CONSTRUCTION WASTE RECYCLING MANAGEMENT

rammed earth bio-swale

LIVING MACHINE

Vegetated Roof
RECs STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Photovoltaic Panels Living Wall Radiant barrier
Solar Reflective Index

SLAG

THERMAL MASS RAINWATER HARVESTING

glazing

PRE-INDUSTRIAL RECYCLED CONTENT

retention pond

heat transfer

Electric Vehicle

xeriscaping

Sedimentation

POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED CONTENT

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

SMART GROWTH
HEPA filter INDOOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT
aquifer

CONSTRUCTED WETLAND high-efficiency toilet (HET)

forest stewardship council

UREA FORMALDEHYDE

drain rock
Fenestration Salvaged Materials COMPOSTING
Silt fencing commissioning Non-potable water

ENERGY STAR

Embodied Energy

GRAYWATER

Natural Ventilation portland cement

deconstruction EVACTUATED TUBE SOLAR COLLECTORS

Green Building Safety

Glossary
Carbon Footprint Rapidly Renewable Materials Charrette

PERVIOUS PAVING Light Pollution

Albedo
See Solar Reflectance
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
USGBC Defines alternative fuel vehicles as vehicles that use non-polluting, nongasoline fuels. Examples include electricity, hydrogen, propane,
methanol, ethanol. For LEED purposes, fuel efficient,
gas-electric hybrids are considered alternative fuel vehicles
Ambient Temperature
Temperature of the surrounding environment
Aquifer
Geological formation containing or conducting groundwater. Our aquifers supply us
with fresh water. The aquifer overdraft rate in the U.S. exceeds 10 billion gallons a
day
Aquifer Recharge
Allowing stormwater to infiltrate into the ground to replenish the natural,
underground storage areas/aquifers. See Stormwater Best Management Practices
Balanced Ventilation
See Mixed Mode Ventilation
Biodiesel
Biofuel typically made from oily plants for the use in diesel engines. Biodiesel burns
much cleaner than traditional diesel significantly reducing emissions from diesel
equipment
Biomass
Plant matter that can be turned into fuel. Biomass can be burned directly (i.e. wood)
or it can be processed into biofuels such as methane or ethanol
Biomimicry
Using nature as a model for design. For example, the Eastgate Center Building in
Harare, Zimbabwe was designed to mimic the way that termites build their towers in
Africa to use nature in order to maintain a constant temperature. See Living Machine
for another example
Bioswale
Vegetated ditch that is typically installed by sidewalks or
driveways to capture and treat stromwater before it can
infiltrate back into our aquifers. Visit the South Lake Union
Discovery Center for a great example of a bioswale

Blackwater
Wastewater from toilets and urinals. Treated separately from graywater
Brownfield
The Environmental Protection Agency defines brownfields as real property, the
expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or
potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Often
project teams are given incentives for restoring brownfields. Restoring and rebuilding
on a brownfield prevents building on greenfields and prime farm land
Building Envelope
The skin of a building
Building Footprint
USGBC defines the building footprint as the area of the site occupied by the building
structure, not including parking lots, landscapes, and other non-building spaces
Building Orientation
The position of a building in relation to the sun. Optimal
building orientation can take advantage of passive cooling
and passive heating strategies as well as provide plenty
of daylight and views
Chain-of-Custody (COC)
USGBC defines COC as a tracking procedure for documenting the status of a product
from extraction or harvest through to its consumer end use. COCs are required as
documentation for all FSC Wood for LEED MRc7
Charrette
Collaboration design session for key project team members held prior to the design
process
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Ozone depleting refrigerants. CFC production was banned by the Montreal Protocol
of 1987. CFCs have the highest Ozone Depletion Potential of any refrigerant. See
Ozone Depleting Potential
Cistern
A tank for collecting and storing rainwater for future use (i.e. for irrigation or for
flushing toilets)
Commingled Recycling
Using one bin for the collection of recyclables (i.e. wood, glass, metal, plastic, etc.)
separate from trash

Commissioning
Process for testing building equipment to verify that it is functioning as designed.
Commissioning of a buildings systems is similar to a doctors check-up for a patient
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)
An energy saving light buld that has been compressed into the size of a standardissue incandescent light bulb. Modern CFLs typically last at least six times as long and
use at most a quarter of the power of an equivalent incandescent bulb. One concern
with CFLs is the mercury content in the bulbs
Composite Wood
A type of wood made from different particles fused together
(i.e. particleboard)
Compost
Organic matter that has been broken down to be used to improve soil conditions
Composting Toilet
Toilet that uses a bacterial process to break down human waste to a safe
environmentally friendly material that can be used like compost for soil improvement
Constructed Wetland
Artificial swamp or marsh that can be used as an alternative
to clean water and allow it to infiltrate back into the ground
Construction & Demolition Debris (C&D)
USGBC defines C&D as waste and recyclables generated from construction,
renovation, demolition, or deconstruction of pre-existing structures
Construction, Demolition & Land Clearing Debris (CDL)
CDL includes all C&D plus soil, vegetation, and rock from land clearing required by
construction
Cool Roof
Light colored roofing materials that reflect the suns rays keeping the roof and
surrounding areas cooler when compared to traditional roofing materials. (i.e. light
colored coatings, light colored metals, light colored paints, etc.)
Cotton Batt Insulation
Insulation made cotton fibers and recycled denim
(i.e. denim jeans). Cotton Batt insulation is not made with
fiberglass and is thus a healthier substitute for anyone
installing insulation

Cross Ventilation
The movement of air from one side of a room to the other (i.e. opening a window on
opposite sides of a space creates cross ventilation)
Cuttoff Angle
The angle of a light fixture at which light is no longer visible (i.e. full cutoff light
fixtures direct light downwards preventing light pollution. Non-cutoff light fixtures
would allow light to be sent upwards into the sky contributing to light pollution). See
Light Pollution

Daylighting
Using natural sunlight to light a space, reducing the amount of electricity required to
light that space
Deconstruction
Systematically taking apart a building structure in a way that promotes reuse/salvage.
Deconstruction is an alternative to demolition which typically crushes a structure
then sorts material for recycling or the landfill
Densely Occupied Spaces
USGBC defines a Densely Occupied Space as one that has a design occupant density
of 25 people of more per 1,000 sf (or 40 sf or less per person)
Development Footprint
Entire area affected by project site activity
Drain Rock
Typically big rocks used to create space between each individual rock to allow for the
passage of water back into the aquifer. Drain rock helps replenish our natural
aquifers and is typically used in bioswales and other natural systems
Drip Irrigation
A highly efficient irrigation process in which water lines run directly to the roots of
individual plants preventing water from being wasted as it otherwise would be in a
typical irrigation system
Dual Flush Toilet
Water-conserving toilet that gives users two options for
flushing. One is a reduced-flow flush for liquid wastes
the other is a standard flush for solid wastes

Durable Goods
Defined by the USGBC as goods that have a useful life of two years or more and are
replaced infrequently (i.e. furniture, office equipment, appliances, etc.)
Earth-Bermed Construction
Buildings constructed partially or fully underground in order
to utilize the earths constant temperature of 55 degrees
to significantly reduce heating and cooling demands
Ecological Footprint
A measurement of the amount of land and water a population requires to continue to
live the way they currently are
Ecological Restoration
Practice of renewing and restoring damaged ecosystems. Returning a site to its
natural state
Ecological Wastewater Treatment
Replicating natural systems to treat wastewater typically through the use of natural
organisms (i.e. plants, aquatic animals, bacteria). See Living Machine
Ecosystems
An environment created by the interaction/interdependence of all of the living and
non-living organisms in a given area
Electric Vehicle
A vehicle powered exclusively by electricity
Embodied Energy
The complete energy required to produce a material, product, system, etc. (i.e. A
piece of metal requires energy to be sourced, melted, crafted, shipped, fabbed,
installed, etc.)
Emissivity
The ability of a surface to emit radiation, measured as the ratio of the energy radiated
by a surface to that radiated by a blackbody at the same temperature. The lower the
emissivity value the better (i.e. dark asphalt has an emissivity value of around 0.9
meaning it absorbs 90% of radiant energy). Emissivity is inversely related to
reflectance. When added together their total equals 1
Energy Audit
The review of a buildings energy use broken down by plug loads, lighting, HVAC, etc.

Energy Code
Minimum requirements for building energy use typically determined by local, state
and federal governing bodies
ENERGY STAR
Energy reduction standard for buildings and appliances created by the U.S.
department of energy and the U.S. EPA to reduce green house gases.
ENERGY STAR buildings and appliances are given a score that compares their
performance to average buildings and appliances of similar design/make
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Federal agency responsible for managing and preventing air, water and land pollution
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)
USGBC defines ETS as airborne particulates emitted directly from cigarettes, cigars
and pipes, and indirectly as smokers exhale
Erosion
Loss of soil from a given site. A jobsite Temporary
Sedimentation and Erosion Control Plan attempts to
implement best management practices that reduce
sedimentation caused by construction activities
Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors
Solar water heater system made of an exterior glass tube and a smaller interior glass
tube. The space in between the tubes is filled with a gas and liquid that is quickly
heated by the sun which in turn creates usable energy
Evapotranspiration
The return of moisture to the air through both evaporation from the soil and
transpiration by plants
Fenestration
Glazed exterior building surfaces (i.e. windows, skylights, doors with windows, solar
tubes, etc.)
Fly Ash
By-product of burning coal which can be used as an additive for cement mixes.
Recently the use of fly ash has been controversial due to its high mercury content
Forest Stewardship Council
The only sustainable forestry certification program recognized by the
LEED Rating System

Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is found in a wide range of things from our skin to the environment.
Specific types of formaldehyde can be harmful to humans and their use should be
avoided in building products. See Phenol-Formaldehyde & Urea-Formaldehyde
Fuel-efficient Vehicles
USGBC defines fuel-efficient vehicles as vehicles that have received a minimum green
score of 40 from the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE)
Full Time Equivalent (FTE)
Synonymous with full time employee. Part time employees have FTE values defined
by the number of hours they work per week divided by 40
Geothermal Energy
Using the earths constant 55 degree temperature to reduce
heating and cooling demands. Some locations have higher
temperatures due to volcanic activity
Glazing
A building material that allows light to pass through it (i.e. glass)
Graywater
Wastewater which has not come in contact with toilet waste (i.e. bathtub, shower,
laundry, etc.). Can be used for flushing toilets or irrigation
Green Cleaning
The use of cleaning supplies and methods that reduce exposure to hazardous
chemicals and environmental impacts compared to traditional supplies/methods
Greenfield
Undeveloped land such as prime farmland, forests, wetlands, public parkland etc.
Green building attempts to protect and preserve greenfield sites
Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
Gases emitted due to human activities and natural processes (i.e. Carbon Dioxide,
Methane, CFCs, etc.) that contribute to global climate change by increasing the
greenhouse effect
Groundwater
Fresh, drinkable water stored beneath the earths surface in our aquifers. See
Aquifers

Halons
Ozone depleting substances used in fire extinguishers and fire suppression systems.
The Montreal Protocol of 1987 has phased out the production of halons
Hardscape
Non-plant landscape elements (i.e. pathways, walkways, sidewalks, parking lots,
driveways, etc.). Hardscapes are typically impervious and tend to contribute to the
heat island effect. Green building aims to reduce traditional hardscape and increase
green space
Heat Island Effect
Change in temperature between urban areas and rural areas
due to dark hardscapes, building materials, vehicle exhaust,
etc. Green building aims to reduce the heat island effect by
introducing light colored materials, and vegetated spaces
such as green roofs and open grid pavement
High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter
Air filters that remove more than 99% of airborne particles
High-efficiency Toilet
Defined by the EPAs WaterSense as a toilet that uses at least 20% less water than a
standard 1.6 gallon per flush toilet
Hydrocloroflourocarbons (HCFCs)
Ozone depleting refrigerants. HCFC production is being phased out due to the
Montreal Protocol of 1987. HCFCs are less damaging than CFCs, but still harm the
environment
Hydroflourocarbons (HFCs)
Besides natural refrigerants, HFCs have the lowest ozone depleting potential for
refrigerants. However, they are much less energy efficient which means that HFCs
have a higher global warming potential (GWP)
Hydrologic Cycle
The continuous process of evaporation, condensation, precipitation and aquifer
recharge through which water is filtered and recycled. Also known as the water cycle,
the hydrologic cycle is a critical component of the ecosystem
Impervious Surfaces
Surface that does not allow water to pass through

Indoor Air Pollutants

Material found in indoor air that has negative effects on human health (i.e. VOCs,
particulate matter, urea-formaldehyde, 4 PCH, etc.)
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
USGBC defines IAQ as the nature of the air that affects health and well-being of
building occupants
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
IEQ looks beyond simply air quality to cover things such as thermal comfort, daylight
and views, task lighting, etc. Good IEQ has been shown to increase productivity and
worker retention among other benefits
Integrated Design Process
A design approach that encourages early and continual communication and
collaboration among all parties involved with the design and construction of a project
Integrated Pest Management
Proactive pest prevention measures that reduce the demand for environmentally
damaging materials, products and chemicals. IPM attempts to prevent pests from
becoming a disturbance rather than dealing with them chemically after they become
a problem
Invasive Plants
Disruptive plants that have a quick reproductive lifecycle
(i.e. ivy, blackberry bushes, scotch broom, etc.). Invasive
plants can be a great threat to ecosystems
Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA)
The Whole Building Design Guide defines LCCA as a method for assessing the total
cost of facility ownership that takes into account all costs of acquiring, owning, and
disposing of a building or building system
Life Cycle Cost
A method of analyzing all costs associated with a product or system over a period of
time
Light Pollution
The USGBC defines light pollution as waste light
from building sites that produces glare, is
directed upward to the sky, or is directed off-site
(i.e. unshielded building lights left on at nighttime)

Living Building
A living building is a completely regenerative building. Living Buildings are beyond
LEED Platinum. A living building is net zero energy, collects its own water, is free of
contaminating materials/products, and even treats its own wastewater onsite
Living Building Challenge
A building rating system created by the Cascadia Green Building Council to create
truly sustainable buildings. See Living Building & www.ilbi.org
Living Machine
A natural wastewater treatment system that uses a series of
pools, organisms, plant and animal life to treat wastewater
onsite
Living Wall
A living wall is similar to a vegetated roof. Imagine a vegetated roof on a wall,
essentially a vertical garden. Living walls can be used indoors and outdoors
Low Emitting Vehicles
Vehicles classified as zero-emissions vehicles by the California Air Resources Board
(CARB)
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
MSDS sheets contain product information. MSDS sheets are important when
determining the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) content of a product. Before
applying any paint, coating, adhesive, sealant, etc. indoors you should always check
to make sure the product is VOC compliant
Mechanical Ventilation
USGBC defines mechanical ventilation as ventilation delivered by machine powered
systems such as motor driven fans. Mechanical ventilation systems are typically the
most energy intensive
Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)
Composite board widely used in casework, cabinets, and furniture. MDF is
traditionally made with urea formaldehyde. If you purchase MDF make sure to get it
with no added urea formaldehyde
Microirrigation
Involves irrigation systems with small sprinklers designed
to apply small amounts of water to specific locations.
Microirrigation is much more efficient than traditional
sprinkler systems

Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV)

A filter rating established by ASHRAE. The higher the MERV rating
the better (i.e. a MERV of 3 may let sand through while a MERV of
15 will catch nearly all particulates in the air)
Mixed Mode Ventilation
A combination of mechanical ventilation and natural ventilation
Mixed-use Development
A development that has been designed for multiple uses (i.e. an apartment building
that has retail/restaurant space on the first floor)
Mulch
Dense, organic material applied on top of soil. Mulch helps
retain moisture in soil which reduces the amount of water
required for irrigation
Native Plants
Plants indigenous to an area. Native plants require less water, do not require
maintenance, and protect natural habitats/ecosystems
Natural Ventilation
USGBC defines natural ventilation as ventilation provided by wind or diffusion effects
through doors, windows, or other openings in a building (i.e. cross ventilation caused
by opening windows on opposite sides of a building). Natural ventilation does not
require any mechanical systems
Net Zero Energy
A building that produces as much energy as it consumes; energy neutral
Non-native Plants
Plants species not originally from the area that they are planted. Non-native plants
can require significantly more water for irrigation and can be harmful to ecosystems
Non-potable Water
Water that does not meet the standards for human consumption (i.e. rainwater,
graywater, etc.). A lot of building systems, such as irrigation, can replace potable
water with non-potable water
Offgassing
Offgassing is the process in which VOCs are released from a product into the air.
Offgassing can cause adverse human health effects and contributes to poor indoor air
quality

Off-peak Cooling
Using lower-cost nighttime electricity to cool building systems to be used during the
day
Ongoing Consumables
Goods that are regularly used and replaced (i.e. paper, printing ink, binders, batteries,
etc.)
On-site Renewable Energy
Energy that is produced on the building site or on the building itself. Typically
electricity, on-site renewable can come from things like solar, wind, geothermal, tidal,
etc.
Open-grid Pavement
Open cell pavement that has space for grass or vegetation to
grow. For LEED purposes open-grid pavement must be more
than 50% pervious
Overdraft (Water)
Water shortage that results from over-pumping groundwater
Passive Cooling Strategies
Using building orientation, exterior shading and things like operable windows to use
nature to cool a building
Passive Solar Design
Using building orientation, roofing angles, thermal mass and other design strategies
to use sunlight for heating and lighting a building
Peak Load
The maximum amount of energy that an electrical system can be burdened with at
one time
Pedestrian Access
Walkable access to buildings and services that are unblocked by other buildings,
roadways, walls, etc.
Pervious Paving
Paving materials that create space for water to pass through
Phantom Loads
A.K.A. plug loads, Phantom loads are the energy consumed by an appliance when it is
not in use or after they are turned off

Phenol-formaldehyde
Phenol-formaldehyde is slightly less toxic than urea-formaldehyde. For LEED
purposes phenol-formaldehyde has not yet been banned from wood products
Recycled Content
% of a material made with products from the wastestream. See Post-consumer &
Post-Industrial Recycled Content
Photovoltaic (PV) Cell
Solar panel cell. Silicon wafer that converts the suns
energy into direct current (DC) electricity
Potable Water
Water that meets the EPAs standards for human consumption
Post-Consumer Recycled Content
Percentage of a product that is created using consumer waste (i.e. tabletop made of
recycled glass bottles)
Pre-Consumer Recycled Content (aka Post-Industrial)
Percentage of a product that is created using manufacturing waste (i.e. steel is high in
post-industrial content because steel shavings/cuttings from creating steel is then put
back into new steel products)
Process Water
USGBC defines process water as water required for industrial processes (i.e. for
boilers, chillers, refrigeration equipment, etc.)
Rain Garden
Similar to a bioswale, a rain garden is a shallow vegetated area created to catch,
retain stromwater to be drained back into our aquifers
Rain Water Harvesting
Collecting rainwater to be used for things like irrigation or flushing toilets. See
Cistern
Rapidly Renewable Materials
Materials that have a growth cycle of less than 10 years
(i.e. bamboo, wool, cotton, wheat, etc.)
Recyclable Materials
Materials that can be recycled and reused at the end of their useful life

Regional Materials
Materials that are harvested/extracted and manufactured
within 500 miles of a project site
Renewable Energy
Energy that is generated from renewable sources (i.e. wind, solar, geothermal, tidal,
hydro, etc.) See On-site Renewable Energy
Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)
RECs represent the generation of 1 kWh of renewable energy. Buildings can buy RECs
to offset their energy consumption similar to carbon offsets
Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS)
State by state regulations that designate the amount of renewable energy that state
will produce by a certain date
Retention Ponds
Man-made wetland created to retain stormwater runoff.
Retention ponds can be incorporated into a jobsite
Temporary Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan
Salvaged Materials
Materials that are reclaimed from an existing site to be reused for a new project
Sedimentation
USGBC defines sedimentation as the addition of soil particles to waterbodies by
natural and human related activities. A jobsite Temporary Sedimentation and Erosion
Control Plan attempts to implement best management practices that reduce
sedimentation caused by construction activities
Silt Fencing
A construction activity best management practice that
uses temporary silt fabric to prevent sedimentation
during construction/land work
Simple Payback
The time that it takes to recuperate an initial investment through savings (i.e. if a
solar panel costs $1,000 and saves you $100 a year in energy costs your simple
payback would be 10 years)
Smart Grid
A smart grid uses digital technology to deliver energy from suppliers to consumers
allowing both suppliers and consumer to meter energy consumption and ensure
energy is being used properly

Smart Growth
Smart growth can be thought of as the opposite of suburban sprawl. Smart growth
encourages dense, walkable cities that are constructed around public transportation
and access to amenities
Solar Reflectance
Ratio of reflected solar energy to the incoming solar energy. A reflectance of 100%
means that all of the energy striking a surface is being reflected back into the
atmosphere
Solar Reflectance Index (SRI)
Combination of Solar Reflectance and Emissivity. The higher the SRI value the better.
High SRI materials help reduce the heat island effect
Source Reduction
USGBC defines source reduction as the method of reducing the amount of
unnecessary materials that enter a building (i.e. building materials to size, reducing
packaging, etc.)
Sprawl
Current land use practices in the U.S. reflect sprawl.
Suburbanism is a great example. Sprawl occurs when
people spread out over mass amounts of land leading
to increase automobile use and more green house
gas emissions
Stormwater Best Management Practices
Jobsite practices to reduce the quantity and improve the quality of stormwater that
leaves a site
Submetering
Metering individual equipment end uses or subsystems
Thermal Comfort
A building occupants satisfaction with the thermal environment
Thermal Mass
Heat storage capability of a thick material,
like concrete, over a period of time
Transit-Oriented Development
Form of Smart Growth that is centered around public transportation

Underfloor Air Distribution

Moving your ventilation system under the floor. Used properly,
underfloor air distribution can be more efficient than a traditional
system because warm air rises meaning an underfloor air system
requires less energy to heat a space
Urea-Formaldehyde
Urea-formaldehyde is found in a number of bamboo and wood products from MDF to
door products. Urea-formaldehyde can offgas for years and is very harmful. When
purchasing wood products purchase them Urea-formaldehyde free.
Vegetated Swales
See Bioswale
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Harmful organic compounds that change from a solid state to a gas at normal room
temperature. VOCs are found in paints, coatings, finishes, adhesives, sealants, carpet
systems, composite wood products, furniture systems, ceiling systems, and many
other standard building products
See Offgassing
Walk-off Mats
Mats located inside building entrances to capture dirt and other materials that are
tracked into a building by people. For LEED puposes walk-off mats must be at a
minimum 10 feet long in the direction of building traffic
Waste Diversion Rate
The total amount of construction, demolition, and domestic waste that has been
diverted from a landfill. Typically a projects waste diversion rate is given as a
percentage by weight
Waste Management Plan
A plan to divert construction, demolition, and domestic waste from the landfill
Waterless Urinal
Urinal without water lines
Xeriscaping
A landscaping technique that uses drought tolerant
and native plants to reduce or eliminate the need
for water for irrigation