CLARB Environmental Systems and Sustainability Questions and Answers Flashcards
6 cards from real CLARB practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CLARB Environmental Systems and Sustainability Questions and Answers flashcards as text
What is the primary goal of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification as applied to landscape architectural projects?
Answer: To recognize sustainable site and building design that measurably reduces environmental impact
LEED certification recognizes projects that achieve measurable sustainability goals across categories including water efficiency, site ecology, materials, and reduced environmental impact.
What does the 'urban heat island effect' describe in built environments?
Answer: The elevated air and surface temperatures in urban areas compared to surrounding rural areas
The urban heat island effect occurs when built surfaces absorb and re-emit solar radiation, raising urban temperatures significantly above those of surrounding natural or rural areas.
Which green infrastructure practice filters stormwater through engineered soil and plants while also allowing infiltration into the ground?
Answer: Bioretention cell (rain garden)
Bioretention cells (rain gardens) are shallow landscaped depressions that capture, filter, and infiltrate stormwater through engineered soil media and plant roots.
What is the purpose of a vegetated (green) roof in sustainable landscape design?
Answer: To reduce stormwater runoff, improve building insulation, and mitigate the urban heat island effect
Green roofs reduce stormwater runoff volume and peak flow, improve building energy efficiency through added insulation, and help cool the urban environment by mitigating the heat island effect.
In sustainable site design, what does 'impervious cover' refer to?
Answer: Hard, sealed surfaces like pavement and rooftops that prevent rainwater from infiltrating the soil
Impervious cover includes any sealed hard surface—pavement, rooftops, compacted gravel—that prevents rainwater infiltration, increasing runoff and reducing groundwater recharge.
What sustainable design strategy involves specifying high-albedo (light-colored or reflective) paving materials in urban landscape projects?
Answer: Cool pavement strategy to reflect solar radiation and reduce surface heat gain
Cool pavement strategies specify light-colored or high-reflectance paving materials that reflect more solar radiation, reducing surface temperatures and mitigating the urban heat island effect.