Sustainable Design and Green Architecture Flashcards
6 cards from real Architecture and Design practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Sustainable Design and Green Architecture flashcards as text
What is 'thermal bridging' in building envelope design?
Answer: A localized area of high heat conductivity that bypasses insulation, causing energy loss and condensation risk
Thermal bridging occurs where conductive materials (like steel studs or concrete slabs) penetrate the insulation layer, creating a path of high heat loss.
What is the purpose of a 'cool roof' in sustainable design?
Answer: To reflect sunlight and emit absorbed heat, reducing cooling loads and the urban heat island effect
Cool roofs use high-reflectivity and high-emissivity materials to reflect solar radiation and emit absorbed heat, lowering roof surface temperatures and building cooling demands.
What does 'embodied carbon' refer to in sustainable construction?
Answer: Carbon dioxide emitted during the extraction, manufacturing, transport, and installation of building materials
Embodied carbon encompasses all greenhouse gas emissions associated with building materials through their entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction through demolition.
Natural ventilation strategies in buildings use which two driving forces?
Answer: Stack effect (buoyancy) and wind pressure
Natural ventilation relies on the stack effect (warm air rises and exits at high openings, drawing cool air in below) and wind pressure differences across the building.
Which strategy reduces potable water consumption in buildings by using captured rainwater or treated greywater?
Answer: Non-potable water reuse for irrigation and toilet flushing
Non-potable water reuse systems collect rainwater or treat lightly used greywater for uses that don't require drinking-water quality, such as toilet flushing and irrigation.
What is the 'Living Building Challenge' known for in sustainable design?
Answer: The most rigorous sustainable building standard, requiring net-zero or net-positive performance in energy, water, and materials
The Living Building Challenge, administered by the International Living Future Institute, is among the world's most rigorous green building standards, requiring regenerative performance across energy, water, materials, health, and equity.