Green Word A Day » green glossary

Adaptive Reuse

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:25:16 +0000

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

Active solar

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:32:49 +0000

A system using mechanical devices such as pumps, fans etc., that transfers collected heat to the storage medium and/or the end-use.

Greywater

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:25:44 +0000

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.

BRI- Building Related Illness

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:52:06 +0000

Illnesses caused by toxic off-gassing from building materials or molds, bacteria, etc. that can accumulate in HVAC systems and carpeting.

Composting

admin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:50:20 +0000

The purposeful biodegradation of organic matter, such as yard and food waste.

Daylighting

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:33:59 +0000

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.

Post-Consumer Waste

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:56:11 +0000

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.

Carbon Neutral

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:19:14 +0000

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.

Upcycle

admin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:50:25 +0000

The process of converting an industrial nutrient (material) into something of similar or greater value, in its second life.

FSC

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:16:40 +0000

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.