inhaled and irritating to the skin and eyes. Specify cellulose insulation with high recycled content for maximum environmental benefit.
Refers to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund. CERCLA addresses abandoned or historical waste sites and contamination. It was enacted in 1980 to create a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries and provided federal authority to respond to releases of hazardous substances.
Certified Energy Manager ("CEM") is a professional certification issued by the Association of Energy Engineers.[1] Professionals become eligible for this certification after demonstrating expertise in several areas ranging from standards, air quality, energy audits, lighting, procurement and even financing.
http://www.aeecenter.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3351
General shorthand term for lumber that has been certified sustainable harvest by an independent certification authority. See Forest Stewardship Council.
A document that tracks the movement of a wood product from the forest to a vendor and is used to verify compliance with FSC guidelines. A “vendor” is defined as the company that supplies wood products to project contractors or subcontractors for on-site installation.
A meeting held early in the design phase of a project, in which the design team, contractors, end users, community stakeholders, and technical experts are brought together to develop goals, strategies, and ideas for maximizing the environmental performance of the project. Research and many projects’ experience has indicated that early involvement of all interested parties increases the likelihood that sustainable building will be incorporated as a serious objective of the project, and reduces the soft costs sometimes associated with a green design project.
A device that generates a cold liquid that is circulated through an air-handling unit's cooling coil to cool the air supplied to the building.
A family of inert, nontoxic, and easily liquefied chemicals used in refrigeration, air conditioning, packaging, insulation, or as solvents and aerosol propellants. Because CFCs are not destroyed in the lower atmosphere they drift into the upper atmosphere where their chlorine components destroy ozone.
Small tank or storage facility used to store water for a home or farm; often used to store rainwater.
A covering or coating on a structure or material.
A building in which the energy consumption is driven by the heat loss or gain that moves across the building’s envelope. The internally generated energy requirements from machines, appliances or people are smaller than the energy requirements created by heat or cold moving through the building’s envelope. This means that heating, cooling and ventilation are the building’s biggest energy requirements.
Carbon dioxide.
The joint production and use of electricity and heat. Typically, electricity is the primary output of such large facilities as power plants. As a byproduct, heat can be used in food processing, district heating, or oil recovery. In contrast, industrial or small systems (e.g., Laundromats, health clubs, and car washes) may be designed primarily to heat water while the generation of electricity is secondary.
An important design objective in sustainable building. Designing for comfort aims to create a space where people enjoy being; such qualitative, performance-based objectives are a hallmark of sustainable building.
Specific original design conditions that shall at a minimum include temperature (air, radiant and surface), humidity and air speed as well as outdoor temperature design conditions, outdoor humidity design conditions, clothing (seasonal) and activity expected. (ASHRAE 55-2004)
The process of ensuring that systems are designed, installed, functionally tested, and capable of being operated and maintained to perform in conformity with the owner’s project requirements.
A document defining the commissioning process, which is developed in increasing detail as the project progresses through its various phases.
The document that records the results of the commissioning process, including the as-built performance of the HVAC system and unresolved issues.
The contract document that details the objective, scope and implementation of the construction and acceptance phases of the commissioning process as developed in the design-phase commissioning plan.
Includes those people responsible for working together to carry out the commissioning process.
A factor with increased emphasis in sustainable building and sustainable development. Design and building related practices enhancing and supporting community ideals and functions are considered more sustainable than those that do not, all else being equal. An interacting population of individuals living in a specific area.
Small fluorescent lamps used as more efficient alternatives to incandescent lighting. Also called PL, CFL, Twin-Tube, or BIAX lamps.
The total area of finished ceilings, finished floors, full height walls and demountable partitions, interior doors and built-in case goods in the space when the project is completed: exterior windows and exterior doors are not considered.
A product consisting or wood or plant particles or fibers bonded together by a synthetic resin or binder (i.e., plywood, particle-board, OSB, MDF, composite door cores). For the purposes of LEED requirements, products must comply with the following conditions:
1. The product is inside of the building’s waterproofing system.
2. Composite wood components used in assemblies are included (e.g., door cores, panel substrates, plywood sections of I-beams).
3. The product is part of the base building systems.
The relatively stable humus material that is produced from a composting process in which bacteria in soil mixed with degradable materials break down the mixture into organic fertilizer.
Controlled biological decomposition of organic material in the presence of air to form a humus-like material. Controlled methods of composting include mechanical mixing and aerating, ventilating the materials by dropping them through a vertical series of aerated chambers, or placing the compost in piles out in the open air and mixing it or turning it periodically.
Dry plumbing fixtures that contain and treat human waste via microbiological processes.
An alternative fuel for motor vehicles; considered one of the cleanest because of low hydrocarbon emissions and its vapors are relatively non-ozone producing. However, vehicles fueled with CNG do emit a significant quantity of nitrogen oxides.
The part of a building that is heated or cooled, or both, for the comfort of occupants. (ASHRAE 62.1-2004)
The degree to which a specified material conducts energy.
Easement restricting a landowner to land uses that are compatible with long-term conservation and environmental values.
Waste building materials, dredging materials, tree stumps, and rubble resulting from construction, remodeling, repair, and demolition of homes, commercial buildings and other structures and pavements. May contain lead, asbestos, or other hazardous substances. [1] (Land clearing debris including soil, vegetation, rocks, etc. are not to be included)
A document specific to a building project that outlines measures to minimize contamination in the building during construction, and to flush the building of contaminants prior to occupancy.
See Construction Waste Management.
Institute founded in 1948 by specification writers of government agencies who came together to improve the quality of construction specifications. CSI is a national association of more than 13,000 volunteers, including specifiers, architects, engineers, contractors, facility mangers, product representatives, manufacturers, owners and others who are experts in building construction and the materials used therein.
http://www.csinet.org/
General term for strategies employed during construction and demolition to reduce the amount of waste and maximize reuse and recycling. Construction waste management is a sustainable building strategy in that it reduces the disposal of valuable resources, provides materials for reuse and recycling, and can promote community industries.
An unwanted airborne constituent that may reduce acceptability of the air. (ASHRAE 62.1-2004).
Refers to the most common irrigation system used in the region where the building is located. A common conventional irrigation system uses pressure to deliver water and distributes it through sprinkler heads above the ground.
See Building Cooling Load.
Device which dissipates the heat from water-cooled systems by spraying the water through streams of rapidly moving air. [1] Cooling towers can be substantial water users, and provide an opportunity for water conservation. Many local water providers can supply technical information on water use reduction and may provide incentives for measures with substantial water savings.
A term used in life-cycle analysis to describe a material or product that is recycled into a new product at the end of its defined life.
A basement with shorter walls one to three feet deep, typically used in home additions.
A measure of the volume of a substance flowing through air within a fixed period of time. With regard to indoor air, refers to the amount of air, in cubic feet, that is exchanged with outdoor air in a minute's time; i.e., the air exchange rate.
Crushed glass.
The stem of any type of plant; when referring to bamboo, it's the stem or stalk of the bamboo plant that is above ground.
Locally determined times when greater lighting restrictions are imposed. When no local or regional restrictions are in place, 10:00 p.m. is regarded as a default curfew time.
See Photocell.
The controlled admission of natural light into a space through glazing with the intent of reducing or eliminating electric lighting. By utilizing solar light, daylighting creates a stimulating and productive environment for building occupants.
Force (weight) from building materials.
A rough measure used to estimate the amount of heating required in a given area; is defined as the difference between the mean daily temperature and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Degree-days are also calculated to estimate cooling requirements.
Hot water heaters designed to provide instantaneous hot water, rather than storing preheated hot water in a tank. Such devices can serve an entire home, or be "point-of-use", serving an individual water use. Benefits include elimination of "standby losses", or energy wasted keeping stored water warm, and with point of use devices, reduction or elimination of water wasted waiting for water to get warm, as well as conductive losses as water travels through pipes. Electric demand systems tend to use a large amount of energy; gas-fired units with standing pilot lights lose much of their efficiency due to the ongoing pilot light.
Prices whereby consumers use purchasing decisions to communicate to product manufacturers that they prefer environmentally sound products packaged with the least amount of waste, made from recycled or recyclable materials, and containing no hazardous substances.
Loose-fill insulation (like cellulose) that is blown into enclosed building cavities at a relatively high density so that it will stop air movement and insulate the cavity.
A condition that occurs when the air pressure inside a structure is lower that the air pressure outdoors. Depressurization can occur when household appliances such as fireplaces or furnaces, that consume or exhaust house air, are not supplied with enough makeup air. Radon may be drawn into a house more rapidly under depressurized conditions. [1] Backdrafting of furnaces and vented appliances can also occur with depressurization, introducing exhaust gases into the house.
The area on the project site that has been impacted by any development activity. Hardscape, access roads, parking lots, non-building facilities and building structure are all included in the development footprint.
Any of a family of compounds known chemically as dibenzo-p-dioxins. Concern about them arises from their potential toxicity as contaminants in commercial products. Tests on laboratory animals indicate that it is one of the more toxic anthropogenic (man-made) compounds.
Taking apart an assembled product. Design for disassembly in buildings allows building components to be readily reused and recycled.
Ventilation that uses natural convection processes to move warm air up and out of a volume. Displacement ventilation tends to use less energy than conventional forced air ventilation, as it works with natural convection processes.
Relationship between exposure levels and adverse effects.
The capacity of a landscape plant to function well in drought conditions.
A factor that affects the life cycle performance of a material or assembly. All other factors being equal, the more durable item is environmentally preferable, as it means less frequent replacement. However, durability is rendered moot as a factor if the material is replaced for aesthetic reasons prior to it actually wearing out.
Well-controlled system (including temperature, relative humidity (RH) and air quality/purity) that utilizes realistic air flows for the assessment of chemical emissions from products and materials.
See Green Roof.
A basic unit of nature that includes a community of organisms and their non-living environment linked by biological, chemical and physical processes.
Mineral deposits left behind on concrete after moisture has evaporated.
The total amount of energy used to create a product, including energy expended in raw materials extraction, processing, manufacturing and transportation. Embodied energy is often used as a rough measure of the environmental impact of a product. Energy that is used during the entire lifecycle of the commodity for manufacturing, transporting and disposing of the commodity as well as the inherent energy captured within the product itself.
The treatment of asbestos-containing material with a liquid that covers the surface with a protective coating or embeds fibers in an adhesive matrix to prevent their release into the air.
The task or purpose for which energy is required. Examples include lighting dark spaces, cooking food, and powering vehicles.
Animals, birds, fish, plants, or other living organisms threatened with extinction by anthropogenic (man-caused) or other natural changes in their environment. Requirements for declaring a species endangered are contained in the Endangered Species Act.
• Primary – That contained in fossil fuels in the form of coal, oil or natural gas or in nuclear energy or hydroelectricity.
• Delivered – That in the fuel at its point of use after allowing for extraction (or generation) and transmission losses.
• Useful – The portion of the delivered energy that is of benefit after allowing for the efficiency of the consuming appliance.
Analysis of the energy use of a structure.
An evaluation of energy consumption, as in a home or business, to determine ways in which energy can be conserved.
The portion of the energy going into the water heater that gets turned into usable hot water under average conditions. Takes into account heat loss through the walls of the tank, up the flue, and in combustion.
Elevating the heel of roof/ceiling construction to allow the insulation to achieve its full thickness over the plate line of exterior walls. Also called an energy truss or Arkansas truss.
A control system capable of monitoring environmental and system loads and adjusting HVAC operations accordingly in order to conserve energy while maintaining comfort.
Process to determine the energy use of a building based on software analysis. Also called building energy simulation. Common simulation software are DOE-2 and Energy Plus.
Using less energy or water. Conservation can imply a lifestyle change or a reduced level of service. Lowering thermostat settings or installing a shower flow restrictor aer examples of energy conservation.
Using less water or energy to perform the same tasks. A device is energy-efficient if it provides comparable or better quality of service while using less energy than a conventional technology. Building weatherization or high-efficiency showerheads are efficiency technologies.
An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) is an air to air heat exchanger or ventilator (ERV) preconditioner, designed to reduce the energy required to heat or cool required outdoor air in mechanical ventilation systems by as much as 80%. These products exchange temperature and moisture properties from one airstream to another. The result is capturing the cooling or heating energy from the exhaust air before it leaves the building.
Program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency that evaluates products based on energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR Rating is the rating a building earns using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to compare building energy performance to similar buildings in similar climates. A score of 50 represents average building performance.
Program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency that evaluates products based on energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR Rating is the rating a building earns using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to compare building energy performance to similar buildings in similar climates. A score of 50 represents average building performance.
Composite wood products made from lumber, fiber or veneer, and glue. Engineered wood products can be environmentally preferable to dimensional lumber, as they allow the use of waste wood and small diameter trees to produce structural building materials. Engineered wood products distribute the natural imperfections in wood fiber over the product, making them stronger than dimensional lumber. This allows for less material to be used in each piece, another environmental benefit. Potential environmental drawbacks with engineered wood include impacts on indoor environmental quality due to offgassing of chemicals present in binders and glues, and air and water pollution related to production.
For an industrial setting, this is a company's environmental impact determined by the amount of depletable raw materials and nonrenewable resources it consumes to make its products, and the quantity of wastes and emissions that are generated in the process. Traditionally, for a company to grow, the footprint had to get larger. Today, finding ways to reduce the environmental footprint is a priority for leading companies. [2] An environmental footprint can be determined for a building, city, or nation as well, and gives an indication of the sustainability of the unit.
A document required of federal agencies by the National Environmental Policy Act for major projects or legislative proposals significantly affecting the environment. A tool for decision making, it describes the positive and negative effects of the undertaking and cites alternative actions.
The wearing away of land surface by wind or water, intensified by land-clearing practices related to farming, residential or industrial development, road building, or logging.
Uncontrolled outward air leakage from conditioned spaces through unintentional openings in ceilings, floors and walls to unconditioned spaces or the outdoors caused by pressure differences across these openings due to wind, inside-outside temperature differences (stack effect), and imbalances between supply and exhaust airflow rates. (ASHRAE 62.1-2004)
Rigid insulation board that has high insulation value and is largely impervious to water. XPS is manufactured using HCFCs as the blowing agent. HCFCs are strong greenhouse gases.
Flashing refers to thin continuous pieces of sheet metal or other impervious material installed to prevent the passage of water into a structure from an angle or joint. Flashing generally operates on the principle that, for water to penetrate a joint, it must work itself upward against the force of gravity or in the case of wind-driven rain, it would have to follow a tortuous path during which the driving force will be dissipated. Exterior building materials can be configured with a non-continuous profile to defeat water surface tension.
Flashing may be exposed or concealed. Exposed flashing is usually of a sheet metal, such as aluminum, copper, painted galvanized steel, stainless steel, zinc alloy, terne metal, lead or lead-coated copper. Metal flashing should be provided with expansion joints on long runs to prevent deformation of the metal sheets. The selected metal should not stain or be stained by adjacent materials or react chemically with them.
FloorScore, developed by the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) in conjunction with Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), tests and certifies hard surface flooring and flooring adhesive products for compliance with rigorous indoor air quality emissions requirements. Individual volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are evaluated using health-based specifications. Flooring and adhesives that earn FloorScore certification earn a legitimately enhanced market position, distinguished by the FloorScore certification label.
http://www.scscertified.com/gbc/floorscore.php
Any of a number of organic compounds analogous to hydrocarbons in which one or more hydrogen atoms are replaced by fluorine. Once used in the United States as a propellant for domestic aerosols, they are now found mainly in coolants and some industrial processes. FCs containing chlorine are called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). They are believed to be modifying the ozone layer in the stratosphere, thereby allowing more harmful solar radiation to reach the Earth's surface.
A period after finish work and prior to occupation that allows the building’s materials to cure and release volatile compounds and other toxins. A building flush-out procedure is normally followed, with specified time periods, ventilation rate, and other criteria.
A fine, glass-powder recovered from the gases of burning coal during the production of electricity. These micron-sized earth elements consist primarily of silica, alumina and iron. When mixed with lime and water the fly ash forms a cementitious compound with properties very similar to that of portland cement. Because of this similarity, fly ash can be used to replace a portion of cement in the concrete, providing some distinct quality advantages. The concrete is denser resulting in a tighter, smoother surface with less bleeding. Fly ash concrete offers a distinct architectural benefit with improved textural consistency and sharper detail. Fly ash with a low LOI (carbon content) is used as a substitute for portland cement in concrete. Regulations vary from state to state, however, ASTM suggests that fly ash must not contain more than 6% unburned carbon to be used for its cementitious qualities. Otherwise, concrete companies use it as a fine aggregate in concrete block. Others use it for filling old coal mines, seaside docking areas and as a lining for hazardous waste dumps. Substitution of fly ash for portland cement in concrete is considered a sustainable building strategy, as it reduces the amount of energy-intensive (and CO2-producing) cement in the mix, as well as providing the performance enhancements described above.
The area of a building formed by the perimeter of the foundation. Shrinking the footprint of a building allows for more open space and pervious surface on a site.
See Environmental Footprint.
A third-party certification organization, evaluating the sustainability of forest products. FSC-certified wood products have met specific criteria in areas such as forest management, labor conditions, and fair trade.
A colorless, pungent, and irritating gas, CH20, used chiefly as a disinfectant and preservative and in synthesizing other compounds like resins.
Any material containing more than 1 percent asbestos that can be crumbled, pulverized or reduced to powder with hand pressure.
The process of determining the ability of the commissioned systems to perform in accordance with the owner’s project requirements, basis of design, and construction documents.
Molds, mildews, yeasts, mushrooms, and puffballs, a group of organisms lacking in chlorophyll (i.e., are not photosynthetic) and which are usually non-mobile, filamentous, and multicellular. Some grow in soil, others attach themselves to decaying trees and other plants whence they obtain nutrients. Some are pathogens; others stabilize sewage and digest composted waste.
These heat pumps are underground coils to transfer heat from the ground to the inside of a building. (See: heat pump; water source heat pump) [1] This type of heat pump can realize substantial energy savings over conventional heat pumps, by using the naturally more stable temperature of the earth as its heat source.
A ground-fault circuit interrupter is a highly sensitive electrical device that detects miniscule current leaks and shuts off power instantaneously, thus greatly reducing the likelihood of fatal shocks.
Carrying timber or beam that runs the length of the house.
Translucent or transparent element of a window assembly. Glazing can have properties that increase its thermal performance, including Low-Emissivity coatings, multiple panes, thermally broken spacers, etc.
The ratio of interior illuminance at a given point on a given plane (usually the work plane) to the exterior illuminance under known overcast sky conditions. LEED uses a simplified approach for its credit compliance calculations. The variables used to determine the daylight factor include the floor area, window area, window geometry, visible transmittance, and window height.
An increase in the near surface temperature of the earth. Global warming has occurred in the distant past as the result of natural influences, but the term is most often used to refer to the warming predicted to occur as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases. Scientists generally agree that the earth's surface has warmed by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past 140 years. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently concluded that increased concentrations of greenhouse gases are causing an increase in the earth's surface temperature and that increased concentrations of sulfate aerosols have led to relative cooling in some regions, generally over and downwind of heavily industrialized areas.
The ratio of the warming caused by a substance to the warming caused by a similar mass of carbon dioxide. CFC-12, for example, has a GWP of 8,500, while water has a GWP of zero.
A sum of money given by an organization, esp. a government, for a particular purpose.
A strategy for reducing wastewater outputs from a building, by diverting the gray water into productive uses such as subsurface irrigation, or on-site treatment and use for non-potable functions such as toilet flushing. Gray water reuse is restricted in many jurisdictions; check with local health and building officials.
Defined by the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) in its Appendix G, titled “Gray water Systems for Single-Family Dwellings,” as “untreated household wastewater which has not come into contact with toilet waste. Grey water includes water from bathtubs, showers, bathroom wash basins, and water from clothes-washer and laundry tubs. It shall not include wastewater from kitchen sinks or dishwashers.” The International Plumbing Code (IPC) defines graywater in its Appendix C, titled “Graywater Recycling Systems,” as “wastewater discharged from lavatories, bathtubs, showers, clothes washers, and laundry sinks.” Some states and local authorities allow kitchen sink wastewater to be included in graywater. Other differences with the UPC and IPC definitions can probably be found in state and local codes. Project teams should comply with the graywater definitions as established by the authority having jurisdiction in their areas.
The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) is an independent, third-party organization committed to ensuring precision in the design, development, and implementation of the processes used to increase and measure green building performance (certification) and green building practice (credentialing). Established in 2008 to administer project certifications and professional credentials and certificates within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating Systems™, GBCI offers the marketplace the highest-level validation that LEED building certifications and LEED professional credentials have met specific, rigorous criteria.
A design, usually architectural, conforming to environmentally sound principles of building, material and energy use. A green building, for example, might make use of solar panels, skylights and recycled building materials.
A sustainable approach to real estate development that incorporates such environmental issues as: efficient and appropriate use of land, energy, water, and other resources; protection of significant habitats, endangered species, archeological treasures and cultural resources; and integration of work, habitat and agriculture. Green development supports human and natural communities and cultural development while remaining economically viable for owners and tenants.
A certification program by the Carpet and Rug Institute for carpet and adhesives meeting specified criteria for release of volatile compounds.
Contained green space on, or integrated with, a building roof. Green roofs maintain living plants in a growing medium on top of a membrane and drainage system. Green roofs are considered a sustainable building strategy in that they have the capacity to reduce stormwater runoff from a site, they modulate temperatures in and around the building, have thermal insulating properties, can provide habitat for wildlife and open space for humans, and other benefits.
Green Seal is an independent, non-profit organization that strives to achieve a healthier and cleaner environment. Green Seal works with manufacturers, industry sectors, purchasing groups, and governments at all levels to "green" the production and purchasing chain. Green Seal utilizes a life-cycle approach, evaluating a product or service beginning with material extraction, continuing with manufacturing and use, and ending with recycling and disposal. Products only become Green Seal certified after rigorous testing and evaluation, including on-site plant visits.
http://www.greenseal.org/
Sites that have not been previously developed or graded and remain in a natural state.
The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is an industry-independent, not-for-profit organization that oversees the GREENGUARD Certification programs. As an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer, GEI establishes acceptable product standards for building materials, interior furnishings, cleaners, electronics and children’s products. The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute also establishes building standards designed to protect the health of occupants through the control of mold, moisture and indoor pollutants. An advisory board comprised of independent volunteers, who are renowned experts in the areas of indoor air quality, public and environmental health, building design and construction and public policy, provides guidance and leadership to GEI.
http://www.greenguard.org/en/index.aspx
The warming of the Earth's atmosphere attributed to a buildup of carbon dioxide or other gases; some scientists think that this build-up allows the sun's rays to heat the Earth, while making the infra-red radiation atmosphere opaque to infra-red radiation, thereby preventing a counterbalancing loss of heat.
Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and CFCs that are relatively transparent to the higher-energy sunlight, but trap lower-energy infrared radiation.
Disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image.
Attached to the utility electric service, or grid.
Low-growing plants often grown to keep soil from eroding and to discourage weeds.
The connecting of electrical equipment and wiring systems to the earth by a wire or other conductor The primary purpose of grounding is to reduce the risk of serious electric shock from current leaking into uninsulated metal parts of an appliance, power tool, or other electrical device. In a properly grounded system, such leaking current (called fault current) is carried away harmlessly.
The place where a population (e.g., human, animal, plant, microorganism) lives and its surroundings, both living and non-living.
A type of incandescent lamp with higher energy-efficiency that standard ones.
Bromine-containing compounds with long atmospheric lifetimes whose breakdown in the stratosphere causes depletion of ozone. Halons are used in fire suppression systems and fire extinguishers.
Device for exchanging heat present in wastewater or stale air to preheat incoming water or air. See Heat Recovery Ventilator for more information on air-to-air heat exchangers.
Occurs when warmer temperatures are experienced in urban landscapes compared to adjacent rural areas as a result of solar energy retention on constructed surfaces. Principal surfaces that contribute to the heat island effect include streets, sidewalks, parking lots, and buildings.
An electric device with both heating and cooling capabilities. It extracts heat from one medium at a lower (the heat source) temperature and transfers it to another at a higher temperature (the heat sink), thereby cooling the first and warming the second. (See: geothermal, water source heat pump.)
An air-to-air heat exchanger with balanced exhaust and supply fans that meet all necessary ventilation needs without producing drafts or air pressure imbalance on a heating or cooling system. (Definition: Washington State University Cooperative Extension Energy Program)
Metallic elements with high atomic weights; (e.g., mercury, chromium, cadmium, arsenic, and lead); can damage living things at low concentrations and tend to accumulate in the food chain.
General term for technologies and processes that require less energy, water, or other inputs to operate. A goal in sustainable building is to achieve high efficiency in resource use when compared to conventional practice. Setting specific targets in efficiency for systems (e.g., using only EPA Energy Star certified equipment, furnaces with an AFUE rating above 90%, etc.) and designs (e.g., watts per square foot targets for lighting) help put this general goal of efficiency into practice.
A generic term for mercury vapor, metal halide, and high-pressure sodium lamps and fixtures.
Generic term for glazing materials with increased thermal efficiency.
Roof truss design that allows space for insulation near the eaves. Conventional truss design limits the amount of insulation that can be applied in this area.
A material used to limit flow of air and water vapor through the exterior walls of a home.
Hazardous products used and disposed of by residential as opposed to industrial consumers. Includes paints, stains, varnishes, solvents, pesticides, and other materials or products containing volatile chemicals that can catch fire, react or explode, or that are corrosive or toxic.
The likelihood that a given exposure or series of exposures may have damaged or will damage the health of individuals.
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning).
Vehicles that use a gasoline engine to drive an electric generator and use the electric generator and/or storage batteries to power electric motors that drive the vehicle’s wheels.
Electricity that is produced when falling water turns generators. It is a renewable energy source derived from gravity and rain. Very small generation facilities, producing up to 50 kilowatts, are called micro-hydro.
Chemical compounds that consist entirely of carbon and hydrogen.
Refrigerants used in building equipment that deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, but to a lesser extent than CFCs).
Refrigerants that do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer. However, some CFCs have high global warming potential and, thus, are not environmentally benign.
Movement or exchange of water between the atmosphere and earth.
The science dealing with the properties, distribution, and circulation of water.
The decomposition of organic compounds by interaction with water.
A space heating system that uses water circulated through a radiant floor or baseboard system or a convection or fan coil system.
Diseases characterized by allergic responses to pollutants; diseases most clearly associated with indoor air quality are asthma, rhinitis, and pneumonic hypersensitivity.
An ice dam (or ice jam) occurs when water builds up behind a blockage of ice. Ice dams can occur in various ways and can cause damage. For example, gutters can clog up with ice, then water runoff from the roof gets trapped by the dam and eventually backs up the roof, travels under the shingles, and leaks into the house.
Paving material that sheds the precipitation falling on it, rather than infiltrating. Impervious surfaces can lead to excessive stormwater runoff and limit the amount of stormwater that remains onsite or recharges local aquifers.
Landscaping strategy that uses native plants. Provided the natives are placed in the proper growing conditions; such plantings can have low, or zero supplemental water needs. Indoor Adhesive, Sealant and/or Sealant Primer Product: Defined as an adhesive or sealant product applied on-site, inside of the building’s weatherproofing system.
Chemical, physical, or biological contaminants in indoor air
ASHRAE defines acceptable indoor air quality as air in which there are no known contaminants at harmful concentrations as determined by cognizant authorities and with which 80% or more people exposed do not express dissatisfaction. [2] The nature of air inside the space that affects the health and well-being of building occupants.
The LEED IEQ category addresses design and construction guidelines especially: indoor air quality (IAQ), thermal quality, and lighting quality.
The penetration of water through the ground surface into sub-surface soil or the penetration of water from the soil into sewer or other pipes through defective joints, connections, or manhole walls. b. The technique of applying large volumes of waste water to land to penetrate the surface and percolate through the underlying soil. 1 Uncontrolled inward air leakage to conditioned spaces through unintentional openings in ceilings, floors and walls from unconditioned spaces or the outdoors caused by the same pressure differences that induce exfiltrations. (ASHRAE 62.1-2004)
The quantity of water that can enter the soil in a specified time interval.
Entry of extraneous rain water into a sewer system from sources other than infiltration, such as basement drains, manholes, storm drains, and street washing.
The process of inspecting components of the commissioned systems to determine if they are installed properly and ready for systems performance testing.
Expanded polystyrene forms that are left in place after the concrete is poured for a foundation or wall. The foam increases the thermal performance of the structure over non-insulated concrete.
A holistic process that considers the many disparate parts of a building project, and examines the interaction between design, construction, and operations to optimize the energy and environmental performance of the project. The strength of this process is that all relevant issues are considered simultaneously in order to “solve for pattern” or solve many problems with one solution. The goal of integrated design is developments that have the potential to heal damages environments and become net producers of energy, healthy food, clean water and air, and healthy human and biological communities.
A mixture of chemical and other, non-pesticide, methods to control pests.
The complementary use of a variety of practices to handle solid waste safely and effectively. Techniques include source reduction, recycling, composting, combustion and landfilling.
An essential concept in sustainable building. Viewing a building as a system allows the discovery of synergies and potential tradeoffs or pitfalls with design choices. An integrated design approach helps maximize synergies and minimize unintended consequences.
Both indigenous and non-indigenous species or strains that are characteristically adaptable, aggressive, have a high reproductive capacity and tend to overrun the ecosystems they inhabit. Collectively they are one of the great threats to biodiversity and ecosystem stability.
Under CERCLA, this legal concept relates to the liability for Superfund site cleanup and other costs on the part of more than one potentially responsible party (i.e., if there were several owners or users of a site that became contaminated over the years, they could all be considered potentially liable for cleaning up the site).
A unit of power equal to 1,000 watts. It is used as a measure of electrical power.
A measure of energy usage equal to the amount of power multiplied by the amount of time the power is used.
A laminate is a material that can be constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together. The process of creating a laminate is lamination, which in common parlance refers to the placing of something between layers of plastic and glueing them with heat and/or pressure, usually with an adhesive.
Area of the site equal to the total site area less the building footprint, paved surfaces, water bodies, patios, etc.
Water that collects contaminants as it trickles through wastes, pesticides or fertilizers. Leaching may occur in farming areas, feedlots, and landfills, and may result in hazardous substances entering surface water, ground water, or soil.
A heavy metal that is hazardous to health if breathed or swallowed. Its use in gasoline, paints, and plumbing compounds has been sharply restricted or eliminated by federal laws and regulations.
Green building professionals can become LEED Accredited Professionals. This accreditation enables an individual to facilitate the rating of buildings with the various LEED systems. Professional accreditation is administered by the Green Building Certification Institute.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1815
The LEED AP BD+C credential provides a standard for professionals participating in the design and construction phases of high-performance, healthful, durable, affordable and environmentally sound commercial, institutional, and high-rise residential buildings. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) created this specialty credential to denote practical knowledge of the Green Building Design + Construction LEED rating systems: LEED for New Construction, LEED for Schools and LEED for Core & Shell.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1815
The LEED AP Homes credential provides a standard for professionals participating in design and construction of high-performance green homes. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) created this specialty credential to denote practical knowledge of the LEED for Homes rating system.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1815
The LEED AP ID+C credential provides a standard for professionals participating in the design and construction of environmentally responsible, high-performance commercial spaces and tenant improvements. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) created this specialty credential to denote practical knowledge of the Green Interior Design + Construction LEED rating system: LEED for Commercial Interiors.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1815
The LEED AP ND credential provides a standard for professionals participating in the design and development of neighborhoods that meet accepted high levels of environmentally responsible, sustainable development. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) created this specialty credential to denote practical knowledge of the LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1815
The LEED AP O+M credential provides a standard for professionals participating in the operation and maintenance of existing buildings that implement sustainable practices and reduce the environmental impact of a building over its functional life cycle. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) created this specialty credential to denote practical knowledge of the Green Building Operations + Maintenance LEED rating system: LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1815
LEED Certification refers to a certification for a building. LEED points are awarded on a 100-point scale, and credits are weighted to reflect their potential environmental impacts. Additionally, 10 bonus credits are available, four of which address regionally specific environmental issues. A project must satisfy all prerequisites and earn a minimum number of points to be certified.
The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) assumes administration of LEED certification for all commercial and institutional projects registered under any LEED Rating System.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19
While the application process is currently under development, this credential will distinguish an extraordinary class of leading professionals. LEED Fellows contribute to the standards of practice and body of knowledge for achieving continuous improvement in the green building field.
The LEED Green Associate credential is intended for professionals who want to demonstrate green building expertise in non-technical fields of practice. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) has created the LEED Green Associate credential, which denotes basic knowledge of green design, construction and operations.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1815
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1815
The LEED green building certification program encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through a suite of rating systems that recognize projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance. LEED Rating Systems include: New Construction, Existing Buildings:Operations & Maintenance; Commercial Interiors; Core & Shell; Schools; Retail; Healthcare; Homes; and Neighborhood Development.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222
A self-assessing green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED™ stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and evaluates a building from a systems perspective. By achieving points in different areas of environmental performance, a building achieves a level of "certification" under the system.LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable.
All stages of a product's development, from extraction of fuel for power to production, marketing, use, and disposal.
The assessment of a product's full environmental costs, from raw material to final disposal, in terms of consumption of resources, energy and waste. [2] Life cycle analysis is used as a tool for evaluating the relative performance of building materials, technologies, and systems.
A technique of economic evaluation that sums over a given study period the costs of initial investment (less resale value), replacements, operations (including energy use), and maintenance and repair of an investment decision (expressed in present or annual value terms).
An accounting of the energy and waste associated with the creation of a new product through use and disposal.
A horizontal shelf positioned (usually above eye level) to reflect daylight onto the ceiling and to shield direct flare from the sky.
A long-lasting illumination technology used for exit signs which requires very little power.
A resilient flooring product developed in the 1800s, manufactured from cork flour, linseed oil, oak dust, and jute. Linoleum’s durability, renewable inputs, anti-static properties, and easy-to-clean surface often make it classified as a "green" building material.
Force from people & possessions.
A building whose energy use is driven by the internal loads like lighting, plug loads and heat from people. You can usually distinguish a climate-dominated building from a load-dominated building by whether or not air conditioning is running year round, in a cool/cold climate. If the air conditioning runs throughout the year, it is probably load-dominated.
Building products manufactured and/or extracted within a defined radius of the building site. For example, the US Green Building Council defines local materials as those that are manufactured, processed and/or extracted within a 500-mile radius of the site. Use of regional materials is considered a sustainable building strategy due to the fact that these materials require less transport, reducing transportation-related environmental impacts. Additionally, regional materials support local economies, supporting the community goal of sustainable building.
Window technology that lowers the amount of energy loss through windows by inhibiting the transmission of radiant heat while still allowing sufficient light to pass through.
Low-emitting or low off-gassing materials are products that do not release significant pollutants into the indoor environment. These products contain zero or low amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Generic term for products with lower levels of hazard than conventional products. Specific criteria need to be applied to this term to make it meaningful in the selection of sustainable building materials.
Building materials and finishes that exhibit low levels of "offgassing," the process by which VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are released from the material, impacting health and comfort indoors and producing smog outdoors. Low (or zero) VOC is an attribute to look for in an environmentally preferable building material or finish. See "Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)" for more information.
An overlooked element of a product, system, or design strategy that impacts cost over the life cycle. Selecting products and designing for easy maintenance enhances durability and lessens the likelihood that maintenance is overlooked. Establishing and adhering to a maintenance protocol ensures that materials and systems function to specifications.
Any combination of outdoor and transfer air intended to replace exhaust air and exfiltration. (ASHRAE 62.1-2004)
Stone work.
Vehicles typically capable of serving 10 or more occupants, such as buses, trolleys, light rail, etc.
A compilation of information required under the OSHA Communication Standard on the identity of hazardous chemicals, health, and physical hazards, exposure limits, and precautions. Section 311 of SARA requires facilities to submit MSDSs under certain circumstances.
A composite wood fiberboard, used for cabinetry and other interior applications. MDF containing urea formaldehyde can contribute to poor indoor air quality.
Ventilation provided by mechanical powered equipment, such as motor-driven fans and blowers, but not by devices such as wind-driven turbine ventilators and mechanically operated windows.
A metal that is an odorless silver liquid at room temperature, converting to an odorless, colorless gas when heated. Mercury readily combines with other elements, and accumulates in the environment. Mercury is toxic, and causes a range of neurological, organ, and developmental problems. Fluorescent lights and old thermostats are two building related products that can contain significant amounts of mercury. Newer fluorescent lights are available with substantially reduced amounts of mercury.
A colorless, nonpoisonous, flammable gas created by anaerobic decomposition of organic compounds. A major component of natural gas used in the home. [1] Methane has also been found to be a potent greenhouse gas. Methane from landfills, livestock, and composting operations can be captured and used as a fuel source for alternative energy production.
A ventilation strategy that combines natural ventilation with mechanical ventilation, allowing the building to be ventilated either mechanically or naturally; and at times both mechanically and naturally simultaneously.
Building technique using modular, or pre-constructed components. Building on a "module" also refers to the concept of using standardized dimensions that reduce the amount of construction waste. Building in four-foot increments is one strategy.
Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce. Mold spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When mold spores land on a damp spot indoors, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods. When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mold growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or un-addressed. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.
Treaty, signed in 1987, governs stratospheric ozone protection and research, and the production and use of ozone-depleting substances. It provides for the end of production of ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs. Under the Protocol, various research groups continue to assess the ozone layer. The Multilateral Fund provides resources to developing nations to promote the transition to ozone-safe technologies.
The charging of real (or personal) property by a debtor to a creditor as security for a debt (esp. one incurred by the purchase of the property), on the condition that it shall be returned on payment of the debt within a certain period.
A layer of material (wood chips, straw, leaves, etc.) placed around plants to hold moisture, prevent weed growth, and enrich or sterilize the soil.
A diagnostic label for people who suffer multi-system illnesses as a result of contact with, or proximity to, a variety of airborne agents and other substances.
An agent that causes a permanent genetic change in a cell other than that which occurs during normal growth. Mutagenicity is the capacity of a chemical or physical agent to cause such permanent changes.
NARI’s Core Purpose is to advance and promote the remodeling industry’s professionalism, product and vital public purpose. NARI's roots go back to 1935 when President Roosevelt's National Recovery Act established the beginnings of NERSICA (The North East Roofing, Siding and Insulation Contractors Association). In 1956 President Eisenhower established Operation Home Improvement, a nationwide effort emphasizing the rehabilitation of existing housing rather than new construction. The National Home Improvement Council (N.H.I.C) emerged from this effort.
By the mid-1960s, NERSICA no longer reflected the membership of the growing industry and its name was changed to the National Remodelers Association (NRA). In 1983, the National Remodelers Association and the National Home Improvement Council joined to establish the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). Today, NARI has 58 chapters nationwide and has enjoyed a sizeable growth period during the past decade. In 2000, NARI moved its national headquarters from Alexandria, Virginia, to Des Plaines, Illinois, and as the Voice of the Remodeling IndustryTM, continues to prosper.
NARI's Core Purpose is to advance and promote the remodeling industry's professionalism, product & vital public purpose.
http://www.nari.org/certify/who/
Paint made from water, plant oils and resins, plant dyes and essential oils, clay, chalk and talcum, milk casein, natural latex, bees' wax, and/or mineral dyes. They contain no VOCs or harmful chemicals and are water-based products that give off almost no smell. Oil-based products usually have a pleasant fragrance of citrus or essential oils. Allergies and sensitivities to these paints are very uncommon and they are safe for human and environmental health.
Ventilation design that uses existing air currents on a site and natural convection to move and distribute air through a structure or space. Strategies include placement and operability of windows and doors, thermal chimneys, landscape berms to direct airflow on a site, and operable skylights. (See ASHRAE 62.1-2004)
A metering and billing arrangement that allows on-site generators to send excess electricity flows to the regional power grid. These electricity flows offset a portion of the electricity flows drawn from the grid. For more information on net metering in individual states, visit the DOE’s Green Power Network Web site at www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/netmetering.
The process of removing hot air from a building during the cool evening hours, to cool elements with thermal mass within the building and flush stale air.
A urinal that uses no water, but instead replaces the water flush with a specially designed trap that contains a layer of buoyant liquid that floats above the urine layer, blocking sewer gas and urine odors from the room.
Energy derived from depletable fuels (oil, gas, coal) created through lengthy geological processes and existing in limited quantities on the earth.
A resource that cannot be replaced in the environment (e.g., fossil fuels) because it forms at a rate far slower than its consumption.
A sensing device, commonly connected to a room’s lighting but also occasionally to heating or ventilation, that shuts down these services when the space is unoccupied.
Release of volatile chemicals from a product or assembly. Many chemicals released from materials impact indoor air quality and occupant health and comfort. Offgassing can be reduced by specifying materials that are low- or no-VOC and by avoiding certain chemicals (e.g., urea formaldehyde) entirely. Controlling indoor moisture, and specifying pre-finished materials, can also reduce offgas potential.
See Demand Hot Water Systems.
Building and landscape strategies to control and limit stormwater pollution and runoff. Usually an integrated package of strategies, elements can include vegetated roofs, compost-amended soils, pervious paving, tree planting, drainage swales, and more.
Uses localized treatment systems to transport, store, treat, and dispose of wastewater volumes generated on the project site.
Open Space Area is defined by local zoning requirements. If local zoning requirements do not clearly define open space, it is defined for the purposes of LEED calculations as the property area minus the development footprint; and it must be vegetated and pervious, with exceptions only as noted in the credit requirements section. For projects located in urban areas that earn SS Credit 2, open space also includes non-vehicular, pedestrian-oriented hardscape spaces.
Defined for LEED purposes as pavement that is less than 50% impervious and contains vegetation in the open cells.
Manual developed to assist building occupants in maintaining and operating a green building and its features. Many features’ effectiveness can be reduced or eliminated by the actions (or inaction) of occupants and maintenance crews. An operations manual usually includes product and system information and warranties, contact information, and other information required for effective operations and maintenance.
Optimum Value Engineering (OVE) refers to design and framing techniques for wood construction that were developed by the Forest Products Laboratory and the National Association of Home Builders approximately two decades ago. Buildings designed and constructed employing proper OVE practices use less lumber while maintaining their structural integrity, which lowers costs for both the builder and the owner. The builder saves money by reducing the amount of lumber purchased, transported, cut, and hauled away from the jobsite. The resulting building has improved thermal performance, as insulation replaces wood members; this results in energy savings for the owner. OVE techniques can be implemented in both the design and the construction phases of the project, and include: designing the building on 2-foot modules; aligning openings with stud spacing, increasing wall stud spacing from 16" centers to 24" centers; spacing floor joists, roof rafters, and/or trusses at 19.2" or 24" instead of 16"; utilizing single top plates at walls and aligning floor, wall, and roof framing members such that loads are transferred directly; sizing door and window headers correctly and eliminating headers in non-load-bearing conditions; using 2 instead of 3 studs at corners; and ladder blocking where interior partitions meet exterior walls.
Vast array of substances typically characterized as principally carbon and hydrogen, but that may also contain oxygen, nitrogen and a variety of other elements as structural building blocks.
Orientation of a structure for controlled solar gain is essential to the success of passive and active solar design elements. Sun charts and software assist in orienting a building for maximum solar benefit. Designing for solar considerations can substantially reduce both heating and cooling.
A high strength, structural wood panel formed by binding wood strands with resin in opposing orientations. OSB is environmentally beneficial in that it uses small dimension and waste wood for its fiber; however, resin type should be considered for human health impact, and the production process monitored for air pollutant emissions.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration [2]. Federal agency created in 1971 with the mission of preventing work-related injury, illness and death.
Air brought into a building from outside.
Architectural elements on roofs and above windows that function to protect the structure from the elements or to assist in daylighting and control of unwanted solar gain. Sizing of overhangs should consider their purpose, especially related to solar control.
An explanation of the ideas, concepts and criteria that are determined by the owner to be important to the success of the project (previously called the Design Intent).
A naturally occurring, highly reactive, irritating gas comprising triatomic oxygen formed by recombination of oxygen in the presence of ultraviolet radiation. This gas builds up in the lower atmosphere as smog pollution, while in the upper atmosphere it forms a protective layer that shields the earth and its inhabitants from excessive exposure to damaging ultraviolet radiation.
Destruction of the earth's ozone layer, which can be caused by the photolytic breakdown of certain chlorine- and/or bromine-containing compounds (e.g., chlorofluorocarbons), which catalytically decompose ozone molecules.
A thinning break in the ozone layer. Designation of amount of such depletion as an "ozone hole" is made when the detected amount of depletion exceeds 50 percent. Seasonal ozone holes have been observed over the Antarctic and arctic regions, part of Canada, and the extreme northeastern United States.
The protective layer in the atmosphere, about 12-15 miles above sea level, that absorbs some of the sun's ultraviolet rays, thereby reducing the amount of potentially harmful radiation that reaches the earth's surface.
Fine dust or particles (e.g., smoke). b. Of or relating to minute discrete particles. c. A particulate substance.
Pollution made up of small liquid or solid particles suspended in the atmosphere or water supply.
Strategies for using the sun’s energy to heat (or cool) a space, mass, or liquid. Passive solar strategies use no pumps or controls to function. A window, oriented for solar gain and coupled with massing for thermal storage (e.g., a Trombe wall) is an example of a passive solar technique.
Microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, viruses, or parasites) that can cause disease in humans, animals and plants.
The state or quality of a material or membrane that causes it to allow liquids or gases to pass through it.
A range of materials and techniques for paving roads, cycle-paths, car-parks and pavements that allow the movement of water and air around the paving material. Whether pervious concrete, porous asphalt, paving stones or bricks, all these pervious materials allow precipitation to percolate through areas that would traditionally be impervious and infiltrates the stormwater through to the soil below.
An expression of the intensity of the basic or acid condition of a liquid; may range from 0 to 14, where 0 is the most acid and 7 is neutral. Natural waters usually have a pH between 6.5 and 8.5.
The electricity consumed by an appliance or electrical device when it is not actively being used or is in the “off” mode. Although these devices, or “power vampires” appear to be off, they continue to draw electricity from outlets to keep their circuits instantly ready for the next time they are turned on. Power vampires only consume a few watts when not in use, but throughout a day and over an entire year, a few watts can add up to almost 20% of a home’s power. To prevent power vampires from drawing phantom loads and raising your electric bill, unplug any devices that are not in use and do not require power. Common power vampires include rechargeable battery chargers (for laptop, phone, music player, etc.), TVs, DVD players and VCRs, cable boxes and modems, answering machines, fax machines, and printers. In general, any device that has a power adapter, or “power brick,” or feels warm after it has been switched off for a while is a power vampire. Using inexpensive power strips that can be shut off when devices are not in use can also prevent phantom loads.
Phenol formaldehyde adhesives are generally hot press adhesives used extensively in the manufacture of plywood and other wood products such as flakeboard, oriented strand board and laminated veneer lumber. The reason it dominates this market is its relatively low cost, ability to achieve high quality bonds rapidly with the application of heat, and for its durability that equals or exceeds wood, when exposed to severe service environments.
A device that measures the amount of incident light present in a space.
An electronic device consisting of layers of semiconductor materials fabricated to form a junction (adjacent layers of materials with different electronic characteristics) and electrical contacts and being capable of converting incident light directly into electricity (direct current).
Thin silicone wafers that convert any light, not only sunlight, directly into electricity.
An integrated assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells designed to deliver a selected level of working voltage and current at its output terminals, packaged for protection against environment degradation, and suited for incorporation in photovoltaic power systems.
Low-cost option for site cleanup when the site has low levels of contamination that are widely dispersed. Phytoremediation (a subset of bioremediation) uses plants to break down or uptake contaminants.
The main hot-air supply duct leading from a furnace.
Generally, the presence of a substance in the environment that, because of its chemical composition or quantity, prevents the functioning of natural processes and produces undesirable environmental and health effects. Under the Clean Water Act, for example, the term has been defined as the man-made or man-induced alteration of the physical, biological, chemical and radiological integrity of water and other media.
Techniques that eliminate waste prior to treatment, such as changing ingredients in a chemical reaction. Identifying areas, processes and activities that create excessive waste products or pollutants in order to reduce or prevent them through alteration or elimination of a process. The EPA has initiated a number of voluntary programs in which industrial or commercial "partners" join with the EPA in promoting activities that conserve energy, conserve and protect the water supply, reduce emissions or find ways of utilizing them as energy resources, and reduce the waste stream.
Having minute holes through which liquid or air may pass.
Paving surfaces designed to allow stormwater infiltration and reduce runoff.
A product composition that contains some percentage of material that has been reclaimed from the same or another end use at the end of its former, useful life.
Use of materials generated from residential and consumer waste for new or similar purposes; e.g. converting wastepaper from offices into corrugated boxes or newsprint.
Industrial manufacturing scrap or waste; also called pre-consumer material.
A product composition that contains some percentage of manufacturing waste material that has been reclaimed from a process generating the same or a similar product. Also called pre-consumer recycle content.
Suitable for drinking.
Materials generated in manufacturing and converting processes such as manufacturing scrap and trimmings and cuttings. Includes print overruns, overissue publications, and obsolete inventories.
When information about potential risks is incomplete, basing decisions about the best ways to manage or reduce risks on a preference for avoiding unnecessary health risks instead of on unnecessary economic expenditures.
The act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property. Work generally focuses upon the ongoing maintenance and repair of historic materials and features rather than extensive replacement and new construction.
Mass transit, including bus and light rail systems. Siting a building near public transit is considered a sustainable building strategy, as it facilitates commuting without the use of single occupancy vehicles.
Decomposition of a chemical by extreme heat.
A unit of thermal resistance used for comparing insulating values of different materials; the higher the R-value, the greater its insulating properties.
Heat transferred in the form of light energy (including non-visible spectra). Distinct from conductive heat, occurring with the direct contact between two materials.
A colorless naturally occurring, radioactive, inert gas formed by radioactive decay of radium atoms in soil or rocks. Design strategies help reduce the amount of radon infiltration into a building and remove the gas that does infiltrate.
The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. The Rainforest Alliance developed a verification mark to recognize businesses and projects that have achieved significant and measurable sustainability milestones. The mark is awarded to forest carbon projects and tourism and certain forestry enterprises that meet standards developed by the Rainforest Alliance itself or by other organizations with which the Rainforest Alliance is aligned.
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/
On-site rainwater harvest and storage systems used to offset potable water needs for a building and/or landscape. Systems can take a variety of forms, but usually consist of a surface for collecting precipitation (roof or other impervious surface) and a storage system. Depending on the end use, a variety of filtration and purification systems may also be employed.
Rammed earth is a technique used in the building of walls using the raw materials of earth, chalk, lime and gravel. It is an ancient building method that has seen a revival in recent years as people seek more sustainable building materials and natural building methods.
Material considered to be an agricultural product, both fiber and animal, that takes 10 years or less to grow or raise, and to harvest in an ongoing and sustainable fashion.
(In indoor air program) Refers to air exhausted from a building that is immediately brought back into the system through the air intake and other openings.
Refers to all equipment that is plugged into the electrical system, from office equipment to refrigerators.
Restoration of materials found in the waste stream to a beneficial use that may be other than the original use.
The act or process of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of a non-surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object for the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of time and in its historic location.
The content in a material or product derived from recycled materials versus virgin materials. Recycled content can be materials from recycling programs ("post-consumer") or waste materials from the production process or an industrial/agricultural source ("pre-consumer" or "post-industrial").
Process by which materials that would otherwise become solid waste are collected, separated or processed and returned to the economic mainstream to be reused in the form of raw materials or finished goods.
Space dedicated to recycling activities is essential to a successful recycling program, both on the construction site and in the building after occupation. For strategies related to determining recycling area configuration and placement, see the Business and Industry Resource Venture site.
Containers to temporarily hold recyclable materials until transferred to a larger holding facility of pick-up by a recycling service. Conveniently located bins increase recycling rates by allowing occupants to recycle more easily. Designing space for recycling bins is a physical reminder of a commitment to recycling.
Products that have been upgraded to be returned to active use in their original form. Refurbishing is considered a form of reuse, and is preferable to recycling as it requires less processing and inputs to return a product to useful service.
Goods produced within a certain radius of the project site. Using regionally produced goods is considered a sustainable building strategy in that it reduces the transportation impacts associated with the product, it often allows for a better understanding of the production process and increases the likelihood that the product was manufactured in accordance with environmental laws, and it supports regional economies.
To restore to good condition or operation.
The act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values.
Ratio of the amount of water vapor in air at a specific temperature to the maximum capacity of the air at that temperature.
Windows or translucent panels above doors or high in a partition wall intended to allow natural light to penetrate deeper into a building.
An activity designed to improve the value or desirability of a property through rebuilding, refurbishing, redecorating or adding on to it.
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished).
RECs are a representation of the environmental attributes of green power, and are sold separately from the electrons that make up the electricity. RECs allow the purchase of green power even when the electrons are not purchased.
A resource that can be replenished at a rate equal to or greater than its rate of depletion; e.g., solar, wind, geothermal and biomass resources.
Upgrade of an existing building or space that maintains the original structure of a building.
Practices that protect, preserve or renew natural resources in a manner that will ensure their highest economic or social benefits.
Particles or aerosols capable of being inhaled into the deep lung, less than 3 microns in diameter.
The act or process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period.
The replacement, upgrade, or improvement of a piece of equipment or structure in an existing building or facility.
Using a product or component of municipal solid waste in its original form more than once; e.g., refilling a glass bottle that has been returned or using a coffee can to hold nuts and bolts. [1] Reuse is a sustainable building strategy in that it reduces the strain on both renewable and nonrenewable resources, and when materials are reused on or near the site of salvage, they reduce transportation-related environmental impacts.
Outermost joists of a building floor, which create a kind of box around the joist grid. Rim joists sit on a mudsill.
A measure of the probability of an adverse effect on a population under a well-defined exposure scenario.
Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the risk posed to human health and/or the environment by the actual or potential presence and/or use of specific pollutants. Risk Factor Characteristics (e.g., race, sex, age, obesity) or variables (e.g., smoking, occupational exposure level) associated with increased probability of a toxic effect.
The avenue by which a chemical comes into contact with an organism, e.g., inhalation, ingestion, dermal contact, injection.
Building materials diverted from the waste stream intended for reuse. Commonly salvaged materials include structural beams and posts, flooring, doors, cabinetry, brick, and decorative items.
Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) is a global leader in independent certification and verification of environmental, sustainability, stewardship, food quality, food safety and food purity claims. For more than 25 years, SCS has developed internationally recognized standards and certification programs in pursuit of the highest level of environmental performance and social accountability. With regards to Green Building, SCS provides certification in areas of Indoor Air Quality (certifications include Indoor Advantage™, Indoor Advantage Gold, Indoor Advantage Gold + Formaldehyde Free, FloorScore®, and calCOMPliant™ (CARB ATCM)), Environmentally Preferable Products, Material Content Certification, FSC Chain of Custody, SCS Sustainable Choice™ and level™ certification.
http://www.scscertified.com/
The VOC criteria for the Indoor Advantage certification are based on emission criteria established in the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association (BIFMA) Standard for Low-Emitting Office Furniture Systems and Seating (ANSI/BIFMA X7.1) and the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design criteria EQ4.5 (furniture and seating).
http://www.scscertified.com/gbc/indooradvantage.php
Certification for healthy indoor air quality. In order for a product to qualify for the Indoor Advantage Gold certification, modeled concentrations for individual VOCs in classrooms and offices must not exceed one-half of the defined Chronic Reference Exposure Levels (CREL) threshold. Given that other (uncertified) products and materials in the building may be sources for the same chemicals, the conservative standard set for Indoor Advantage Gold certification is intended to ensure that individual occupants’ overall exposure to any one of these chemicals does not exceed the CREL.
http://www.scscertified.com/gbc/indooradvgold.php
Panels such as plywood or rigid foam board, attached to framing members to strengthen the structure, and provide a base for roofing, siding and flooring.
In buildings that house workers, shower facilities are considered a green building feature in that they allow occupants that elect to travel by bicycle and other human powered modes of transportation to exercise this option.
Building whose occupants experience acute health and/or comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent therein, but where no specific illness or cause can be identified. Complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may spread throughout the building.
A durable natural fiber used as a floor covering, derived from leaves of the sisal plant.
Cement slab on top of the earth.
All else being equal, smaller is usually preferable in sustainable building. Larger buildings and spaces require more materials and energy to construct and use more resources to heat, cool and maintain.
The underside of an overhang, especially at the eaves of a roof.
Any device used to capture or concentrate the sun’s energy. The leaves on a tree can be considered a solar collector, as can a window, solar panel, or dark surfaced thermal mass.
See Orientation (solar).
General term for an assembly of photovoltaic modules. See photovoltaic. Use of solar panels is a sustainable building strategy in that it lessens a building’s reliance on nonrenewable sources of power distributed through the grid system.
The design, manufacture, purchase or use of materials to reduce the amount or toxicity of waste in an effort to reduce pollution and conserve resources (i.e., reusing items, minimizing the use of products containing hazardous compounds, extending the useful life of a product and reducing unneeded packaging). Practices that reduce the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant entering any waste stream or otherwise being released into the environment. Such practices also reduce the risk to public health and the environment associated with such releases. Term includes equipment or technology modifications, substitution of raw materials, and improvements in housekeeping, maintenance, training or inventory control.
Air, as in a chimney, that moves upward because it is warmer than the ambient atmosphere.
The sequencing and physical positioning of building materials on a construction site. Sustainable building pays particular attention to staging in order to minimize the impact to the construction site and protect materials from damage.
Any organization, governmental entity, or individual that has a stake in or may be impacted by a given approach to environmental regulation, pollution prevention, energy conservation, etc.
Alternative building method using bales of straw for wall systems. The method uses an agricultural waste product in place of diminishing dimensional lumber, and achieves high insulation values. It is a building method most appropriate for regions with relatively little precipitation.
Manufactured panels consisting of a sandwich of polystyrene between two layers of engineered wood paneling. Can be used for walls, roof, or flooring, and result in a structure very resistant to air infiltration.
Fine plaster used for coating wall surfaces or molding into architectural decorations.
Economic incentives to engage in an activity or purchase a product. Subsidies can work for or against environmental protection. Governments and utilities will sometimes offer subsidies for technologies that decrease energy or water use.
A heavy, smelly gas that can be condensed into a clear liquid; used to make sulfuric acid, bleaching agents, preservatives and refrigerants; a major source of air pollution in industrial areas.
Devices for blocking unwanted solar gain.
The program operated under the legislative authority of CERCLA and SARA that funds and carries out EPA solid waste emergency and long-term removal and remedial activities. These activities include establishing the National Priorities List, investigating sites for inclusion on the list, determining their priority, and conducting and/or supervising cleanup and other remedial actions.
Insulating a building to minimize the amount of heat that can escape from (or, in a hot climate, enter) a building.
Practices that would ensure the continued viability of a product or practice well into the future.
An approach to progress that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
The practice of managing forest resources to meet the long-term forest product needs of humans while maintaining the biodiversity of forested landscapes. The primary goal is to restore, enhance and sustain a full range of forest values-economic, social and ecological.
A water heater that heats water as needed with no storage tank, using large electric elements or gas burners.
A sum deducted from the total amount a taxpayer owes.
The introduction of nonhereditary birth defects in a developing fetus by exogenous factors such as physical or chemical agents acting in the womb to interfere with normal embryonic development.
Method of increasing the thermal performance of a material or assembly by reducing conductive heat loss. By inserting a less thermally conductive material in a material or assembly that bridges conditioned and unconditioned space, the conductive path is reduced or broken. An example is the thermal break featured in aluminum-framed windows.
A component, or assembly of components, in a building envelope through which heat is transferred at a substantially higher rate than through the surrounding envelope area.
Unwanted heat loss or gain due to conduction through a material. An example of thermal bridging is heat loss that occurs with structural steel framing that is insufficiently insulated between conditioned and unconditioned space.
A mass (often stone, concrete, or brick) used to store heat and reduce temperature fluctuation in a space, by releasing heat slowly over time.
The addition of heat to a body of water that may change the ecological balance.
Charge for the unloading or dumping of waste at a recycling facility, composting facility, landfill, transfer station or waste-to-energy facility.
The total mass, typically in milligrams per cubic meter, of the organic compounds collected in air.
Capable of having an adverse effect on an organism; poisonous; harmful or deadly.
Database of toxic releases in the United States compiled from SARA Title III Section 313 reports.
The process by which water vapor is lost to the atmosphere from living plants. The term can also be applied to the quantity of water thus dissipated.
Thermal storage system used in passive solar design. A high-mass wall that stores heat from solar gain during the day and slowly radiates the heat back into the living space at night.
A strategy for removing dirt and other contaminants from construction vehicles in order to prevent stormwater contamination related to transport of contaminants offsite on vehicle tires. A specified area is created for wash down, with structural controls in place to prevent wash down waters from entering the storm system or the larger environment.
A rigid framework, as of wooden beams or metal bars, designed to support a structure.
A machine for producing continuous power in which a wheel or rotor, typically fitted with vanes, is made to revolve by a fast-moving flow of water, steam, gas, air, or other fluid.
A measure of the amount of heat that flows in or out of a substance under constant conditions when there is a one degree difference between the air within and outside a building. U-values are used in determining the performance of a glazing system or window assembly.
U-factor measures how well a product prevents heat from escaping. The rate of heat loss is indicated in terms of the U-factor (U-value) of a window assembly. U-Factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. The lower the U-value, the greater a window's resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value.
Used to level out and add rigidity to the subflooring and the finish flooring.
The process of creating products (devices, environments, systems, and processes) which are usable by people with the widest possible range of abilities, operating within the widest possible range of situations.
Urea-formaldehyde, also known as urea-methanal, named so for its common synthesis pathway and overall structure[1], is a non-transparent thermosetting resin or plastic, made from urea and formaldehyde heated in the presence of a mild base such as ammonia or pyridine. These resins are used in adhesives, finishes, MDF, and molded objects. Urea-formaldehyde resin's attributes include high tensile strength, flexural modulus and heat distortion temperature, low water absorption, mould, high surface hardness, elongation at break, and volume resistance. It is also used to glue together wood.
Material once used to conserve energy by sealing crawl spaces, attics, etc.; no longer used because emissions were found to be a health hazard.
Process by which outside air is conveyed to an indoor space.
The ability of building occupants to control ventilation rates. A strategy for giving control of comfort back to occupants, this can be achieved through access to individual electronic controls or by operable windows in workspaces. Studies show that giving increased control to occupants over their environment results in greater occupant tolerance for variability in the indoor environment.
The rate at which indoor air enters and leaves a building. Expressed as the number of changes of outdoor air per unit of time: air changes per hour (ACH), or the rate at which a volume of outdoor air enters in cubic feet per minute (CFM).
See Energy Modeling.
Carbon compounds that participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions (excluding carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, metallic carbides and carbonates, and ammonium carbonate). The compounds vaporize (become a gas) at normal room temperatures.
Design strategy for reducing the amount of contaminants introduced into an interior space by providing grating or other material to remove contaminants from shoes. A significant portion of contaminants in a building are brought in this way, impacting indoor environmental quality.
See Construction Waste Management.
The spent or used water from a home, community, farm, or industry that contains dissolved or suspended matter.
Heat pump that uses wells or heat exchangers to transfer heat from water to the inside of a building. Most such units use ground water. (See groundsource heat pump; heat pump).
Urinal with no water line. Most designs use a specialized material that allows fluid to drain one-way into the sewer system.
By using water efficient products and practices, consumers save natural resources, reduce water consumption, and save money. In order to realize these savings, consumers need to be able to identify products and services that use less water while performing as well as or better than conventional models. WaterSense makes it easy to find and select water efficient products and ensures consumer confidence in those products with a label backed by third party, independent, testing and certification. Certifying organizations help maintain the WaterSense integrity and credibility by verifying and testing products for: conformance to WaterSense specifications, efficiency, performance, label use and also conduct periodic market surveillance.
A shorthand measure of the energy use of a building, often applied to indoor lighting. Energy codes often limit the watts per square foot based on building type and function.
The process of reducing the leaks of heat from or into a building. It may involve caulking, weatherstripping, adding insulation, and other similar improvements to the building shell.
An area that is saturated by surface or ground water with vegetation adapted for life under those soil conditions, as swamps, bogs, fens, marshes, and estuaries.
A process through which the interconnections of systems are actively considered, and solutions are sought that address multiple problems at the same time.
Systems that convert air movement into mechanical or electrical energy. Driven by the wind, turbine blades turn a generator or power a mechanical pump.
Device for generating electricity from wind; windmill.
Any device for reducing unwanted heat gain from a window.
System for on-site management of food scraps and other organic materials. Similar to a compost bin, a worm bin uses worms to digest organic wastes, in a process known as "vermicomposting".
Landscaping design for conserving water that uses drought-resistant or drought-tolerant plants.
Low-VOC or zero-VOC refers to paints and other products such as sealants, adhesives, and cleaners, that have a very low or no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). The pigment in conventional paints is held together by binding agents containing VOCs, chemicals that can cause various health problems, including nausea, tremors and headaches. VOCs from conventional paints are released into the air and often leave a strong “toxic” odor. Low-VOC and zero-VOC products have much lower VOC content than conventional paints and can contribute to the LEED rating system. Low-VOC is a general term that defines a broad spectrum of VOC contents that are significantly less than those of conventional products. When choosing a low-VOC paint, it is important to check the label for the exact VOC content. You might prefer zero-VOC paints that have virtually no VOC content (typically less than 5 grams per liter)
JUN 28-30 | DES MOINES
Center on Sustainable Communities will host a beer and wine tent at the Des Moines Arts Festival. We'll be letting the public know about our programming while raising funds for COSC's programs and mission. Stop by!
Across Iowa
A new consolidated community calendar! COSC joined with Iowa Environmental Council to create a central calendar that is shared among interested nonprofit organizations. Submit a sustainability-related event and have it appear on icosc.com, iaenvironment.org and other sites.
Alliant Energy
Iowa Central Community College
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