Test your basic knowledge |

Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Resources that are not depleted by use. Examples include energy from the sun - wind - and small (low-impact) hydropower - plus geothermal energy and wave and tidal systems. Ways to capture energy from the sun include photovoltaic - solar thermal - an






2. A landscaping method that makes routine irrigation unnecessary by using drought-adaptable and low-water plants - as well as soil amendments such as compost and mulches to reduce evaporation.






3. American Society of Heating - Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.






4. A basic unit of nature that includes a community of organisms and their nonliving environment linked by biological - chemical and physical processes.






5. Energy derived from ancient organic remains - such as peat - coal - crude oil - and natural gas. (EPA)






6. A structure designed to conserve water and energy; use space - materials - and resources efficiently; minimize construction waste; and create a healthful indoor environment.






7. Building components and appliances that use less energy to perform as well as or better than standard products.






8. Plant material from trees - grasses - or crops that can be converted to heat energy to produce electricity.






9. Previously used or developed land that may be contaminated with hazardous waste or pollution. Once any environmental damage has been re-mediated - the land can be reused. Redevelopment on brownfields provides an important opportunity to restore degra






10. Sustainable plans for built environments that improve existing conditions. Regenerative design goes beyond reducing impacts to create positive change in the local and global environments.






11. Equipment - distribution systems - and terminals that provide the processes of heating - ventilating - or air-conditioning. (ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007)






12. A comparison of a building system's performance with a standard - such as ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.






13. A tradable commodity representing proof that a unit of electricity was generated from a renewable energy resource. RECs are sold separately from the electricity itself and thus allow the purchase of green power by a user of conventionally generated e






14. A committee consisting of industry experts who assist in interpreting credits and developing technical improvements to the LEED Green Building Rating System.






15. A small fluorescent lamp - used as a more efficient alternative to incandescent lighting; also called a PL - twin-tube - or biax lamp. (EPA)






16. Native plants occur naturally in a given location and ecosystem. Adapted plants are not native to a location but grow reliably with minimal attention from humans. Using native and adapted plants can reduce the amount of water required for irrigation






17. Precipitation captured and used for indoor needs - irrigation - or both.






18. Also known as regional materials - the amount of a building's materials that are extracted - processed - and manufactured close to a project site - expressed as a percentage of the total materials cost. For LEED - regional materials originate within






19. A measure of the amount of illumination falling on a surface. A footcandle is equal to one lumen per square foot. Minimizing the number of footcandles of site lighting helps reduce light pollution and protect dark skies and nocturnal animals.






20. A combination of symptoms - experienced by occupants of a building - that appear to be linked to time spent in the building but cannot be traced to a specific cause. Complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone or be spread throughout the






21. The relationship between the total building floor area and the allowable land area the building can cover. In green building - the objective is to build up rather than out because a smaller footprint means less diruption of the existing or created la






22. The spent or used water from a home - community - farm - or industry that contains dissolved or suspended matter.






23. Management of a forest to produce in perpetuity a high-level annual or regular periodic output - through a balance between increment and cutting. (Society of American Foresters)






24. The nature of air inside the space that affects the health and well-being of building occupants. It is considered acceptable when there are no known contaminants at harmful concentrations and a substantial majority (80% or more) of the occupants do n






25. The resistance of a material to penetration by a liquid. The total imperviousness of a surface - such as paving - is expressed as a percentage of total land area that does not allow moisture penetration. Impervious surfaces prevent rainwater from inf






26. Typical primary measures of energy consumption associated with buildings include kilowatt-hours of electricity - therms of natural gas - and gallons of liquid fuel.






27. A measure of how well a material rejects solar heat; the index ranges from 0 (least reflective) to 100 (most reflective). Using "cooler" materials helps prevent the urban heat island effect (the absorption of heat by roofs and pavement and its radiat






28. A document that details the commissioning program overview - identification of the commissioning team - and description of the commissioning process activities.






29. A stormwater control feature that uses a combination of an engineered basin - soils - and vegetation to slow and detain stormwater - increase groundwater recharge - and reduce peak stormwater runoff.






30. A rating that indicates the efficiency of air filters in the mechanical system. MERV ratings range from 1 (very low efficiency) to 16 (very high efficiency).






31. The total square footage of all buildings within a particular area - measured in square feet per acre or units per acre.






32. Excavated areas that detain stormwater and slow runoff but are dry between rain events. Wet ponds serve a similar function but are designed to hold water all the time.






33. The installed lighting power per unit area.






34. Solid particles or liquid droplets in the atmosphere. The chemical composition of particulates varies - depending on location and time of year. Sources include dust - emissions from industrial processes - combustion products from the burning of wood






35. The percentage of water delivered by irrigation equipment that is actually used for irrigation and does not evaporate - blow away - or fall on hardscape. For example - overhead spray sprinklers have lower irrigation efficiencies (65%) than drip syste






36. Previously undeveloped land with soil suitable for cultivation. Avoiding development on prime farmland helps protect agricultural lands - which are needed for food production.






37. The absorption of heat by hardscapes - such as dark - nonreflective pavement and buildings - and its radiation to surrounding areas. Particularly in urban areas - other sources may include vehicle exhaust - air-conditioners - and street equipment; re






38. Not capable of being replaced; permanently depleted once used. Examples of nonrenewable energy sources are oil and natural gas; nonrenewable natural resources include metallic ores.






39. A required LEED Green Building Rating System component whose achievement is mandatory and does not earn any points.






40. A comparison of a building system's performance with a baseline that is equivalent to minimal compliance with an applicable energy code - such as ASHRAE Standard 90 or California's Title 24.






41. The variety of life in all forms - levels - and combinations - including ecosystem diversity - species diversity - and genetic diversity.






42. All the individuals involved in a building project from early in the design process - including the design professionals - the owner's representatives - and teh general contractor and subcontractors.






43. 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.






44. Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Brundtland Commission)






45. Capable of decomposing under natural conditions. (EPA)






46. The amount of water consumed by flow fixtures (lavatory faucets - showerheads - aerators - sprinkler heads)






47. The precipitation of dilute solutions of strong mineral acids - formed by the mixing in the atmosphere of various industrial pollutants (primarily sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) with naturally occurring oxygen and water vapor.






48. The amount of waste disposed of other than through incineration or in landfills - expressed in tons. Examples of waste diversion include reuse and recycling.






49. Water from precipitation that flows over surfaces into sewer systems or receiving water bodies. All precipitation that leaves project site boundaries on the surface is considered stormwater runoff.






50. The percentage of occupants who have direct control over temperature - airflow - and lighting in their spaces.