Sustainability and Green Building in Design-Build Flashcards
7 cards from real DBIA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Sustainability and Green Building in Design-Build flashcards as text
A net zero energy building is best defined as one that:
Answer: Produces as much renewable energy as it consumes on an annual basis
Net zero energy balances annual consumption with renewable generation, usually while remaining grid-connected.
Energy use intensity (EUI) is typically expressed in which units in the U.S.?
Answer: kBtu per square foot per year
EUI normalizes annual energy use by floor area, commonly in kBtu/sf/yr.
Which protocol is widely used to measure and verify energy savings from building performance improvements?
Answer: IPMVP
The International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol provides standard M&V options.
Combining daylighting design with photosensor-controlled dimming primarily achieves what?
Answer: Lower lighting energy use while maintaining visual comfort
Daylight harvesting dims electric lights when natural light is sufficient, cutting energy use.
Specifying EPA WaterSense-labeled fixtures primarily supports which sustainability category?
Answer: Indoor water use reduction
WaterSense products meet EPA criteria for efficiency, reducing indoor potable water use.
How does a design-build-operate-maintain (DBOM) delivery model strengthen sustainability outcomes?
Answer: It gives the same entity long-term accountability for operational performance, incentivizing lifecycle-efficient design
When the builder also operates the facility, it benefits directly from efficient, durable design choices.
In ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, what minimum score generally makes a building eligible for ENERGY STAR certification?
Answer: 75
A score of 75 or higher means the building performs better than 75% of similar buildings nationwide.