BOMA Energy Management & Sustainability Flashcards

What is a 'power purchase agreement' (PPA) in the context of commercial building renewable energy?

Answer: A long-term contract to purchase electricity directly from a renewable energy generator at a fixed price

A PPA is a long-term contract where a building owner or portfolio agrees to purchase electricity generated by a specific renewable energy project (like a solar farm) at a predetermined price, providing rate stability and supporting clean energy.

What does 'ASHRAE 90.1' establish for commercial buildings?

Answer: Minimum energy efficiency requirements for commercial buildings used as a basis for building codes

ASHRAE Standard 90.1 establishes minimum energy efficiency requirements for commercial buildings and is widely adopted as the basis for energy codes in the US and internationally.

What is 'water use intensity' (WUI) and why is it tracked in BOMA sustainability programs?

Answer: Annual water consumption per square foot, used to benchmark and reduce water consumption in buildings

WUI measures annual water consumption per square foot of building area, enabling benchmarking against comparable buildings and tracking progress toward water conservation goals.

In commercial buildings, what is 'retro-commissioning' (RCx)?

Answer: A systematic process to optimize the performance of existing building systems without major capital investment

Retro-commissioning applies commissioning processes to existing buildings to improve the performance of systems that were never commissioned or have drifted from optimal performance, typically yielding 5-15% energy savings.

What does EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool enable commercial property owners to do?

Answer: Benchmark, track, and report energy and water use across building portfolios

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is a free online tool that enables building owners to track energy and water consumption, benchmark performance against comparable buildings, and generate reports for sustainability disclosures.

What building certification specifically recognizes healthy indoor environments for commercial building occupants?

Answer: WELL Building Standard

The WELL Building Standard focuses specifically on occupant health and wellness by evaluating air quality, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind within the built environment.