LEED Quiz 04

Nonpotable water refers to water that isn’t fit for humans to drink but is safe for watering plants.

Conventional incandescent lamps use approximately four times the energy to create the same light output as standard compact fluorescent lamps.

Improved landscape design and maintenance can greatly reduce or even eliminate the need for potable water outdoors.

The baseline case represents the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct 1992) flow and flush rates.

Wastewater from toilets and urinals; definitions vary, and wastewater from kitchen sinks (perhaps differentiated by the use of a garbage disposal), showers, or bathtubs is considered blackwater under some state or local codes.

To reduce energy use, project teams should first reduce energy demand, followed by implementing energy efficiency measures such as installing high-performance equipment.

Submetering equipment is used to maintain building performance.

Passive design strategies are used to reduce energy consumption by utilizing natural thermal processes (convection, absorption, radiation, and conduction) and sunlight to condition and light spaces.

Well-designed building systems don’t need to use excessive amounts of potable water.

RECs are tradable environmental commodities representing proof that a unit of electricity was generated from a renewable energy source. RECs are sold separately from the electricity itself.

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study found that commissioning for existing buildings has a median cost of $0.27 per square foot and an average simple payback of 0.7 years. For new construction, the study found that the median cost was $1 per square foot and had a payback of 4.8 years based on energy savings alone.

A refrigerant is weighted by its global warming potential and its ozone depletion potential.

Energy performance is a primary factor in determining how much energy is used per unit of cooling, thereby influencing the environmental impact of the HVAC system.

Process energy is defined as energy used to run office equipment, computers, elevators and escalators, kitchen cooking and refrigeration units, laundry washing and drying units, lighting that is exempt from the lighting power allowance, and miscellaneous items.

Renewable energy comes from sources that are not depleted by use. Examples include energy from the sun, wind, and small (low-impact) hydropower, plus geothermal energy and wave and tidal systems.

The inside of a building is one of the most critical areas for human health to specify green.

A material, other than the principal product, generated as a consequence of an industrial process or as a breakdown product in a living system. (EPA) is byproduct.

For LEED, regional materials originate within 500 miles of the project site.

Waste reduction should be the first consideration of a waste management policy, followed by exploring opportunities for reuse. Recycling should then be considered for waste streams that can’t be eliminated or repurposed.

The 50 tons sorted off-site are 60% diverted, resulting in 30 tons recycled. The 40 tons separated on-site are 100% diverted, resulting in 40 tons recycled. The remaining 10 tons are incinerated, resulting in 0 tons recycled. The total recycled is 70 tons, which is 70% of 100 tons.

The EPA estimated greenhouse gas emissions from building waste and found that the United States currently recycles approximately 32% of its solid waste. Even a small increase in the overall recycling percentage could have enormous environmental benefits.

Postconsumer recycled content comes from consumer waste, contrasted with preconsumer recycled content, which comes from manufacturing processes.

Ongoing consumables are goods with a low cost per unit that are regularly used and replaced in the course of business (for example, paper, batteries, and soap).

LEED addresses many environmental attributes of building materials, including their recycled content, regional harvest and manufacture, and reuse. LEED doesn’t currently recognize materials based on their nation of origin or potential customizability.

Waste and recyclables generated from construction and from the renovation, demolition, or deconstruction of existing structures. It does not include land-clearing debris, such as soil, vegetation, and rocks.

Common salvaged materials include structural beams and posts, flooring, doors, cabinetry, brick, and decorative items.

Operable windows allow occupants to make adjustments to the air speed and temperature within the building, thereby controlling multiple environmental conditions
for thermal comfort.

Demand-controlled ventilation modulates the delivery of outdoor air into the building based on occupancy. In many cases, outdoor airflow is increased when the building automation system detects increased carbon dioxide concentrations.

Process water includes the water used in dishwashers, clothes washers, and ice machines. It also refers to water used for industrial purposes and in building systems such as boilers and chillers.

The operation of mechanical systems for a minimum of two weeks using 100 percent outside air at the end of construction and prior to building occupancy to ensure safe indoor air quality.