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Flashcards in Indoor Environmental Quality Deck (74)
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1
Q

Define Indoor Environmental Quality.

A

Indoor environmental quality is the nature of air inside a building that affects the health and wellbeing of building occupants.

2
Q

What is an acceptable distance for the building smoking area to be from the front door?

A

25 feet

3
Q

Define contaminants in terms of indoor environmental quality.

A

Contaminants are any unwanted airborne elements that may reduce air quality.

4
Q

What are the three governing bodies with which flooring materials in newly renovated areas and additions must comply?

A
  • FloorScore
  • SCAQMD
  • Green Seal
5
Q

List some benefits of reducing indoor air contaminants.

A
  • Improved comfort levels
  • Lower absenteeism
  • Increased productivity
6
Q

List the three standards that a building engineer should be familiar with when balancing an air flow to offices and large conference rooms.

A
  • ASHRAE 62.1
  • ASHRAE 55
  • ASHRAE 52.1
7
Q

_____ is the process of supplying air from a space for the purpose of controlling air contaminant levels, humidity, or temperature within the space.

A

Ventilation

8
Q

What is the best standard to follow when performing a blower door test?

A

ASTM E779-03

9
Q

What does the I-BEAM tool provide?

A

The I-BEAM provides sample forms and logs for fielding and recording complaints about IAQ.

10
Q

List some concerns with isolated indoor smoking areas.

A
  • Increased energy for ventilation
  • Additional material use
  • Complicating the ventilation system
11
Q

A(n) _____ is the equipment, distribution systems, and terminals that provide the process of heating, ventilating, or air conditioning to a building or portion of a building.

A

HVAC system

12
Q

Define the breathing zone in terms of indoor environmental quality.

A

Breathing zone is the region within an occupied space between 3 and 6 feet above the floor.

13
Q

What does MERV stand for?

A

Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value

14
Q

The most prominent compounds that have a negative impact on indoor air quality (IAQ) and the earth’s atmosphere are _____.

A

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

15
Q

Define mechanical ventilation.

A

Mechanical ventilation, or active ventilation, is provided by mechanically powered equipment, such as motor-driven fans and blowers.

Not by devices such as wind-driven turbine ventilators and mechanically operated windows.

16
Q

_____ is the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from synthetic and natural products.

A

Off-gassing

17
Q

_____ combines mechanical and natural ventilation methods.

A

Mixed-mode ventilation

18
Q

Define natural ventilation.

A

Natural ventilation, or passive ventilation, is provided by thermal, wind, or diffusion effects through doors, windows, or other intentional openings in the building.

19
Q

How does natural ventilation achieve heat transfer and air movement?

A

Natural ventilation uses the building layout, fabric, and form to achieve heat transfer and air movement.

20
Q

Define vision glazing.

A

Vision glazing is that portion of exterior windows above 30 inches and below 90 inches that permits a view to the outside.

21
Q

Define Green Seal.

A

Green Seal is the certification given to adhesives with low-VOC levels.

22
Q

What is outdoor air as referenced in LEED?

A

Outdoor air is the ambient air that enters a building through a ventilation system, either through natural ventilation or infiltration.

23
Q

The type of resin that cannot be contained in composite panels and agrifiber products is called _____.

A

Urea-formaldehyde

24
Q

_____ is an area that has 25 people or more per 1,000 square feet.

A

Densely occupied space

25
Q

List the two contaminants that are measured when performing Indoor Air Quality testing prior to occupancy.

A
  • Formaldehyde
  • Carbon monoxide
26
Q

Define return air.

A

Return air is air removed from a space to then be recirculated or exhausted.

27
Q

What is the standard that specifies the combinations of indoor space environment and personal factors that will produce satisfactory thermal environmental conditions.

A

ANSI/ASHRAE 55-2004

28
Q

Define infiltration.

A

Infiltration is uncontrolled inward air leakage to conditioned spaces through unintentional opening in ceilings, floors, and walls from unconditioned spaces or the outdoors caused by the same pressure differences that induce exfiltration.

29
Q

List some examples of regularly occupied spaces.

A
  • Office
  • Waiting room
  • Meeting room
30
Q

Architectural paints and coatings applied within the vapor barrier must comply with which standard?

A

Green Seal Standard GS-11

31
Q

What is the main environmental concern with cooling equipment?

A

The effects of leaked refrigerants on the atmosphere.

32
Q

Define reverberation.

A

Reverberation is an acoustical phenomenon that occurs when sound persists in an enclosed space because of its repeated reflection or scattering upon the enclosing surfaces within the space.

33
Q

The objective of the SMACNA guidelines is to _____.

A

protect the indoor air quality of buildings that are under construction through measures such as housekeeping, scheduling, source control and HVAC protection

34
Q

_____ involves health and comfort effects linked to time spent in a building, but where no specific illness or cause can be identified.

A

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

35
Q

_____ involves symptoms of diagnosable illnesses attributed directly to airborne building contaminants (asthma, aggravated allergies, etc.)

A

Building Related Illness (BRI)

36
Q

The most effective method to improve indoor air quality is to keep _____ out of breathing zones.

A

contaminants

37
Q

List the two flush-out options for the indoor environmental quality management plan.

A
  • large flush
  • small flush (continued flushing/ventilation)
38
Q

_____ is an alternative to the prescriptive flush-out.

A

Air Quality Testing

39
Q

Which standard is described below?

  • Sets minimum ventilation provisions and IAQ levels
  • Prescribes opening sizes for natural ventilation
  • Defines ventilation rates for mechanical ventilation:
A

ASHRAE 62.1-2007

40
Q

Ambient CO2 levels indicate the performance of the _____.

A

ventilation system

41
Q

Define MERV.

A

Minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) is a filter rating established by ASHRAE 52.2-1999. MERV categories range from 1 (very low efficiency) to 16 (very high efficiency).

42
Q

Which element is described below?

  • Natural radioactive gas present in soil, rocks, water
  • Can’t see, taste or smell
  • Heaviest gas in existence
  • Second leading cause of lung cancer
A

Radon

43
Q

List the two options that LEED prescribes to deal with secondhand smoke.

A
  • Indoor smoking ban
  • Designated smoking rooms with seperate ventilation
44
Q

List some examples of hard surface flooring.

A
  • vinyl
  • linoleum
  • laminate flooring
  • wood flooring
  • rubber flooring
  • wall base
45
Q

What defines cleaning products and practices that have reduced environmental impact as compared to conventional ones

A

Green Cleaning Policy

46
Q

Daylight glazing = vertical window area located ____ above the floor

A

7 feet 6 inches

47
Q

_____ = interior illumination / exterior illumination

A

Glazing factor

48
Q

What is described below?

  • Utilizes interior mirrors to reflect light down and inward
  • Less heat transfer than skylight
  • Resembles light fixtures
A

Sun tubes

49
Q

What feature provides a connection to the outdoors and improves occupant comfort and productivity.

A

Views

50
Q

_____ is the standard that governs thermal comfort conditions.

A

ASHRAE 55

51
Q

_____ is considered acceptable when there are no known contaminants at harmful concentrations as determined by cognizant authorities and with which a substantial majority (80% or more) of the people exposed do not express dissatisfaction.

A

Indoor environmental quality

52
Q

_____ are any unwanted airborne elements that may reduce air quality.

A

Contaminants

53
Q

Define ventilation.

A

Ventilation is the process of supplying air from a space for the purpose of controlling air contaminant levels, humidity, or temperature within the space.

54
Q

The _____ is the region within an occupied space between 3 and 6 feet above the floor.

A

breathing zone

55
Q

Define VOCs.

A

VOCs stand for volatile organic compounds. They are the most prominent compounds that have a negative impact on indoor air quality (IAQ) and the earth’s atmosphere.

56
Q

_____ is provided by mechanically powered equipment, such as motor-driven fans and blowers, but not by devices such as wind-driven turbine ventilators and mechanically operated windows.

A

Mechanical ventilation, or active ventilation

57
Q

Define off-gassing.

A

Off-gassing is the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from synthetic and natural products.

58
Q

What is mixed-mode ventilation?

A

Mixed-mode ventilation combines mechanical and natural ventilation methods.

59
Q

_____, or passive ventilation, is provided by thermal, wind, or diffusion effects through doors, windows, or other intentional openings in the building.

A

Natural ventilation

60
Q

_____ is that portion of exterior windows above 30 inches and below 90 inches that permits a view to the outside.

A

Vision glazing

61
Q

_____ is the certification that is given to adhesives with low-VOC levels.

A

Green Seal

62
Q

_____ is the ambient air that enters a building through a ventilation system, either through natural ventilation or infiltration.

A

Outdoor air

63
Q

Define urea-formaldehyde.

A

Urea-formaldehyde is a type of resin that cannot be contained in composite panels and agrifiber products.

64
Q

What is a densely occupied space?

A

A densely occupied space is an area with a design occupant density of 25 people or more per 1,000 square feet.

65
Q

_____ is air removed from a space to be then recirculated or exhausted.

A

Return air

66
Q

What does ANSI/ASHRAE 55-2004 specify?

A

ANSI/ASHRAE 55-2004 specifies the combinations of indoor space environment and personal factors that will produce satisfactory thermal environmental conditions.

67
Q

_____ is uncontrolled inward air leakage to conditioned spaces through unintentional opening in ceilings, floors, and walls from unconditioned spaces or the outdoors caused by the same pressure differences that induce exfiltration.

A

Infiltration

68
Q

_____ is an acoustical phenomenon that occurs when sound persists in an enclosed space because of its repeated reflection or scattering upon the enclosing surfaces within the space.

A

Reverberation

69
Q

Define Sick Building Syndrome.

A

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) involves health and comfort effects linked to time spent in a building, but where no specific illness or cause can be identified.

70
Q

Define Building Related Illness (BRI).

A

Building Related Illness (BRI) involves symptoms of diagnosable illnesses attributed directly to airborne building contaminants (asthma, aggravated allergies, etc.)

71
Q

High concentrations of CO2 mean what?

A
  • ventilation is not functioning properly
  • air is not healthy to breathe
72
Q

The Higher the MERV rating, the _____ particles are removed.

A

more

73
Q

The following are examples of what?

  • vinyl
  • linoleum
  • laminate flooring
  • wood flooring
  • rubber flooring
  • wall base
A

Hard surface flooring

74
Q

Describe Views in terms of indoor environmental quality.

A

Views are a connection to the outdoors and improve occupant comfort and productivity.