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. Wastewater from toilets and urinals; definitions vary - and wastewater from kitchen sinks (perhaps differentiated by the use of a garbage disposal - showers - or bathtubs is considered blackwater under some state or local codes.






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






3. The percentage of material in a product that was recycled from manufacturing waste. Preconsumer content was formerly known as postindustrial content. Examples include planer shavings - sawdust - bagasse - walnut shells - culls - trimmed materials - o






4. The temperature of the surrounding air or other medium. (EPA)






5. 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.






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






7. The percentage of material in a product that is recycled from the manufacturing waste stream (preconsumer waste) or the consumer waste stream (postconsumer waste) and used to make new materials. For LEED - recycled content is typically expressed as a






8. A measure of transportation demand that estimates the travel miles associated with a project - most often for single-passenger cars. LEED sometimes uses a complementary metric for alternative-mode miles (e.g. - In high-occupancy autos).






9. An indicator of ventilation effectiveness inside buildings. CO2 concentrations greater than 530 parts per million (ppm) above outdoor conditions generally indicate inadequate ventilation. Absolute concentrations of greater than 800 to 1000 ppm genera






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






11. The percentage of the surface area of a paving material that is open and allows moisture to pass through the material and soak into the ground below.






12. The amount of water the design case conserves versus the baseline case. All LEED Water Efficiency credits use a baseline case against which the facility's design case is compared. The baseline case represents the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct 1992






13. The exterior surface of a building - the walls - windows - roof - and floor; also referred to as the building shell.






14. 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






15. The amount of building materials returned to active use (in the same or a related capacity as their original use) - expressed as a percentage of the total materials cost of a building. The salvaged materials are incorporated into the new building - t






16. The amount of air circulated through a space - measured in air changes per hour (the quantity of infiltration air in cubic feet per minute divided by the volume of the room). Proper ventilation rates - as prescribed by ASHRAE Standard 62 - ensure tha






17. 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






18. The emission of volatile organic compounds from synthetic and natural products.






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






20. 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.






21. A document that outlines the organization - schedule - allocation of resources - and documentation requirements of the commissioning process.






22. 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






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






24. Management of forest resources to meet the long-term forest product needs of humans while maintaining the biodiversity of forested landscapes. The primary goal is to restore - enhance - and sustain a full range of forest values - including economic -






25. 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






26. 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






27. A measure of a building's energy performance compared with that of similar buildings - as determined by the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. A score of 50 represents average building performance.






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






29. 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.






30. The area on a project site that is used by the building structure - defined by the perimeter of the building plan. Parking lots - landscapes - and other nonbuilding facilities are not included in the building footprint.






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






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






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






34. A formal USGBC process in which a project team experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit can seek and receive clarification - issued as a Credit Interpretation Ruling. Typically - difficulties arise when specific i






35. A plan that diverts construction debris from landfills through recycling - salvaging - and reuse.






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






37. An analysis of the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product - process - or service.






38. An indicator of neighborhood density - calculated as the number of centerline miles per square mile. Centerline miles are the length of a road down its center. A community with high street grid density and narrow - interconnected streets is more like






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






40. A process used to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a building by elevating the temperature in the fully furnished and ventilated building prior to human occupancy.






41. The temperature - humidity - and airflow ranges within which the majority of people are most comfortable - as determined by ASHRAE Standard 55-2004. Because people dress differently depending on the season - thermal comfort levels vary with the seaso






42. Water that meets or exceeds the EPA's drinking water quality standards and is approved for human consumption by the state or local authorities having jurisdiction; it may be supplied from wells or municipal water systems.






43. 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.






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






45. A material - other than the principal product - generated as a consequence of an industrial process or as a breakdown product in a living system. (EPA)






46. The amount of a building's agricultural products (fiber or animal) that are quickly grown or raised and can be harvested in a sustainable fashion - expressed as a percentage of the total materials cost. For LEED - rapidly renewable materials take 10






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






48. 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.






49. 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






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