Adaptive Reuse
Renovation of a building or site to include elements that allow a particular use or uses to occupy a space that originally was intended for a different use
1 Comment January 15, 2010
Filed under: green glossary
Active solar
A system using mechanical devices such as pumps, fans etc., that transfers collected heat to the storage medium and/or the end-use.
Leave a Comment December 16, 2009
Greywater
Wastewater generated from domestic activities such as dish washing, laundry and bathing. Greywater comprises 50-80% of residential wastewater generated from all of the house’s sanitation equipment except for the toilets.
Leave a Comment December 3, 2009
BRI- Building Related Illness
Illnesses caused by toxic off-gassing from building materials or molds, bacteria, etc. that can accumulate in HVAC systems and carpeting.
Leave a Comment November 25, 2009
Composting
The purposeful biodegradation of organic matter, such as yard and food waste.
Leave a Comment November 21, 2009
Daylighting
Letting natural light into a space through glazing with the intent of reducing or eliminating electric lighting, and thereby the energy consumption of a building.
Leave a Comment November 19, 2009
Post-Consumer Waste
A waste produced by the end consumer of a material stream; that is, where the waste-producing use did not involve the production of another product.
Quite commonly, it is simply the garbage that individuals routinely discard, either in a waste receptacle or a dump, or by littering, incinerating, or pouring down the drain.
Leave a Comment November 12, 2009
Carbon Neutral
Reducing energy use and impact to remove as much carbon dioxide from the environment as we put in.
Further steps to carbon neutrality can also be achieved by use of renewable energy and buying carbon offsets for that which can’t yet be reduced.
Leave a Comment November 10, 2009
Upcycle
The process of converting an industrial nutrient (material) into something of similar or greater value, in its second life.
Leave a Comment November 7, 2009
FSC
Forest Stewardship Council [FSC] is an international non-profit membership-based organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests through developing standards.
The FSC provides chain of custody tracking and a certification system.
Leave a Comment November 2, 2009
