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GREEN GLOSSARY
SITE DESIGN Brownfields - sites that have environmental contaminants . The use of brownfields typically reduces land cost by using land which is less desirable. As industrial and manufacturing land-use patterns continue to change, more of these sites become available in American cities. However, lower land costs must be balanced against the cost of any required remediation and possible health risks to residents.http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/glossary.htm http://www.brownfieldassociation.org/ Back to Top
Access to Public Transportation - In locations where public transportation is a viable alternative to private automobiles for access to work, school, recreation and commerce siting affordable housing near adequate public transportation benefits residents by allowing them to forego the cost of owning a car. It also gives the affordable housing developer room to argue for a reduced parking requirement, thereby making more of their land purchase available for housing units and reducing the land cost per unit. http://www.publictransportation.org/ http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/programs/hff/v5i2-affordable.shtml Compact Development - In many locations, land cost is one of the most significant components of housing cost. Increasing the number of housing units that you can build on a given piece of land is one way to reduce the cost of affordable housing. And compact development is not new, higher density housing is a long-standing tradition, whether it is mid-rise, multi-family, or single family on small lots. Done correctly, compact development can be a very attractive option – for both residents and neighbors. See the Demystifying Density lectures for more information on traditional types of compact development, its advantages, and strategies for achieving it. http://www.lgc.org/freepub/land_use/factsheets/compact_development.html GREEN BUILDING DESIGN STRATEGIES Passive Heating and Cooling - Mechanical heating and cooling systems are not the only ways to achieve indoor comfort. Passive heating strategies most often rely on the collection of heat from the sun during the day, while passive cooling strategies rely on heat gain avoidance and the use of cross ventilation, evaporation, and thermal mass which stores heat during the day to release it at night. Passive heating and cooling can not only reduce the first costs of your HVAC system, but they can drastically reduce your operating costs. Since these strategies make use of free solar energy and local breezes, they do not cost anything themselves. Include them in your schematic design discussions of building orientation, skin construction, and plan layout to get the greatest benefit. http://www.eere.energy.gov/RE/solar_passive.html http://www.wbdg.org/design/psheating.php Daylighting- Not only is artificial lighting a concern of both first cost and operating cost, but the lighting itself gives off heat which often increases the heat load on the HVAC system and adds additional cost to monthly operating costs. One way to reduce this cost is to incorporate daylighting into a building. Daylighting includes strategies for increasing the percentage of illumination provided by natural light in your building such as light shelves, toplighting, clerestory windows, optimized building orientation and room layout, and shading among others. Not only is daylighting free, it is a more enjoyable light to in which to work, play and live. www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/info/design/integratedbuilding/passivedaylighting.html http://www.daylighting.org/index.htm http://www.pge.com/003_save_energy/003c_edu_train/pec/daylight/daylight.shtml
Green Roofs - Green roofs have many advantages over traditional roof systems. Not only do they provide benefits for the residents themselves by reducing the heat load on the building and monthly utility costs and by providing additional outdoor space, but they also provide benefits for the surrounding community by controlling the rate of storm runoff during heavy rains and reducing the heat-island effect. Roof gardens can be installed with a wide variety of plants which must be chosen depending on the available soil depth as well as the climate. The desired type of roof garden has to be taken into consideration in the earliest design phases to accommodate the structural implications of the additional weight.
http://www.earthpledge.org/GreenRoof.html ENERGY EFFICIENCY Superinsulation - Superinsulation of the building envelope minimizes heat gain during the summer and heat loss during the winter. Superinsulation involves substantially increased R-values combined with proper detailing for minimized thermal bridging and thorough air sealing for minimized infiltration. This strategy must be paired with controlled ventilation in order to maintain a healthy indoor environment. High Performance Windows - Once you have placed and sized your windows to make the most efficient use of solar energy (see Passive Heating/Cooling and Daylighting), the next step is to choose a window that will balance your lighting needs, energy performance requirements, and long-term maintenance desires. Windows are rated by U-factor and SHGC. The U-factor is the measure of the speed with which a window transfers heat by conduction. The SHGC, solar heat gain factor, rates a window according to how much radiant solar energy it lets through. Once you’ve chosen an appropriate window for your location and budget, be sure to pay attention to the installation. A high performance window that is poorly sealed doesn’t give you the performance you are paying for. Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling - Controlling the interior temperature and humidity of a building is one of the largest expenditures of energy and also one of the highest components of operating costs that building owners face. Once you have made use of all the passive heating and cooling strategies (see passive heating and cooling) that are available to you, specifying highly efficient equipment is the next important step. Consider operating costs as well as first costs when you are choosing between electrical equipment and gas-fired equipment for your project. And don’t forget how important installation is, leaky or incorrectly sized ducts can drastically reduce the value you gain from choosing accurately sized and efficient heating and cooling equipment. www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_homes_features.hm_f_heating_and_cooling http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/homes/heatcl.htm Energy Star Appliances and Lighting - The Energy Star program is a partnership between the EPA and the USDOE which is focused on saving energy as a means to both help preserve the environment and reduce the cost of energy to both residential and commercial clients. Lighting and appliances that have met the standards set by the Energy Star program are labeled as such. Energy efficient choices can save up to one third of monthly energy costs in addition to reducing the environmental impact of construction. Thanks to a labeling program, Energy Star appliances and lighting are easy to specify so be sure to include this in your specifications as you proceed with your project. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=appliances.pr_appliances http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=lighting.pr_lighting Renewable Energy - There are many forms of renewable energy from geothermal to biomass to wind and of course solar power. The first costs on many of these systems are high, but when life cycle costs are calculated which take into account the cost of energy over the life of the system, you may be surprised how much sense they make. Even if it doesn’t make sense for you to consider on-site renewable energy, you still have the choice to contract with local utilities that sell energy from renewable sources. Be sure to check out the link below for a directory of financial incentives for including renewable energy in your project. http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map2.cfm?CurrentPageID=1&State=PA http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/factsheets.html#electricity WATER CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT Stormwater Management - Water runs more quickly off hard surfaces than it does off unpaved surfaces, and when it runs over parking lots in particular it carries with it many pollutants. Slowing the speed of water leaving your site, and reducing the amount of pollution that the water carries off when it does leave, is a significant contribution to the health of your local eco-system. Many municipalities require some level of stormwater management and there are several strategies. These strategies for managing storm run-off need to be included in your initial site planning discussions and are integral to any landscape strategy for your site. http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/info/design/buildingsiting/stormwater.html http://www.p2ric.org/video/details_videoclip.cfm?chapter_id=54 http://www.stormwatercenter.net/ Back to Top
Gray and or Black Water Treatment - Gray water is any water that is used in a home except water that is used to flush toilets, which is called black water. With differing amounts of purification, this water can be used for various on-site needs such as irrigation. Re-using water in this way reduces the amount of fresh water that is needed to operate a building and its site, and as water becomes a less available resource, this is a crucial improvement that we need to make in our construction and inhabitation practices. Water is also not free, and reducing the amount of fresh water that you use reduces your monthly operating costs. http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/Greywater.html http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid287.php http://www.oasisdesign.net/index.htm
Water Efficient Landscaping - Using native plant species and landscape desings appropriate to the local climate can greatly reduce the amount of watering needed for maintenance. In dry climates using this strategy can be particularly beneficial. Water Saving Appliances - There are many daily things that you can do to save a lot of water like take shorter showers, fix leaky faucets, and not leave the water running while you are doing dishes. But purchasing water saving appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines is also an important strategy to conserve water resources. Compare water usage as one of your criteria when you are specifying appliances to reduce your monthly operating costs and to share in preserving the resources. http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/ http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid285.php http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/EnergyEffAppliance.html
GREEN MATERIALS Local Materials - The manufacturing and life-cycle performance of construction materials is only part of their environmental impact. There is also a cost – both financial and environmental – to having them delivered to the job site. Using local materials can also improve your construction schedules and make acquiring materials for maintenance and repair easier in the future. Establishing a goal of purchasing locally available materials and finding out what is locally available in the earliest design phases of your project will help reduce building cost and environmental impact of your project. One of your first clues about what is available will be to look at common construction materials in older buildings in your area. Recycled Content Materials - One way to reduce the environmental impact of construction is to specify recycled content materials. Many types of construction materials can be purchased with some degree of recycled content. As you are designing your building and specifying building materials, not only should you try to use as many recycled content building materials as you can – but you should also consider how the building you are constructing can be dismantled and recycled as it reaches the end of its useful life. http://www.toolbase.org/secondaryT.asp?TrackID=&CategoryID=72
Low VOC Materials - VOC’s, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are chemicals which evaporate into the air during the curing or, in some cases, throughout the life of the material. Paints, primers, sealants and varnishes are the most common materials which can have a high VOC content. There are other sources of indoor air pollution by VOC’s however, including wood products that use formaldehyde as a binder. Fortunately, low- or no-VOC substitutes are becoming more common. VOC’s can affect the health of people using the building, and they also contribute to air pollution and reduction of the ozone layer. Include low-VOC criteria for all materials on your job site and be sure to check proposals for material substitutions against this priority as the job continues, these types of materials are some of the most commonly substituted in construction. Once you have moved into your building, be sure and keep track of the VOC content of your cleaning materials too, they can also contribute to indoor air quality problems and environmental degradation. http://www.toolbase.org/tertiaryT.asp?TrackID=&CategoryID=1402&DocumentID=2174 http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html
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