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. 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).






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






3. 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 -






4. 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.






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






6. 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






7. A measure of greenhouse gas emissions associated with an activity. A comprehensive carbon footprint includes building construction - operation - energy use - building-related transportation - and the embodied energy of water - solid waste - and const






8. 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






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






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






11. The installed lighting power per unit area.






12. 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






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






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






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






16. 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






17. 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.






18. 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.






19. The floor area of the building divided by the total area of the site (square feet per acre)






20. 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.






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






22. 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.






23. 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






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






25. 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.






26. A stormwater management feature consisting of an excavated depression and vegetation that collects and filters runoff and reduce peak discharge rates.






27. Vehicles that use low-polluting - nongasoline fuels - such as electricity - hydrogen - propane or compressed natural gas - liquid natural gas - methanol - and ethanol. In LEED - efficient gas-electric hybrid vehicles are included in this group.






28. The amount of a site that is disturbed by construction activity. On undeveloped sites - limiting the amount and boundary of site disturbance can protect surrounding habitat.






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






30. 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.






31. An unwanted airborne element that may reduce indoor air quality (ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007)






32. 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






33. 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.






34. Electricity from photovoltaic cells that convert the energy in sunlight into electricity.






35. 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.






36. 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.






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






38. The percentage of material in a product that was consumer waste. The recycled material was generated by household - commercial - industrial - or institutional end users and can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of mate






39. 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






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






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






42. 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.






43. Long-term maintenance of ecosystem components and functions for future generations. (EPA)






44. The number of types of spaces or housing types per acre. A neighborhood that includes a diversity of uses - offices - homes - schools - parks - stores - encourages walking - and its residents and visitors are less dependent on personal vehicles. A di






45. The amount of carbon compounds that participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions and vaporize (become a gas) at normal room temperatures - measured in grams per liter. VOCs off-gas from many materials - including adhesives - sealants - paints -






46. 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






47. 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






48. Construction items recovered from existing buildings or construction sites and reused. Common salvaged materials include structural beams and posts - flooring - doors - cabinetry - brick - and decorative items.






49. 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.






50. 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)