Energy and Atmosphere - 10 Flashcards
(95 cards)
1
Q
What is process energy?
A
Energy used from things that are plugged in but this also includes elevators and lifts
2
Q
What systems consume the most energy in a building?
A
- Space Heating - 36%
- Lighting - 21%
- Cooling - 8%
- Water Heating - 8%
- Ventilation - 7%
- Refrigeration - 6%
- Cooking - 3%
- Computers - 2%
- Office Equipment - 1%
- Other - 8%
3
Q
What is the difference between reducing energy demand and increasing energy efficiency?
A
- Reducing energy demand is achieved via decreasing the need for energy in the first place using place lighting, sensors, etc.
- Increasing energy efficiency is done by installing better equipment that can achieve the same outcome using less energy due to a reduction in energy waste.
4
Q
What role does commissioning have in a building?
A
It verifies that the building’s energy related systems are installed, calibrated, and performing according to the project and owner’s requirements.
5
Q
What is the payback period for commissioning?
A
+ New buildings = 4.8 yeras (avg.)
+ Existing buildings = 0.7 years (avg.)
6
Q
What is a REC?
A
+ Renewable Energy Certificate (aka Green tags, Renewable energy credits, Tradable renewable certificates (TRC’s))
+ Tradable environmental commodities in the US which represent proof that 1 MW of electricity was generated from an eligible renewable energy resource.
7
Q
Who certifies green power?
A
Green-e (US)
8
Q
Who triggers a Demand Response event?
A
The utility company trigger (aka demand program administrator) triggers the demand response event
9
Q
What are carbon offsets measured in?
A
Metric tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent (CO2e)
10
Q
What are Halons?
A
Halons are chemicals used in fire suppression systems that also negatively impact the ozone.
11
Q
What are CFCs?
A
+ CFC = Chlorofluorocarbons
+ Any of the various compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine.
12
Q
What does the ozone protect?
A
Protects earth surface from harmful UV rays.
13
Q
What is ASHRAE 90.1 related to?
A
ASHRAE 90.1 relates to HVAC systems.
14
Q
What does ASHRAE stand for?
A
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
15
Q
What ASHRAE standards would be used for the Energy and Atmosphere category?
A
ASHRAE 90.1
16
Q
What LEED category would SMACNA standards be used for?
A
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
17
Q
What LEED category would the Green-e standard be used for?
A
Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
18
Q
What is Green-e?
A
Green-e is a program established to promote green electricity products and provide consumers with a nationally recognized method to identify those products. (US)
19
Q
What does an ENERGY STAR rating refer to?
A
The ENERGY STAR rating is a measure of a building’s energy performance compared with that of similar buildings, as determined by ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. A score of 50 represents average building performance.
20
Q
What is a FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE)?
A
Is a regular building occupant who spends 40 hours per week in the project building.
(Part-time or overtime occupants have FTE values based on their hours per week divided by 40. Multiple shifts are included or excluded depending on the intent and requirements of the credit.)
21
Q
What are transient occupants?
A
Building visitors and other part-time or occasional occupants, such as students, volunteers, visitors, etc.
22
Q
What variables are used in determining FTE calculations?
A
- Type of building occupant (fulltime, part-time, transient)
- Hours worked per week
23
Q
What does a VEGETATED roof consist of (5)?
A
- Vegetation
- growing medium
- filter fabric
- drainage
- waterproof membrane
24
Q
What are some of the benefits of VEGETATED ROOFS (5)?
A
- Reduce the heat island effect
- Retain runoff
- Insulating benefits
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Longer life and less maintenance than conventional roofs
25
What standard defines green power?
Green-e
26
What are CFCs?
Chlorofluorocarbons
(This is a type of hydrocarbon that is used in most types of refrigerants for building applications such as centrifugal chillers, refrigerators, and humidifiers. Most applications were installed prior to ozone concerns)
27
What types of systems use CFCs (3)?
1. Centrifugal chillers
2. Refrigerators
3. Humidifiers
28
What are alternatives to using refrigeration with CFCs (3)?
1. Natural ventilation
2. Refrigerants with lower ODP and GWP
3. Natural refrigerants
29
What does GWP stand for?
Global Warming Potential
30
What is lighting power density?
Installed lighting power per unit area
31
What category does lighting power density have the greatest impact on?
Energy and Atmosphere (EA).
| Reducing the lighting power density reduces energy use.
32
What does ODP stand for?
Ozone Depletion Potential
33
What is a BASELINE BUILDING PERFORMANCE?
ASHRAE 90.1 defines minimum standards of design. A building's baseline building performance would be the annual energy cost for a building designed to those minimum standards.
34
What is natural ventilation?
Natural ventilation uses the natural forces of wind and buoyancy to deliver fresh air into buildings.
35
What is daylighting?
The practice of placing windows, or other transparent media, and reflective surfaces so that, during the day, natural light provides effective internal illumination.
36
What standard applies to natural ventilation?
ASHRAE 62.1
37
What type of impact do HFCs have on the ozone layer?
HFCs have a low impact on the ozone layer but many HFCs have a high Global Warming Potential (GWP)
38
What is free energy?
Energy with low/no-cost that comes as a result of building design.
(Examples include daylighting, natural ventilation, or onsite solar power/wind energy.)
39
What is Global Warming Potential as it relates to refrigerants?
A measurement of how much effect the given refrigerant will have on global warming in relation to carbon dioxide, where CO2 has a GWP of 1.
(This is usually measured over a 100-year period. In this case the lower the value of GWP the better the refrigerator)
40
What is Ozone Depletion Potential as it relates to refrigerants?
The potential for a single molecule of the refrigerant to destroy the Ozone Layer.
(The less the value of the ODP the better the refrigerant is for the ozone layer and therefore the environment.)
41
Is it better for a refrigerant to have a higher or lower ODP and GWP?
Lower
42
What is fundamental refrigerant management?
A minimum threshold for refrigerant selection. LEED requires zero use of CFC based refrigerants in new based building HVAC&R systems.
43
What is the intent of fundamental refrigeration management?
To reduce stratospheric ozone depletion
44
What variables measure a refrigerants impact on the environment?
- Global Warming Potential (GWP)
| - Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)
45
What does air pollution cause?
Harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment into the atmosphere.
46
What is NET METERING?
An electricity billing mechanism that allows consumers who generate some or all of their own electricity to use that electricity anytime, instead of when it is generated.
47
What types of power have the greatest negative environmental impact?
1. Coal
2. Gas
3. Hydropower
4. Other fossil fuels
48
What do GREENHOUSE GASES (GHG) do to the environment?
Absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared radiation emitted by Earth's surface, clouds, and the atmosphere itself. Increased concentrations of greenhouse gases are a root cause of global climate change.
49
An energy simulation model or energy model is generated for what reasons?
Energy simulation model or energy models are used to provide the anticipated energy consumption of a building and permits a comparison of energy performance, given proposed energy efficiency measures, with the baseline.
50
What is the main ASHRAE standard in which HVAC systems must adhere?
ASHRAE 90.1
51
What is an REC?
- Renewable Energy Certificate
(Also known as Green tags, Renewable Energy Credits, or Tradable Renewable Certificates (TRCs), are tradable environmental commodities in the United States which represent proof that 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity was generated from an eligible renewable energy resource.)
52
Where can RECs be purchased?
RECs can be purchased anywhere and are not bound by geography.
(They differ from actual electricity which must be purchased from a local provider.)
53
What is the purpose of an REC?
A Renewable Energy Certificate is a tradable commodity that allows organizations without access to off-site green power to purchase the benefits of green power.
54
Green power must be certified by which organization for LEED credit?
Green-e
55
When would natural ventilation be a good design choice?
In cooler climates where temperatures are lower.
56
What are the environmental benefits of an REC?
Avoid the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with conventional electricity use.
(Reduce some types of air pollution)
57
What do CFCs do to the environment?
CFCs destroy the ozone layer.
58
What is ENERGY EFFICIENCY?
Energy efficiency is the use of technology that requires less energy to perform the same function as a conventional item.
(A compact fluorescent light bulb that uses less energy than an incandescent bulb to produce the same amount of light is an example of energy efficiency. The decision to replace an incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent is an example of energy conservation.)
59
What is GLOBAL WARMING?
Global Warming refers to climate change that causes an increase in the average temperature of the lower atmosphere of the Earth.
60
What are GREENHOUSE GASES?
A gas, such as carbon dioxide or methane, which contributes to potential climate change.
61
What is the most effective way to optimize energy efficiency?
The most effective way to optimize energy efficiency is by utilizing an integrative, whole-building approach.
62
What can increasing the ventilation in a building have a negative impact on?
Increasing ventilation in a building increases energy use (EA).
63
What is WASTE-TO-ENERGY?
The process of generating energy in the form of electricity and/or heat from the incineration of waste.
64
What is a HERS Index?
The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is a standard by which a home's energy efficiency is measured.
65
What is an REGULARLY OCCUPIED SPACE?
- Conference rooms
- guest rooms
- kitchens
- hotel lobby
66
What is COMMISSIONING?
The process of verifying and documenting that a building and all of its systems and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the owner's project requirements.
67
What is RETRO-COMMISSIONING?
A commissioning process that can be performed on existing buildings to identify and recognize system improvements that make the building more suitable for current use.
68
What is DEMAND RESPONSE?
A change in electricity use by demand-side resources from their normal consumption patterns in response to changes in the price of electricity or to incentive payments designed to induce lower electricity use at times of high wholesale market prices
69
What is a DEMAND RESPONSE EVENT?
A specific period of time when the utility or independent service operator calls for a change in the pattern or level of use in grid-based electricity from its program participants.
(Also known as a curtailment event.)
70
What is a CARBON OFFSET?
A unit of carbon dioxide equivalent that is reduced, avoided, or sequestered to compensate for emissions occurring elsewhere
71
What standard qualifies carbon offsets?
Green-e Climate certified (or equivalent)
72
What environmental benefit does purchasing off-site renewable energy (Green Power) have?
Emissions reductions
73
How is a building's energy efficiency benchmarked?
EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
74
What does a building automation system do?
Collect data about a building's systems and track it over time
75
What does designing for flexibility mean?
Designing for flexibility is a concept that considers the future use of the building and how it may be modified while at the same time reducing waste and reducing the need for new materials.
76
What is a closed system?
A system that does not require extra input to continue functioning.
(For example, plants growing in a field, grow, produce oxygen, take in water, then die and decay which helps plants grow. Closed systems can be linked so one system uses)
77
What is an open system?
An open system is a system that constantly takes in items from outside the system, uses them and then releases them as waste.
(This system has no feedback loop. Think of a normal home where groceries, products, or water come into the home, are used and then released as waste water or garbage.)
78
What is a negative feedback loop?
A negative feedback loop is a system where the output may signal the system to stop changing.
79
What is energy use intensity measured in?
Energy consumed per unit of floor space
80
What does tracking building-level energy use help with?
Identifying additional energy savings over time.
81
What is a FLUSH-OUT?
A flush-out runs the mechanical systems with 100% outside air to remove contaminants.
(Flush-outs are usually done after construction is complete and prior occupants moving in.)
82
What is a common issue with daylighting?
Glare
83
What does daylighting help reduce?
The need for artificial lighting.
84
What is the most impactful way that a project can help to reverse contribution to climate change?
Reducing fossil-fuel based energy consumption
85
What are the long term effects of climate change?
- Higher sea levels
- Higher temperatures
- Longer droughts
86
What is a REGULAR BUILDING OCCUPANT?
Habitual users of a building.
87
Name the different types of regular building occupants
- Employees
- Staff
- Volunteers
- Residents
- Primary and secondary school students
- Hotel guests
- Inpatients
88
What is a VISITOR?
Visitors (also called 'transients') intermittently use a LEED building.
89
Name the different type of building visitors.
- Retail customers
- Outpatients
- Volunteers
- Higher-education students
90
What is a COMMISSIONING AUTHORITY (CxA)
The individual designated to organize, lead, and review the completion of commissioning process activities.
(The CxA facilitates communication among the owner, designer, and contractor to ensure that complex systems are installed and function in accordance with the owner’s project requirements.)
91
What are examples of OCCUPANT CONTROLS?
An occupant controls is a system or switch that a person in the space can directly access and use.
(Examples include a task light, an open switch, and blinds. A temperature sensor, photo sensor, or centrally controlled system is not occupant controlled.)
92
What is a REGULATED LOAD?
Any non-process loads i.e. not plugged in
Any building end use that has either a mandatory or a prescriptive requirement in ASHRAE Standard 90.1
93
What is PROCESS ENERGY?
Power resources consumed in support of a manufacturing, industrial, or commercial process other than conditioning spaces and maintaining comfort and amenities for building occupants of a building. It may include refrigeration equipment, cooking and food
94
What does increasing ventilation in a building help with?
Reduced absenteeism
95
What does the type of entryway system selected for a building impact?
Indoor air quality.
