BArch Bachelor of Architecture Environmental Systems & Sustainability 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which LEED rating system is most applicable to the design and construction of a new commercial office building?
- LEED BD+C: New Construction (Correct answer)
- LEED O+M: Existing Buildings
- LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors
- LEED ND: Neighborhood Development
Correct answer: LEED BD+C: New Construction
LEED BD+C (Building Design and Construction) New Construction applies to new commercial buildings through the design and construction phases, covering site, water, energy, materials, and indoor environment.
Question 2: What is the 'stack effect' in tall buildings, and why is it important for HVAC design?
- Buoyancy-driven air movement from lower to upper floors in winter, causing infiltration and pressure differences (Correct answer)
- Accumulation of exhaust air at the top of elevator shafts
- Condensation forming on cold exterior glazing at upper floors
- Wind-induced pressure on the building's windward face
Correct answer: Buoyancy-driven air movement from lower to upper floors in winter, causing infiltration and pressure differences
Stack effect occurs when warm, less-dense indoor air rises and escapes at the top of tall buildings in winter, drawing cold outdoor air in at the bottom, creating significant pressure differences that affect HVAC performance.
Question 3: In lighting design, what is the difference between 'illuminance' and 'luminance'?
- Illuminance is light falling on a surface (lux/fc); luminance is light leaving a surface toward the eye (cd/m²) (Correct answer)
- Illuminance is the color temperature of a light source; luminance is its intensity
- Both measure light intensity but in different units
- Luminance applies only to LED sources; illuminance to fluorescent
Correct answer: Illuminance is light falling on a surface (lux/fc); luminance is light leaving a surface toward the eye (cd/m²)
Illuminance measures light incident on a surface (in lux or footcandles) and is what lighting designers target for tasks; luminance measures light reflected or emitted from a surface toward an observer's eye (in candela/m²) and relates to visual perception of brightness.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) in a building's mechanical system?
- Transfer heat and moisture between exhaust and incoming fresh air streams to reduce conditioning loads (Correct answer)
- Generate electricity from waste heat in the exhaust stream
- Filter particulates and VOCs from incoming outdoor air
- Provide supplemental cooling when outdoor temperatures drop
Correct answer: Transfer heat and moisture between exhaust and incoming fresh air streams to reduce conditioning loads
An ERV uses a heat and moisture exchange core to pre-condition incoming fresh air using the energy in building exhaust air, significantly reducing the heating or cooling load required to condition outdoor ventilation air.
Question 5: According to ASHRAE 55, thermal comfort is defined as a condition of mind that expresses satisfaction with which environmental variable combination?
- Air temperature, radiant temperature, humidity, air speed, metabolic rate, and clothing level (Correct answer)
- Air temperature and humidity only
- Only dry-bulb temperature within 68–76°F range
- CO2 levels and fresh air ventilation rate
Correct answer: Air temperature, radiant temperature, humidity, air speed, metabolic rate, and clothing level
ASHRAE 55 identifies six factors determining thermal comfort: four environmental (air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air speed, humidity) and two personal (metabolic rate and clothing insulation).
Question 6: What is 'net zero energy' building design, as defined in US building performance standards?
- A building that produces as much energy on-site as it consumes on an annual basis (Correct answer)
- A building with no mechanical heating or cooling systems
- A building that imports no electricity from the grid at any time
- A building that offsets its carbon emissions through renewable energy credits only
Correct answer: A building that produces as much energy on-site as it consumes on an annual basis
A net zero energy building produces enough renewable energy on-site (typically solar PV) over a year to equal or exceed total annual energy consumption, achieving net-zero energy exchange with the utility grid.
BArch Bachelor of Architecture Environmental Systems & Sustainability 2
Which LEED rating system is most applicable to the design and construction of a new commercial office building?