SFP Sustainable Facility Operations & Maintenance 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which approach best describes the concept of 'demand response' as applied to sustainable facility operations?
- Reducing energy consumption whenever internal demand increases beyond budget thresholds
- Voluntarily curtailing or shifting electrical loads during grid peak periods in response to utility signals (Correct answer)
- Installing on-site generation to meet 100% of peak demand without grid reliance
- Automating HVAC setpoints based on occupancy sensor data alone
Correct answer: Voluntarily curtailing or shifting electrical loads during grid peak periods in response to utility signals
Demand response programs allow facilities to reduce or shift electrical loads during grid stress events, earning financial incentives while supporting grid stability.
Question 2: A sustainable landscape management plan for a corporate campus should include which element to minimize chemical inputs?
- Scheduled application of synthetic fertilizers every 6 weeks during the growing season
- Soil testing before fertilizer application to apply only what plants actually need (Correct answer)
- Using pre-emergent herbicides across all turf areas as a standard practice
- Replacing all planted areas with impervious hardscape to eliminate maintenance
Correct answer: Soil testing before fertilizer application to apply only what plants actually need
Soil testing reveals actual nutrient deficiencies, allowing targeted fertilizer application that reduces chemical use, cost, and nutrient runoff.
Question 3: Under ASHRAE 55, which two primary variables are controlled by occupants to achieve thermal comfort?
- Air temperature and relative humidity (Correct answer)
- Clothing insulation (clo) and metabolic rate (met)
- Radiant temperature and air speed
- CO2 concentration and occupant density
Correct answer: Air temperature and relative humidity
ASHRAE 55 identifies six factors affecting thermal comfort; air temperature and relative humidity are the two most commonly adjusted by occupants through clothing and thermostat control.
Question 4: A facility manager is evaluating a building's water balance. Which tool does the EPA provide to help facilities set water use reduction goals?
- ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager's Water Use Intensity tracker
- EPA WaterSense Water Budget Tool (Correct answer)
- LEED v4 Water Use Reduction calculator
- ASHRAE 189.1 water use compliance worksheet
Correct answer: EPA WaterSense Water Budget Tool
The EPA WaterSense Water Budget Tool helps facilities estimate efficient irrigation water allowances based on site-specific climate and landscape factors.
Question 5: Which refrigerant characteristic is most critical when selecting a replacement for high-GWP refrigerants in existing HVAC equipment?
- The refrigerant must have zero ozone depletion potential (ODP)
- The refrigerant's GWP, flammability class, and system compatibility must all be evaluated together (Correct answer)
- The refrigerant must be sourced domestically to reduce transport emissions
- The refrigerant must be a single-component fluid rather than a blend
Correct answer: The refrigerant's GWP, flammability class, and system compatibility must all be evaluated together
Responsible refrigerant selection requires evaluating GWP for climate impact, ASHRAE safety class for flammability, and compatibility with existing system materials and lubricants.
Question 6: A facility manager implements sub-metering for individual tenant spaces. The primary sustainability benefit is:
- Enabling the facility to charge higher lease rates for metered spaces
- Providing tenants with detailed consumption data that motivates behavioral energy conservation (Correct answer)
- Satisfying LEED O+M's Minimum Energy Performance prerequisite automatically
- Reducing the need for a building-level utility meter
Correct answer: Providing tenants with detailed consumption data that motivates behavioral energy conservation
Sub-metering gives tenants visibility into their own energy use, which research consistently shows drives voluntary conservation behavior and enables informed decision-making.
Question 7: Which strategy is most effective for reducing embodied carbon when managing facility renovation projects?
- Specifying all new materials with EPDs showing carbon-intensive manufacturing
- Prioritizing material reuse, salvage, and selection of low-carbon alternatives with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) (Correct answer)
- Offsetting all embodied carbon through renewable energy certificates (RECs)
- Choosing materials based solely on durability to extend replacement cycles
Correct answer: Prioritizing material reuse, salvage, and selection of low-carbon alternatives with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)
Reusing existing materials avoids upstream carbon entirely, while EPDs enable comparison of low-carbon alternatives for materials that must be newly sourced.
SFP Sustainable Facility Operations & Maintenance 5
Which approach best describes the concept of 'demand response' as applied to sustainable facility operations?