Green Terms Defined: Year end summary

cds_Page_6  The 4 C’s: You have to be able to effectively convey the information from design to construction in a Clear, Concise, Correct, and Complete method.
IR_0030 Air Infiltration: The uncontrolled inward air leakage through cracks and holes in the building envelope and around windows and doors of a building caused by the pressure effects of wind and/or the effect of differences in the indoor and outdoor air density.

Biophilic Design: premise that we can learn from nature to create better buildings and build better buildings by connecting to nature

Blower Door Test: used to determine total air leakage of a home’s thermal envelope.

StarterKit KPL 619 Building Automation System: technology that can be used to control the heating and cooling systems in a building. It can also be used to control lights on a room by room basis or a fixture by fixture basis. It can also be used to monitor security systems and even entertainment systems.

Cohousing: type of development where residents collaborate together on the design of their own neighborhood

Composting: practice of mixing organic waste that can biodegrade quickly to create a planting medium called compost

Conservation: act of preserving, guarding, or protecting the resources we have available on this planet

Construction Waste: materials at a job site that cannot be easily used on that site

Dark Sky (Light Pollution): excessive, misdirected, or glaring artificial light

Dehumidifier: piece of equipment that reduces the level of humidity in the air

IMG_6148 Detached Garage: garage not directly connected to your home

Elf: battery assisted, solar charged bike will go 1.5 hours on a charge depending on total weight on a charge and allows you to apply pedal power to extend your ride

Embodied Energy: total amount of energy required to produce a product

Encapsulated Crawl Space: sealed space that has a vapor barrier on the walls and floor

HPIM0423.JPG Geothermal Heat Pump: heating and cooling system that transfers heat to and from the ground through a loop to condition the air inside of your home or business.

product-heat-pump-water-heater High Efficiency Water Heater: High efficiency water heating can save you a considerable amount of energy each day. There are several systems used to efficiently heat water for usage inside a building. The most common is either an on-demand water heater or a heat pump water heater.

Indoor Environmental Quality: the air that you breathe, the type of light, the sounds, and the comfort you feel.

IR_0137 Infrared (thermographic) camera: allows you to see radiation or temperature differential on a surface making it visible light.

20140908_162423_1 Integrated Design: Integrated design builds a team to walk the project from concept through construction

Life Cycle Analysis: system of reviewing the entire history of a product to account for the total impact on the environment

Off-the-grid:  An off-the-grid system operates without reliance on a public utility.

Permeability: measure of the diffusion of water vapor through a material

Rainwater Harvesting: collection of water for reuse before it reaches the aquifer

IMG_5350 Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs): environmental attributes of your green power that are sold separately  from the electrons that makes up the electricity.

Recycled Content: process that takes a waste material and converts it to a new product, thus reducing the consumption of raw materials, potentially reducing energy usage, and diverts materials from a landfill

R-Value: measure of the reduction of heat transfer across a defined path

Solar Reflectance Index: measure of the constructed surface’s ability to stay cool in the sun by reflecting solar radiation and emitting thermal radiation

Stack Effect: movement of air into and out of buildings, driven by air pressure, temperature differential, and moisture

Stormwater: water that comes from precipitation (rain, snow, sleet…) and does not soak into the ground

Sustainability: Development that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Vegetated Roof: partially or completely covered roof with vegetation over a waterproof membrane

Water Conservation: takes into account activities to manage fresh water resources, protect the water environment, and to meet current and future demand for fresh water.

20141110_110119 Zero Energy Ready Home: This program, once called Challenge Home, focuses on conservation strategies to reduce energy load and prepping the home for solar PV panels.

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