Building Engineering Sustainable Building Design and Energy Efficiency

Question 1

What does LEED stand for and who administers the program?

Accepted Answer

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, administered by the US Green Building Council

Answer

LEED is a voluntary green building certification program by the USGBC that awards points across categories including energy, water, materials, and indoor environment quality.

Question 2

What is the purpose of a building energy model (BEM) in sustainable design?

Accepted Answer

To simulate energy use and compare design alternatives before construction

Answer

Building energy modeling uses software to predict heating, cooling, lighting, and plug load energy consumption, enabling designers to optimize building systems before committing to construction.

Question 3

What is a building's Energy Use Intensity (EUI) used to measure?

Accepted Answer

Annual energy consumption per square foot of floor area

Answer

EUI normalizes total annual energy consumption (kBtu or kWh) by building area, allowing fair comparison of energy performance across buildings of different sizes.

Question 4

What passive solar design strategy positions windows primarily on which building orientation to maximize winter heat gain?

Accepted Answer

South-facing

Answer

South-facing windows in the northern hemisphere receive maximum low winter sun angles for passive heat gain while overhangs can block high summer sun to prevent overheating.

Question 5

What is the function of a cool roof in sustainable building design?

Accepted Answer

To reflect more sunlight and emit more heat than a standard dark roof, reducing cooling loads

Answer

Cool roofs use high-reflectance and high-emittance materials to reduce heat absorbed by the building, lowering cooling energy consumption and mitigating urban heat island effects.

Building Engineering Practice Test

Building Engineering Practice Test

Building Engineering Sustainable Building Design and Energy Efficiency