List some environmentally negative aspects of construction that can be avoided with building reuse strategies.
- Demolition Process
- Construction Waste
- Raw Material Extraction
- Manufacturing
- Transportation
An _____ is a furnace or container for burning waste materials.
incinerator.
Define fly ash.
Fly ash is the solid residue derived from incineration processes.
What are ongoing consumables?
Ongoing consumables have a low cost per unit and are regularly used and replaced in the course of business. Examples include paper, toner cartridges, cardboard, etc.
_____ can be used as a substitute for Portland cement in concrete.
Fly ash
Construction waste debris and demolition contribute __% of waste to landfills each year.
40
Define waste as referenced in LEED.
In LEED, waste refers to all materials that are capable of being diverted from a building’s waste stream.
The strategy EPA ranks as having the greatest impact on waste reduction is _____.
source reduction
Define building waste diversion.
Waste diversion is a management activity that disposes of waste other than through incineration or the use landfills. Examples include reuse and recycling.
Define life cycle analysis.
An analysis of the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product, process, or service.
List some examples of preconsumer recycled content.
- planer shavings
- sawdust
- bagasse
- walnut shells
If a project is establishing a Construction Waste Management Plan, they can calculate the percentage of recycled or salvaged materials by _____ or _____.
weight or volume (must be consistent throughout)
What is a sustainable purchasing policy?
A sustainable purchasing policy gives preference to products that have little to no negative impact on the environment and society throughout their life cycle, and to the companies that supply them.
The credit that requires Chain-of-Custody documentation as proof of credit compliance is _____.
Certified Wood
Why is the decomposition of solid waste in landfills a problem?
It releases methane, a greenhouse gas.
What type of material can be certified under the CRI Green Label Plus Certification program?
Carpeting
List some examples of gas-powered equipment.
- Maintenance equipment and vehicles
- Landscape equipment
- Cleaning equipment
List some examples of ongoing consumables.
- paper
- toner
- cartridges
- binders
- batteries
- desk accessories
_____ of construction and demolition debris reduces demand for virgin resources and reduces the environmental impacts associated with resource extraction, processing, and in many cases, transportation.
Recycling
What is the largest source of mercury air emissions in the United States?
Coal-fired electricity plants
Define construction and demolition debris.
Construction and demolition debris includes waste and recyclables generated from construction, renovation, demolition, or deconstruction of preexisting structures.
List some opportunities to reduce overall operating costs through a sustainable purchasing policy.
- Reduced energy, water and fuel expenditures
- Easier compliance with environmental, health and safety regulations
- Lower waste management fees
What is the target for the overall average of mercury content in lamps?
90 picograms average per lumen-hour
List some examples of base building elements.
- building components and structures
- panels
- attached finishings
- carpet and other flooring material
- adhesives
- sealants
- paints and coatings
List some composite wood and/or agrifiber products.
- particleboard
- medium density filterboard (MDF)
- plywood
- oriented strand board (OSB)
- wheatboard
- strawboard
- panel substrates
- door cores
List the two primary benefits of using regional materials.
- Supports the local economy
- Minimizes the impacts of transportation
List the three pieces of information required to verify FSC Certified Wood.
- The volume of wood used on the project and the exact location where the wood was harvested.
- The appropriate Chain of Custody (COC) certification number.
- The name of the product manufacturer.
Define elemental mercury.
Elemental mercury is pure mercury (as opposed to a mercury-containing compound), the vapor of which is commonly used in fluorescent and other lamp types.
List three examples of hard costs on a construction site.
- Project’s structural steel
- Landscaping cost
- Money paid to the brick mason for labor
Define USDA Organic.
USDA Organic is a certification for products that contain at least 95% organically produced ingredients (excluding water and salt).
Define recycling in terms of building construction.
Recycling is the collection, reprocessing, marketing, and use of materials that were diverted or recovered from the solid waste stream.
What is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is a product certification system overseen by FLO International, which identifies products that meet certain environmental, labor, and development standards.
One potential disadvantage of using co-mingled recycling as part of a construction waste management plan is that _____.
It may be more expensive than site-separated recycling
Define tripping fees in terms of construction waste.
Tripping fees are charged by a landfill for disposal of waste, typically quoted per ton.
_____ products are defined by the EPA as products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.
Environmentally preferable
Regional materials are also called _____.
Locally sourced materials
These are all examples of what?
- Bamboo
- Wheat straw
- Sunflower hulls
- Cork
- Linoleum
- Cotton
Rapidly Renewable Materials
Define the Chain-of-Custody certification.
The COC certification ensures wood has been harvested through a FSC certified source. It is awarded to companies that process, manufacture, and sell certified wood products.
_____ is the labeling standard for recycled materials.
ISO 14021
Define retained components of a construction site.
Retained components are portions of the finished ceilings, finished floors, full-height walls and demountable partitions, interior doors, and built-in case goods that existed in the prior condition area and remain in the completed design.
List the three types of recycled materials.
- pre-consumer
- post-consumer
- post-consumer fiber
What material is the most recycled product in the United States?
Steel
Define “durability” in terms of sustainable construction.
The ability of a building or any of its components to perform its required function in a service environment over a period of time without needing unforeseen maintenance or repair.
Items having a useful life of 2 or more years without requiring frequent replacement are called _____.
Durable goods
These are all examples of what?
- Fairtrade
- Food Alliance
- Marine Stewardship Council Blue Eco-Label
- USDA Organic
- Protected Harvest
Third-Party Product certifications
_____ is material that is placed on the surface of the active face of a municipal solid waste landfill at the end of each operating day to control vectors, fires, odors, blowing litter, and scavenging.
Alternative daily cover
List some benefits of salvaging or refurbishing materials.
- divert material from the construction waste stream
- reduces need for landfill space
- prevents environmental impacts of producing new materials
- reduce overall initial costs
List some core materials that may be eligible for reuse to help achieve LEED MR credits.
- salvaged brick
- structural timber
- stone
- pavers
Define refurbished materials.
Refurbished materials are products that could have been disposed of as solid waste. These products have completed their life cycle as consumer items and are then refurbished for reuse without substantial alteration of their form.
Define preconsumer material.
Preconsumer material is material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process.
_____ is the percentage of material in a product that is either postconsumer or preconsumer recycled content.
Assembly recycled content
What is an incinerator?
An incinerator is a furnace or container for burning waste materials.
_____ is the solid residue derived from incineration processes.
Fly ash
_____ have a low cost per unit and are regularly used and replaced in the course of business.
Ongoing consumables
_____ is a management activity that disposes of waste other than through incineration or the use landfills.
Examples include reuse and recycling.
Waste diversion
A sustainable purchasing policy gives preference to products that have _____.
little to no negative impact on the environment and society
Which potent greenhouse gas do landfills release?
Methane
These are all examples of what?
- particleboard
- medium density filterboard (MDF)
- plywood
- oriented strand board (OSB)
- wheatboard
Composite wood and agrifiber products
_____ is pure mercury (as opposed to a mercury-containing compound), the vapor of which is commonly used in fluorescent and other lamp types.
Elemental mercury
_____ are charged by a landfill for disposal of waste, typically quoted per ton.
Tripping fees
Define environmentally preferable products as defined by the EPA.
Environmentally preferable products are defined by the EPA as products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.
The_____ ensures wood has been harvested through a FSC certified source. It is awarded to companies that process, manufacture, and sell certified wood products.
Chain-of-Custody Certification
What purpose does ISO 14021 serve in terms of materials and resources?
ISO 14021 is the labeling standard for recycled materials.
_____ are portions of the finished ceilings, finished floors, full-height walls and demountable partitions, interior doors, and built-in case goods that existed in the prior condition area and remain in the completed design.
Retained components
_____ is the ability of a building or any of its components to perform its required function in a service environment over a period of time without needing unforeseen maintenance or repair.
Durability
Define durable goods in terms of a LEED project.
Items having a useful life of 2 or more years without requiring frequent replacement are called durable goods.
List some examples of third-party product certifications.
- Fairtrade
- Food Alliance
- Marine Stewardship Council Blue Eco-Label
- USDA Organic
- Protected Harvest
- Rainforest Alliance Certification
Define alternative daily cover.
Alternative daily cover is material that is placed on the surface of the active face of a municipal solid waste landfill at the end of each operating day to control vectors, fires, odors, blowing litter, and scavenging.
_____ are products that could have been disposed of as solid waste. These products have completed their life cycle as consumer items and are then refurbished for reuse without substantial alteration of their form.
Refurbished materials
_____ is material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process.
Preconsumer material
How is assembly recycled content determined?
Assembly recycled content is determined by dividing the weight of the recycled content by the overall weight of the assembly.