Learning to LEED: Exam Preparation

Terms & Acronyms

Commonly-Cited Organizations
AIA ACEEE ANSI ASHRAE ASTM CFR CIBSE CIWMB CRI CRS CSI DOE EPA FEMA FSC IESNA IPMVP ISO NFRC SCAQMD SMACNA American Institute of Architects American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy American National Standards Institute American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-conditioning Engineers, Inc. American Society for Testing and Materials (actually an international organization) U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers California Integrated Waste Management Board Carpet & Rug Institute Center for Resource Solutions Construction Specifications Institute U.S. Department of Energy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Forest Stewardship Council Illuminating Engineering Society of North America International Performance Measurement & Verification Protocol, Inc. International Organization for Standardization National Fenestration Rating Council South Coast Air Quality Management District Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors Association

Frequently Used Terms & Definitions

AFV BAS BIPV BMP BOD CBECS CDVR CFCs COC CxA DCV ECM ESC Alternative-Fueled Vehicle: e.g., hybrid-electric, electric, natural-gas, bio-diesel, and fuel-cell Building Automation System: a network of electronic devices that control mechanical and lighting systems Building Integrated Photovoltaics: e.g., integrated with roof, spandrels, glazing, or shading devices Best Management Practice Basis of Design: design information necessary to accomplish the owners project requirements Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey: DOE database logging actual building energy use figures Corrected Design Ventilation Rate: design ventilation rate divided by the air-change effectiveness Chlorofluorocarbons: ozone-depleting constituent of the most widely used HV AC refrigerants Chain-of-Custody: proper accounting of materials flows, as used by the FSC Commissioning Authority: an independent representative who guides the commissioning process Demand Controlled Ventilation: outdoor airflow rate is determined by CO2 monitors within occupied spaces Energy Conservation Measure: tracked in support of measurement and verification Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan

ETS FTE GF GHGs GWP HCFCs HFCs HVAC&R IAQ IEQ IPLV LCA LZ MERV MSDS M&V ODP OPR PRM REC SHGC SRI TSS TP TWA VAV VOCs ZEV

Environmental Tobacco Smoke, incl. that transported between spaces by ventilation systems Full-Time Equivalent: a method of measuring total occupant hours in a building Glazing Factor: the percentage ratio of exterior illumination to interior illumination Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide Global Warming Potential: rating of a gaseous substance's contribution to greenhouse effects Hydrochlorofluorocarbons: alternative refrigerant type that has reduced ozone-depleting effects Hydrofluorocarbons: alternative refrigerant with no ozone-depleting effects but some tradeoffs Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration Indoor Air Quality with respect to human occupancy of a building Indoor Environmental Quality: includes IAQ, thermal comfort, daylighting, acoustics etc. Integrated Part Load Value: chiller efficiency including part-load operation for a given duty cycle Life-Cycle Assessment: a full accounting of a material's "cradle-to-grave" environmental impacts Lighting Zone: ASHRAE/IESNA divisions (4) that determine the amount of light appropriate to a land use Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value: a measure of the effectiveness of air filtration media Material Safety Data Sheet: provides essential information on composition, hazards, & precautions Measurement & Verification: the process of monitoring building systems to ensure optimal performance Ozone Depleting Potential: rating of a gaseous substance's ability to destroy stratospheric ozone Owners Project Requirements: the functional requirements of a project and the expectations of use and operations Performance Rating Method: requires development of an energy model for the proposed building design Renewable Energy Certificate: purchased as offsets when alternative energy (e.g., wind) cannot be directly used Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: the fraction of solar radiation admitted though a particular glazing Solar Reflectance Index: the measure of a materials ability to reject solar heat, demonstrated by a temperature rise Total Suspended Solids: particles too small or light to be removed from a liquid via gravity settling Total Phosphorous: phosphates, polyphosphates, and orthophosphates in stormwater Total Water Applied: the total amount of water used for irrigation, including potable and non-potable Variable Air Volume: ventilation system configuration differentiated from Constant Air Volume Volatile Organic Compounds: potentially hazardous substances that offgas from certain materials Zero Emission Vehicles: a California Air Resources Board designation for alternative-fuel vehicles