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. Systematic improvements in the performance of a market or market segment. For example - EPA's ENERGY STAR program has shifted the performance of homes - buildings - and appliances toward higher levels of energy efficiency by providing recognition and






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






3. The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of liquid water from 60 to 61 degrees Fahrenheit. This standard measure of energy is used to describe the energy content of fuels and compare energy use.






4. 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






5. 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.






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






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. Plants that require saturated soils to survive or can tolerate prolonged wet soil conditions.






9. 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)






10. 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






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






12. 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.






13. The installed lighting power per unit area.






14. 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.






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






16. A structure that uses water to absorb heat from air-conditioning systems and regulate air temperature in a facility.






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






18. 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.






19. An optional LEED Green Building Rating System component whose achievement results in the earning of points toward certification.






20. The amount of connection between a site and the surrounding community - measured by proximity of the site to homes - schools - parks - stores - restaurants - medical facilities - and other services and amenities.






21. The amount of water consumed by flush fixtures (water closets - or toilets - and urinals). The baseline flush rate for water closets is 1.6 gpf - and for urinals - 1.0 gpf (EPAct 1992)






22. 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






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






24. 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






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






26. The operation of mechanical systems for a minimum of two weeks using 100 percent outside air at the end of construction and prior to building occupancy to ensure safe indoor air quality.






27. Any substance introduced into the environment that harms the usefulness of a resource or the health of humans - animals - or ecosystems. (EPA) Air pollutants include emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) - sulfur dioxide (SO2) - nitrogen oxides (NOX) - m






28. 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.






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






30. 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






31. 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






32. The controlled admission of natural light into a space - used to reduce or eliminate electric lighting.






33. 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






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






35. Wood that has been issued a certificate from an independent organization with developed standards of good forest management. This certificate verifies that wood products come from responsibly managed forests.






36. 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.






37. 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.






38. 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






39. 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 -






40. 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






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






42. The level of pollutants prescribed by regulations that is not to be exceeded during a given time in a defined area. (EPA)






43. 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)






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






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






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






47. 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






48. 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.






49. 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






50. 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