Environmental Control 1

What is a definition for Sustainability?

involves meeting the

needs of today’s generation without

detracting from the ability of future

generations to meet their needs.

Approximately what percentage of our nation’s energy consumption is attributed to

buildings? Is this percentage largely for construction of buildings or their operation?

40% energy use, 72% consumption

What are greenhouse gases and the Greenhouse Effect? What impact does it have on the

planet?

Be familiar with the components of Site Analysis, and the impact of the site on buildings

and vice-versa.

What is the 2030 Challenge and what is it designed to achieve?

All new buildings, developments, and major renovations shall be carbon-neutral by 2030.

What is embodied energy? How might it impact the selection of building materials or

methods?

the total sum of all the energy required to extract, process, manufacture, transport, install, and dispose of a product or material. It helps builders and makers compare high-energy materials (like aluminum and steel) with low-energy choices (like timber or local stone).

What’s the difference between Renewable and Non-Renewable energies? What are

examples of each?

Renewable Energy – A source of energy that is replaced by natural phenomena, such as sunlight, wind or wood.

Nonrenewable Energy – Those sources of energy such as coal, oil, and natural gas that is not replaceable after they have been used

Have a general understanding of the abundance of solar energy throughout the U.S.

available for meeting building energy needs (architecture 2030 presentation).

What is the difference between “Passive” and “Active” strategies for heating, cooling or

ventilating buildings?

Passive - Natual Energies (Direct Gain Heating, Cross Ventilation).
Active - Heating and Cooling Equipment (HVAC, Heaters)

How are these strategies generally distributed relative to the “Design Pyramid” reviewed

in class?

Tier 1 Basic Building Design

Tier 2 Passive Systems

Tier 3 Active Systems

Have a sense of the effective solar orientation for a building in order to maximize winter

direct sun and minimize summer direct sun in the northern hemisphere.

Have a sense of the solar altitude angle in the winter versus the summer (low angle versus

high angle). Understand how this may be used as a design strategy in temperate climates

to maximize winter direct sun and minimize summer direct sun in the northern

hemisphere

How might deciduous versus coniferous vegetation aid in the above process?

List and define the four main methods of heat flow.

conduction, convection, advection, and radiation

What is a Btu (British Thermal Unit)?

a traditional unit of measurement for heat energy

What does the ASHRAE acronym represent? What do they do?

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. A global professional society for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration. They create standards and guidelines for building design, energy efficiency, and indoor air quality.

What does the LEED acronym represent? What is it?

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. System that certifies the greenest performing buildings in the world.

What is the comfort zone?

the specific range of environmental conditions—such as temperature, humidity, and air movement—where the majority of people feel physically satisfied and experience no thermal stress

What factors primarily impact the comfort zone?

temp, air velocity, humidity, clothing, metablic rate

What is the bioclimatic or psychrometric chart? What comfort criteria does it plot?

What are the four climate zones of North America? Have a general knowledge of which

regions are in which zones

tropical, Dry/Arid, Temperate, and Polar/Continenta

What is relative humidity?

the ratio of water vapor currently in the air compared to the maximum amount the air can hold at that specific temperature, expressed as a percentage

What is the difference between dry bulb and wet bulb temperature readings.

dry-bulb temperature measures the ambient air temperature, while wet-bulb temperature measures the lowest temperature achievable through water evaporation

What is the mean radiant temperature

the average temperature of all the surfaces—such as walls, floors, windows, and furniture—surrounding a person in a given space

Define ventilation, and be able to diagram cross ventilation and stack effect cooling in

buildings.

Be familiar with the basic building section diagrams, which illustrate direct, indirect, and

isolated heat gain methods