Sustainable Design & Green Building Practices Flashcards

What is the primary purpose of a commissioning (Cx) process in green building construction?

Answer: To verify that building systems are installed and perform according to design intent

Commissioning is a quality assurance process that verifies and documents that building systems are designed, installed, tested, and capable of operating as intended before and after occupancy.

A sustainability consultant is evaluating a mixed-use project for WELL Building Standard certification. Which WELL concept directly addresses indoor air quality through source control?

Answer: Air

The WELL Air concept establishes requirements for ventilation rates, filtration, construction pollution management, and low-emitting materials to protect occupant respiratory health.

Which design strategy most effectively reduces the urban heat island effect at the neighborhood scale?

Answer: Increasing tree canopy coverage and using high-albedo paving

At the neighborhood scale, combining tree canopy (which provides shading and evapotranspiration cooling) with high-reflectance pavements has the broadest documented impact on ambient temperatures.

In the context of sustainable material selection, what does 'Cradle to Cradle' certification evaluate?

Answer: Material health, recyclability, renewable energy use, water stewardship, and social fairness

Cradle to Cradle certification assesses products across five categories—material health, material reutilization, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness—to promote circular economy principles.

A project team is targeting a 30% reduction in potable water use compared to a baseline building. Which strategy provides the MOST water savings for a building located in an arid climate?

Answer: Eliminating irrigated landscaping through xeriscaping

In arid climates, outdoor irrigation can account for 50–80% of a building's total water use, so eliminating it through drought-tolerant xeriscaping delivers the largest absolute water savings.

Which structural system characteristic makes rammed earth walls particularly suitable for passive solar design?

Answer: High thermal mass (heat capacity) that moderates daily temperature swings

Rammed earth has a high heat capacity that allows walls to absorb solar energy during the day and release it slowly at night, stabilizing interior temperatures without mechanical systems.

Under LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction, which prerequisite is required under the Water Efficiency category?

Answer: Building-Level Water Metering

LEED v4 BD+C requires 'Building-Level Water Metering' as a prerequisite to track whole-building potable water consumption and support ongoing water management.