INDUSTRY TERMS Flashcards
The governmental agency which regulates the construction process. In most cases, this is the municipality in which the building is located.
Authority Having Jurisdiction
Typically developed by the design team in response to the owners project requirements (OPR).
Includes design information necessary to accomplish the OPR including:
System descriptions
Indoor environmental quality criteria
Design assumptions
References to applicable codes, standards, regulations and guidelines
Basis of Design
These are landscape elements designed to remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water. They consist of swaled drainage course with gently sloped sides nod filled with vegetation.
Bioswale
Wastewater from toilets and urinals. Definitions vary and may be different for state or local codes.
Blackwater
Temperature of the surrounding air or other medium.
Ambient temperature
What is brownout?
An intentional or unintentional drop in voltage in an electrical power supply system. Intentional brownouts are used for load reduction in an emergency.
The exterior surface of building - the walls, windows, roof, and floor; also referred to as the building she’ll.
Building Envelope
A device that removes heat from a liquid, typically as part of a refrigeration system used to cool and dehumidify buildings.
Chiller
What is Closed System?
A system which does not allow certain types of transfers in or out of the system. A system with closed loop is thought of as more sustainable than open system. 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 the byproducts of another.
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.
Commissioning
The planning, implementation, and monitoring of utility activities designed to encourage consumers to modify patterns of electricity usage, including the timing and level of electricity demand.
Demand Side Management (Demand Reduction)
A space that has at least 25 people per 1,000 sq. ft. (40 sq. ft. Or less per person )
Densely Occupied Space
A ratio of building coverage on a given parcel of land to the size of that parcel. It can be measured using floor to area ratio (FAR), dwelling units per acre (DU/acre) or square feet of building area per acre of buildable land.
Density
A stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP) designed to protect against flooding and, in some cases, downstream erosion by strong water for a limited period of time. These are sometimes called “dry ponds” if no permanent pool of water exists. They are also called “wet ponds” in that they are designed to permanently retain some volume of water at all times.
Detention Basin
An underground structure that collects runoff and distributes it over a large area, increasing absorption and minimizing erosion.
Drywell
A control system capable of monitoring environmental and system loads and adjusting HVAC operations accordingly in order to conserve energy while maintaining comfort.
Energy Management Systems
What is ENERGY STAR rating?
A joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. For buildings, an ENERGY STAR score is a measure of a building’s energy performance compared with that of similar buildings, as determined by the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. A score of 50 represents average building performance. Buildings that score a 75 or greater may qualify for the ENERGY STAR label. The ENERGY STAR program also applies to equipment and appliances such as fax machine, copiers, refrigerators, etc.
What is Floor Area Ratio (FAR)?
The ratio of the total floor area of buildings on a certain location to the size of the land of that location. As a formula: FAR=(Total covered area on all floors of the buildings on a certain plot)/(Area of the plot). With respect to LEED, In general the greater the floor to area ratio the better since it typically corresponds with a more dense development. Also building ‘up’ rather than ‘out’ may minimize the land needed for the building footprint, leaving the possibility for more open space.
What is Gap Analysis?
The comparison of actual performance with the potential or desired performance. A LEED GAP Analysis is the basis for making sustainable improvements to existing and/ or new facilities-comparing current conditions to optimal conditions and using the “gap” between as a basis for making targeted improvements.
Refers to glass paneling and /or windows.
Glazing
