A Green Glossary from A-Z

A Green Glossary was compiled from numerous sources.
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A-Weighting to Automatic Fixture Sensors

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A-Weightinga green glossary

System of modifying measured sound-pressure levels to simulate the response of the human ear to different sound frequencies.

AAC - Aerated Autoclaved Concrete

Precast concrete that is cured by steam pressure inside a kiln called autoclave. The material is lighter weight than conventional concrete and has good insulation properties.

A component of a solar heater that soaks up heat from the sun and helps transmit it to the water or heating system.

Absorption

The process by which incident energy is converted to another form of energy, usually heat.

Absorption Chiller

A water chilling process in which cooling is accomplished by the evaporation of a fluid (usually water), which is then absorbed by a different solution (usually lithium bromide), then evaporated under heat and pressure. The fluid is then condensed with the heat of condensation rejected through a cooling tower. [Definition: Washington State University Cooperative Extension Energy Program]

Accessible Service Area

Space within a facility designed to facilitate maintenance and repair of equipment; accessible in the sense that personnel and equipment can in fact gain access and complete required tasks.

ACH - Air Changes Per Hour

The movement of a volume of air in a given period of time; if a house has one air change per hour; it means that the air in the house will be replaced in a one-hour period.

Acid Leachate

Water that has become acidic after seepage through landfills; potentially very damaging to fish habitats and drinking water supplies.

Acid Rain

The precipitations of dilute solutions of strong mineral acids, that has harmful effects on plans, aquatic animals, and infrastructure. Mostly caused by human emissions formed by the mixing in the atmosphere of various industrial pollutants (primarily sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) with naturally occurring oxygen and water vapor. In recent years, many governments have introduced laws to reduce these emissions.

Active Noise Cancellation - ANC

Active Noise Cancellation involves reducing a sound field through the interaction of a primary sound source with an actively controlled identical secondary sound that is 180 degrees out of phase.

Active Solar

A system using mechanical devices (pumps, fans, etc.) that transfers collected heat to the storage medium and/or the end-use to invert solar energy into usable light, heat, cause air-movement for ventilation or cooling, or store heat for future use.

Active Systema green glossary

Traditional heating, cooling and ventilating systems which use mechanical means to artificially condition (cool, heat, ventilate) the air supply in buildings, and draw power for these mechanical processes from electricity or gas.

Acute Toxicitya green glossary

Capable of producing illness from a single dose or minimal exposure.

Adaptabilitya green glossary

Design strategy that allows for multiple future uses in a space as needs evolve and change. Adaptable design is considered a sustainable building strategy as it reduces the need to resort to major renovations or tearing down a structure to meet future needs.

Adaptable Buildings

Buildings that can be easily remarketed, retrofitted, or reconfigured to better meet the changing needs of occupants, maintenance crews, and the larger community.

Adaptation

In lighting design, the process by which the human visual system becomes accustomed to more or less light, resulting from a change in the sensitivity of the eye to light.

Adapted - Introduced - Plantsa green glossary

Plants that reliably grow well in a given habitat with minimal attention from humans in the form of winter protection, pest protection, water irrigation, or fertilizer once root systems are established in the soil. Adapted plants are considered to be low maintenance but not invasive.

Adaptive Reusea green glossary

The process of adapting old structures for purposes other than those originally intended.

Conversion of a facility or part of a facility to a use significantly different from that for which it was originally designed; i.e., converting a railroad station to a shopping mall or post office to a rail station.

Adhesivea green glossary

Any substance that is used to bond one surface to another surface by attachment, including adhesive bonding primers, adhesive primers, adhesive primers for plastics, and any other primer.

Adsorptiona green glossary

Adhesion of the molecules of a gas, liquid, or dissolved substance to a surface.

Advanced Framing Techniques - Also called Optimum Value Engineering (OVE)a green glossary

A methodology of construction designed to conserve construction materials by using alternate framing methods. Concepts include 19.2-24" framing centers, modular layout, single top plates, individually sized (right-sized) headers or no headers or double rim joists in lieu of headers, framing ladders at T-intersections and open corner framing. Some methods may not work in engineered structures, but many will. The overall savings in framing materials and associated costs can be significant.

Aerated Autoclaved Concrete - AACa green glossary

Precast concrete that is cured by steam pressure inside a kiln called autoclave and the resulting material is lighter weight than conventional concrete and has good insulation properties.

Aerosol Adhesivea green glossary

An adhesive packaged as an aerosol product in which the spray mechanism is permanently housed in a non-refillable can designed for hand-held application without the need for ancillary hoses or spray equipment including special purpose spray adhesives, mist spray adhesives and web spray adhesives.

AFUEa green glossary

Annual fuel utilization efficiency: ratio of annual output energy to annual input energy that measures the efficiency of gas furnaces and boilers.

The higher the percentage, the greater the efficiency of the appliance. Standard efficiencies run in the mid 70-percent range. Higher efficiency furnaces run between 82 percent and 90+ percent AFUE.

AFV - Alternative fuel vehiclea green glossary

A vehicle powered by a fuel other than gasoline.

Agricultural By-Productsa green glossary

Products developed in agriculture that are not the primary goal of the agricultural activity. Some of which are being used as building materials.

Agricultural Waste

Materials left over from agricultural processes (e.g., wheat stalks, shell hulls, etc.). Some of these materials are finding new applications as building materials and finishes.

Agrifiber Board

A composite panel product derived from recovered agricultural waste fiber from sources including, but not limited to, cereal straw, sunflower husk, walnut shells, coconut husks, and agricultural pruning. The raw fibers are processed and mixed with resins to produce panel products with characteristics similar to those derived from wood fiber. The products must comply with the following requirements:

• The product must be inside of the buildings waterproofing system.
• Composite components used in assemblies are to be included, i.e., door cores, panel substrates, etc.
• The product is part of the base building systems.

Air-to-Air Heat Exchangers OR Heat Recovery Ventilator

Exhaust fans that warm the incoming air with the heat from the outgoing air, recovering about 50-70% of the energy. In hot climates the function is reversed so that the cooler inside air passes by the incoming hot air andreduces its temperature.

Airborne Particulates

Total suspended particulate matter found in the atmosphere as solid particles or liquid droplets including dust, emissions from industrial processes, combustion products from the burning of wood and coal, combustion products associated with motor vehicle or non-road engine exhausts, and reactions to gases in the atmosphere. Chemical composition of particulates varies widely, depending on location and time of year.

Air Barrier/Air Retardant

A material installed around a building frame to prevent or reduce the infiltration of air into the interior. Installed as an energy-efficiency measure to keep out air, which may be too hot, cold or moist for comfort. Not to be confused with a vapor retardant or vapor barrier.

Air Change Effectiveness

The measurement of the performance of a ventilation system, by measuring the age of air in a volume is often accomplished by using a tracer gas decay technique.

Air Changes Per Hour (ACH)

The movement of a volume of air in a given period of time; if a house has one air change per hour; it means that the air in the house will be replaced in a one-hour period.

Air Cleaning

It is an indoor-air quality control strategy to remove various airborne particulates and/or gases from the air. Most common methods are particulate filtration, electrostatic precipitation, and gas sorption.

Air Conditioning

The process refers to the cooling and dehumidification of indoor air for thermal comfort by treating air to meet the requirements of a conditioned space by controlling its temperature, humidity, cleanliness and distribution.

Air Exchange Rate

The rate at which outside air replaces indoor air in a given space.

Air Exfiltration

Uncontrolled inward air leakage through cracks in a building envelope that may also refer to air leaking outward is also called air infiltration.

Air Handling Unit

Equipment that includes a fan or blower, heating and/or cooling coils, regulator controls, condensate drain pans, and air filters.

Air Infiltration

Uncontrolled inward air leakage through cracks in a building envelope that may also refer to air leaking outward is also called air exfiltration.

Air Plenum

Any space used to convey air in a building, furnace, or structure. The space above a suspended ceiling is often used as an air plenum.

Air Pollutant

Any substance in air that could, in high enough concentration, harm man, other animals, vegetation, or material may include almost any natural or artificial composition of airborne matter capable of being airborne.

Of note: exclusive of pollen, fog, and dust, which are of natural origin, about 100 contaminants have been identified.

Air Quality Construction Management Plan

A systematic plan for addressing construction practices that impacts air quality during construction and continuing on to occupation.

Air Retardant/Air Bbarrier

A material installed around a building frame to prevent or reduce the infiltration of air into the interior. Installed as an energy-efficiency measure to keep out air, which may be too hot, cold or moist for comfort. Not to be confused with a vapor retardant or vapor barrier.

Air Quality Construction Management Plan

A systematic plan for addressing construction practices that can impact air quality during construction and continuing on to occupation.

Airborne Particulates

Total suspended particulate matter found in the atmosphere as solid particles or liquid droplets. Chemical composition of particulates varies widely, depending on location and time of year. Sources of airborne particulates include dust, emissions from industrial processes, combustion products from the burning of wood and coal, combustion products associated with motor vehicle or non-road engine exhausts, and reactions to gases in the atmosphere.

Albedo

Ratio of reflected light to the total amount of light falling on a surface. In hot climates, it is desirable to use roofing materials with a high Albedo, is synonymous with solar reflectance. Synonymous with solar reflectance.

Allergen

A substance capable of causing an allergic reaction because of an individual's sensitivity to that substance.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle - AFV

A vehicle powered by a fuel other than gasoline.

Alternative Energy

Energy from a source other than the conventional fossil-fuel sources of oil, natural gas and coal (i.e., wind, running water, the sun) is also referred to as alternative fuel.

Alternative Fuels

Substitutes for traditional liquid, oil-derived motor vehicle fuels like gasoline and diesel. Includes mixtures of alcohol-based fuels with gasoline, methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, and others is also referred to as alternative fuel.

Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Vehicles that use low-polluting, non-gasoline fuels such as electricity, hydrogen, propane or compressed natural gas, liquid natural gas, methanol, and ethanol.

Alternative Refueling Station

Location that provides the service of refueling an alternative fuel vehicle, i.e., electricity, compressed natural gas, and by providing access to alternative fuels with a refueling station is considered a sustainable building strategy in that it encourages the use of alternative fuels and the vehicles that use them.

Ambient lighting

Lighting in an area from any source that produces general illumination, as opposed to task lighting.

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers

ASHRAE

ANC - Active Noise Cancellation

Active Noise Cancellation involves reducing a sound field through the interaction of a primary sound source with an actively controlled identical secondary sound that is 180 degrees out of phase.

Angle of Maximum Candela

The direction in which the power emitted by a light source emits the greatest luminous intensity.

Anti-corrosive Paints

Coatings formulated and recommended for use in preventing the corrosion of ferrous metal substrates.

Aperture

An opening for the purpose of admitting light.

Appraisal value

A value that is based on a projection of future cash flows of a company or an estimate of the value of a property substantiated by various analyses, usually by comparison with similar properties.

Aquatic Systems

Ecologicallydesigned treatment systems that utilize a diverse community of biological organisms (i.e., bacteria, plants and fish) to treat wastewater to advanced levels.

Aquifer

An underground water-bearing rock formation or group of formations, which supplies groundwater, wells or springs.

Artificial Sky

Anenclosure that simulates the luminance distribution of a real sky for the purpose of testing physical daylighting models i.e., a hemispherical-dome or mirror-box artificial sky.

Asbestos

A mineral fiber that can pollute air or water and cause cancer or asbestosis when inhaled which the EPA has banned or severely restricted its use in manufacturing and construction.

ASHRAE

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers. A nationally-recognized energy standard for commercial buildings.

The determination is made by dividing the weight of the recycled content by the overall weight of the assembly that includes the percentages of post-consumer and pre-consumer content.

Attic Venting Systema green glossary

Venting devices installed in an attic structure, which allow fresh outside air to enter the attic and exhaust out of it, so the attic will be coolerand drier. The most effective attic venting system combines a continuous soffit vent with a continuous ridge vent. This system allows the most even flow of air over the underside of the roof, and the best position for the exhaust vent at the highest point of the attic where the attic air is hottest.

Autoclaved cellular concretea green glossary

• Lime, sand, cement and water are mixed, and then put into molds, where an aluminum powder is added, which causes the mass to expand.
• It is then put into a steam-curing chamber (autoclaver), which gives it great strength.
• The resulting material has many benefits (non-combustible, easily worked, R-value of 1.25 per inch, etc.)

Automatic Fixture Sensorsa green glossary

Motion sensors that automatically turn on or turn off lavatories, sinks, water closets, and urinals. Sensors may be hard wired or battery operated. 

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