Environmental Stewardship Flashcards
6 cards from real CFM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Environmental Stewardship flashcards as text
A facility manager is seeking to certify the sustainable, ongoing performance of an existing 10-year-old office building. Which LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system is specifically designed for this purpose?
Answer: LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M)
The LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) rating system is specifically intended for existing buildings to certify their ongoing operational efficiency and sustainable practices. It focuses on performance metrics like energy and water usage, waste management, and indoor environmental quality as the building is currently functioning, rather than on its initial design or construction.
A facility manager is tasked with creating a strategy to significantly reduce the volume of waste sent to the landfill. What is the MOST effective first step to inform this strategy?
Answer: Conduct a comprehensive waste stream audit.
A comprehensive waste stream audit is the most critical first step because it provides quantitative data on the composition and sources of the facility's waste. This data allows the facility manager to identify the largest waste categories and develop targeted, high-impact reduction and recycling strategies. The other options are potential solutions that are best implemented after the audit provides a clear understanding of the problem.
What is the primary function of the U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool for a facility manager?
Answer: To benchmark and track the building's energy, water, and waste data over time.
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is a free online tool that allows facility managers to measure and track their building's energy use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. Its primary function is to benchmark the building's performance against a national portfolio of similar buildings, helping to identify opportunities for improvement and recognize high-performing facilities.
A facility located in a region experiencing frequent droughts needs to implement a high-impact, cost-effective water conservation measure focused on its extensive grounds. Which of the following initiatives should be prioritized?
Answer: Replacing existing turf grass with native, drought-tolerant landscaping (xeriscaping).
For facilities with extensive grounds, landscape irrigation is often the largest component of water consumption. Replacing water-intensive turf grass with xeriscaping, which uses native and drought-tolerant plants, can drastically reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation, offering the most significant impact on exterior water use. While the other options are valuable conservation efforts, they address interior water use, which is typically a smaller fraction of the total water consumption.
Which of the following is a primary cause of poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and is frequently associated with occupant complaints of fatigue and headaches, often referred to as 'Sick Building Syndrome'?
Answer: High levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) resulting from inadequate ventilation.
High levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) are a key indicator of inadequate ventilation. When not enough fresh outdoor air is brought into a building, CO2 from human respiration accumulates along with other indoor pollutants. This lack of fresh air is a primary cause of IAQ problems and can lead to symptoms like headaches, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating, which are hallmarks of Sick Building Syndrome.
A facility manager wants to select a new building material by evaluating its total environmental impact, from raw material extraction and manufacturing to its use and final disposal. What is this comprehensive evaluation methodology called?
Answer: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a standardized methodology used to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle. This "cradle-to-grave" approach includes raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and end-of-life disposal, providing a holistic view of a material's environmental footprint.