Method of wall construction that improves the energy efficiency (R-value) of a wall and also reduces material waste.
Independent nonprofit organization educational resource for the home performance industry. Based in North Carolina, the ACI sponsors local conferences throughout the United States.
Founded in 1894, ASHRAE’s mission is “to advance the arts and sciences of heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigerating to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world” (www.ashrae.org/ about-ashrae).
Any number of processes where biodegradable materials are broken down by microorganisms without the presence of oxygen.
Global membership organization representing professional real estate appraisers.
Silicate compound that was developed as an additive for various building materials. When particles become airborne from materials breaking, they cause severe damage to the lungs if inhaled. Asbestos abatements are an important part of remodeling projects on older homes.
Methods of creating a collection of proven approaches to problem solving that serve as a benchmark for solving similar problems.
Wastewater that contains or has been exposed to human waste, such as wastewater from a toilet or bidet.
Test conducted to determine the airtightness of a home. Part of a home energy audit.
Unit of measurement for energy. Refers to the amount of energy needed to heat or cool 1 pound of water. Used to describe the amount of energy released by cooktop, range, or oven in a home.
Practice of using scientific data to understand the effects of physical forces (heat, cold, wind, and inhabitation) in building practices.
First statewide green energy code in the United States. The code covers energy conservation, air quality, and energy efficiency of building.
Advisory board to the state environmental law making processes in the state of California. Duties of the board include research into protecting air quality and minimizing pollution.
Molecule comprised of two oxygen atoms and one carbon atom. Found in the natural world. In gas form, it is the major greenhouse gas.
Total sum of all greenhouse gases created and/or emitted from the production of a material or of an activity.
Molecule comprised of one oxygen atom and one carbon atom. As a gas, it is toxic to humans and animals in high concentration. It is produced by combustion of fossil fuels.
Term used to define a class of gases and toxins produced from the burning of fuel. Most commonly the building industry is concerned with combustible pollutants created from the burning of natural gas.
Source of electric illumination that uses fluorescent technology to make light and is self-ballasted. Developed to replace incandescent “light bulbs,” the efficacy of CFL ranges from 50 to 70 lumens per watt.
Approach to design developed by William McDonough that calls for regenerative design, design that mimics the ability of the natural world to utilize all waste so that energy is saved and reused.
Unit used to measure the amount of cubic feet of air that is moved over the time of 1 minute. Used to describe the efficiency of ventilation processes or exhaust systems.
The sustainable building design practice of locating openings in a building to achieve high-quality natural light in the interior.
The manual removal of building materials that mimics the construction process in reverse. Developed to save and recycle materials that would otherwise be disposed of in landfills.
State of pressure loss in the indoor air of home when air is mechanically exhausted out of a home. Can lead to dangerous backdrafting if the depressurization is too severe.
A type of fireplace that has an enclosed burning chamber that requires a chimney. The burning chamber can vent horizontally to a sidewall or vertically to the roof.
A system installed in homes to capture heat from wastewater of showers, bathtubs, and sinks.
Nonprofit organization dedicated to green building education.
Nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide resources and education for the installation of windows, doors, and skylights that will save energy.
Implemented in 2000, this act awards electronic signatures the same legal stature as physical signatures.
The gross aggregate of energy necessary to create goods and services.
Nonprofit organization created to advocate for the green building sector. Stands behind various definitions of green buildings.
A measurement label that provides information on the energy efficiency of residential appliances. The EF applies to dishwashers, water heaters, clothes washers, and clothes dryers.
Voluntary program that promotes appliances and fixtures that have low energy use. (Chapter 1,3,5)
Openings made to the outside of home for the introduction of fresh or makeup air.
A mechanical air-to-air exchanger that improves indoor air quality by bringing fresh air into the interior. An ERV also saves energy in the home by transferring the heat or cold from treated indoor air to outside untreated air. An ERV also humidifies incoming, untreated air.
Agency of the US government founded to protect human health from the effects of environmental destruction.
The pollution of the natural environment through the introduction of nitrates and phosphates. Exacerbated by the use of food waste disposals (garburators), and poor municipal wastewater treatment infrastructure which send nitrogen-rich waste into the earth’s water systems.
An international not-for-profit organization established in 1993. The FSC encourages responsible management of the world’s forests.
A chemical additive for binders and adhesives used throughout an interior. Urea-based formaldehyde is a toxic volatile organic compound that can cause respiratory and ophthalmic irritation when experienced in the air.
Forms of combustible energy formed in the earth’s crust primarily out of carbon. Includes petroleum (oil), coal, and natural gas.
Reduce, reuse, recycle, recover.
A trait or condition where a material can break apart and release particulate matter into the air. A term commonly related to a poor-state of asbestos materials found in the home.
Building industry term for the use of glass. Most commonly used to describe windows and doors with windows.
Wastewater from hand-washing sinks, showers, and baths that can be reused in some capacity, such as for toilet flushing and irrigation. Laundry wastewater is excluded from graywater as is dishwasher wastewater due to its high nutrient level from food residue.
Division of the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) formed to help consumers choose materials that have low chemical emissions. Provides certification for materials.
Process by which infrared radiation is re- released by greenhouse gases toward the earth, thus warming the earth’s surface.
Name given to the gases present in the earth’s atmosphere that absorb and then emit radiation, thus creating the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane.
A practice of deceiving consumers about the level of sustainable character of a product or service.
The most popular material to finish interior walls in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It made of two layers of paper over a layer of gypsum plaster that has cured to form a sheet.
A mechanical air-to-air exchanger that improves the indoor air quality of a home by bringing in fresh air. An HRV also saves energy in the home by transferring the heat or cold from treated indoor air to outside untreated air.
Technology dedicated to the comfort of the indoor environment.
An acronym used to describe the four major pollutants in a kitchen: heat, odors, grease, and smoke.
A means of determining the energy efficiency of a home. Administered by RESNET, the Residential Energy Services Network.
A nonprofit organization that certifies ventilation products sold in North America but manufactured worldwide.
A voluntary certification program administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency for builders. airPLUS certification means that the building conforms with best indoor air quality guidelines as set forth by the EPA.
The characteristics or properties of the indoor atmosphere in regard to its impact on human respiratory health.
A type of prefabricated wall made of two sheets of concrete with a layer of expanded polystyrene foam in between.
Global organization dedicated to environmental causes conducted at local levels.
Code that encourages energy conservation through efficiency in envelope design, mechanical systems, lighting systems, and the use of new materials and techniques.
Stand-alone residential code that prescribes minimum regulations for one- and two-family dwellings of three stories or less. Concerns plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy, and electrical provisions.
A common metal popular because of its malleability. Lead was a popular additive to paint prior to 1978, when it was banned from use in the United States. Ingestion of lead causes lead poisoning and harm to brain tissue.
Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design. A series of ratings developed by the US Green Building Council to encourage the design, construction, and operation of green buildings.
Method to evaluate a product’s impact on the environment. Beyond calculating the raw materials, LCA also considers fabrication, transport, and durability or likely hood of needed replacement.
Segment of consumers as identified (and named) by the Natural Marketing Institute. LOHAS are considered the most concerned consumers when it comes to making sustainable choices.
A solid state light source. Also called a semiconductor light source. Developed to save energy, LED lamps have an estimate life of 35,000 to 50,000 hours and an efficacy of 60 to 80 lumens per watt.
Required for today’s tighter-built, heavily insulated homes with mechanical ventilation to remove polluted air. Makeup air “makes up” the new air necessary in home to prevent too much pull of air out of the home.
Instrument to measure the inside pressure of a home.
A document that provides builders and handlers information on how to handle and install a material safely. Also provides information on a material’s hazardous nature.
A unit of expended heat. The measureable unit is part of the International System of Units.
A molecule composed of one atom carbon and four atoms of hydrogen. It occurs in the earth’s crust and is a main component of natural gas. It is also created by decomposing waste in landfills and contributes to global warming as a greenhouse gas.
A superficial growth in the fungus family, responsible for the degradation of natural materials, such as wood and wood-based products and food in the homes. Some molds produce mycotoxins that cause health effects when inhaled.
Site dedicated to the management of disposed materials.
Established in 1942, the NAHB’s goal is to promote policies that support the housing industry
A nonprofit organization that publishes performance ratings of windows, doors, and skylights. The NFRC oversees specific ratings and certifications.
Organization that seeks to inform businesses on consumer approaches to sustainability.
A program for businesses and homeowners who create their own electricity (i.e., from solar array panels) to help them sell unused energy to the public grid. The meter will run backwards when excess energy is being created. Customers are only billed for their “net” energy consumption.
Term used to describe a building that creates as much or more total energy than it consumes.
The point where pressure between outgoing air and incoming air is balanced. What an indoor air quality ventilation system strives for.
A colorless gas with a sharp odor produced from combustion in a home. Known to cause respiratory irritation and damage.
Process of volatile organic compounds moving into the indoor air (evaporation) at room temperatures.
An appliance that heats water for use in showers, sinks, and other areas only when the need is presented. An alternative to traditional water heater that maintains hot water continually in a large tank.
One of many US Department of Energy laboratories.
Liquid or solid particles found in the air.
Residential building method that produces a very well-insulated, virtually airtight building that relies primarily passive solar gain and by internal gains from people, electrical equipment, and the like for heat.
The time needed to recover the costs of an investment.
A type of polyethylene-based plastic tubing that is excellent in radiant heat systems and indoor plumbing systems. An alternative to copper piping.
A synthetic resin comprised of phenol and formaldehyde. Most phenol is a petroleum-based product. Once cured, the formaldehyde is inert. It is used in plastic laminates and paper resin countertops.
A small tankless water heater that serves as a secondary water heating method; it curbs water waste caused by waiting for the water to be warmed by the primary water heating method.
Large molecules made up of large monomers. Component in plastics and synthetic-based building materials.
Ventilation system that uses a blower to facilitate movement of air.
Naturally occurring radioactive gas identified as a cause of lung cancer.
A measurement of the amount of water in the air.
A continually replenished supply of energy, such as energy from the sun (solar energy) or wind (wind power, turbine energy).
A natural material that can be replenished over time. Examples are wood, grasses, wool, and bamboo.
Evaluation form created by the Appraisal Institute to aid real estate appraisers with the evaluation of the green character of a property.
Declaration that the practice of universal design became part of the sustainability movement. Drafted at the 2004 International Conference on Universal Design.
Measure of thermal resistance. Used in the building construction industry.
Reclaimed or recycled materials, appliances, fixtures, hardware, and other building components
Proposed legislation to outline and promote accuracy in evaluating the energy efficiency of a home for mortgage underwriting.
A brand name; see gypsum wallboard.
The experience of poor health and discomfort due to poor air quality and toxic materials in a built environment. Term was first used by the World Health Organization in 1984 to describe symptoms of poor health experienced by individuals but without any specific cause.
Energy source created by the capturing of the radiant energy from the sun.
A measurement used in the United States to demonstrate the rise in temperature in a building’s interior caused by solar radiation.
A unit for measuring the loudness of sound; used to measure noise from sources of ventilation.
A planning strategy to evaluate the potential success of a venture.
A type of prefabricated wall made of two sheets of oriented strand board with a layer of expanded polystyrene foam in between.
A declaration of one’s dedication to sustainable practices. Usually used by a business or organization in conjunction with a more general mission statement.
An approach to decision making that takes into account a wide variety of variables. It leads to a solution that considers the interconnectivity of making choices.
A concept developed by economist John Elkington to serve as a model for sustainability practices. The triple bottom line includes people, planet, and profit.
Passed in 1999, this act makes electronically transferred contracts legal documents with the same legal standing as paper-based transactions.
Agency of the US government that oversees and publishes analysis and statistics of energy use on both global and national levels.
Conducts the UN’s efforts to assist countries in implementing environmentally responsible practices and policies. UNEP cofounded the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change with the World Meteorological Organization.
A nonprofit, membership-based organization founded to promote the development of green building practices. The USGBC administers the LEED award system to commercial buildings, residences, and commercial interiors.
Approach to the design of the built environment attributed to architect Ronald Mace. Comprised of seven principles to create environments that serve users of all abilities and capabilities.
Measure of heat loss through a material. Used in the building construction industry.
Introduction of clean air into areas of polluted air and removal of polluted air by mechanical methods such as fans, heat recovery ventilators, and exhaust systems
Introduction of clean air into areas of polluted air and removal of polluted air by natural methods of dissipation
Any one of the organic gases emitted from solids at room temperature due to a low boiling point. Many VOCs have serious effects on human health and are found at higher concentrations indoors.
Water-saving program sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency to guide consumers on water-saving choices. WaterSense rates toilets, urinals, shower heads, faucets, and irrigation supplies for low water compliance.
Clean, unused potable water.
An agency within the United Nations that is dedicated to protecting the health of all citizens on a global level. The WHO is also part of the United Nations Development Group and is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Nonprofit organization whose purpose is to study and collect data on the relationship between environmental stewardship and socioeconomic development.