Building Environmental Impacts
Building construction and operation account for 30–40% of global energy use and carbon dioxide emissions. In the U.S., buildings use 30–50% of energy, 70% of electricity, and generate 45% of CO₂ emissions. 【1-ecf8dd】
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Building Environmental Impacts | Building construction and operation account for 30–40% of global energy use and carbon dioxide emissions. In the U.S., buildings use 30–50% of energy, 70% of electricity, and generate 45% of CO₂ emissions. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Sustainability | Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Sustainable Development | Development that reduces fossil fuel depletion, preserves land and water resources, minimizes waste and pollution, and promotes healthy indoor environments. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Green Building | Building practices focused on reducing environmental impacts and improving sustainability. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Sustainable Building Construction | Construction that protects resources, promotes environmental quality, benefits society, and provides healthy spaces for occupants. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Environmental Labels (Ecolabels) | Third-party environmental ratings that provide reliable information for responsible material and product selection. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
ISO 14020 | International standard that defines rules for environmental labeling and classifies labels into Types I, II, and III. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Type I Environmental Labels | Independent third-party certifications indicating a product’s environmental preference based on life-cycle impacts. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Green Seal | An independent organization that develops sustainability standards and certifications for products. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) | Air-polluting and potentially harmful chemicals released from products such as paints during drying. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Type II Self-Declaration Claims | Environmental claims made by manufacturers that are not independently verified. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Type III Environmental Declarations | Independently verified reports that present quantified life-cycle environmental data. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) | A cradle-to-grave analysis that evaluates environmental impacts throughout a material’s entire life cycle. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Embodied Energy | The total energy consumed throughout all stages of a material’s life cycle. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Embodied Carbon | The total greenhouse gas emissions associated with a material’s life cycle. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Embodied Water | The total amount of freshwater consumed throughout a material’s life cycle. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) | A voluntary green building certification program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
LEED-NC | LEED program for new construction and major renovations. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
LEED-EB | LEED program for existing buildings. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
LEED-CI | LEED program for commercial interiors. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
LEED-CS | LEED program for building core and shell projects. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
LEED-H | LEED program for homes. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
LEED Certification Levels | Certified (40+ points), Silver (50+ points), Gold (60+ points), and Platinum (80–110 points). 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Living Building Challenge (LBC) | A sustainability program focused on creating buildings that do no harm or positively impact the environment. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
7 Petals of LBC | Place, Water, Energy, Health & Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Materials Red List | A list of prohibited hazardous substances such as asbestos, formaldehyde, PVC, mercury, and CFCs. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
National Green Building Standard | A U.S. sustainability standard focused on residential construction. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
International Green Building Code (IgCC) | A model code that promotes sustainable building practices. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Green Globes | A green building assessment and certification system similar to LEED. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
BREEAM | A European environmental assessment method for buildings. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Passive House | A building standard focused on ultra-low energy consumption. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Design Architect/Engineer | Professional responsible for translating owner requirements into designs and construction documents. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Construction Documents | Drawings and written specifications that fully describe a building project. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Zoning Regulations | Laws controlling land use, setbacks, building size, parking, and allowable activities. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Building Codes | Regulations that ensure building health, safety, structural integrity, and livability. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
International Building Code (IBC) | Model code governing most buildings not covered by the IRC. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
International Residential Code (IRC) | Model code for one- and two-family homes and townhouses up to three stories. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Occupancy Classification | System used by the IBC to categorize buildings based on use and safety concerns. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Occupancy Group A | Assembly occupancies such as theaters, auditoriums, and lecture halls. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Occupancy Group I | Institutional occupancies such as hospitals, prisons, and care facilities. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Type I Construction | Most fire-resistant construction using noncombustible materials like steel and concrete. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Type II Construction | Noncombustible construction with lower fire resistance than Type I. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Type III Construction | Construction with noncombustible exterior walls and combustible interior materials. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Type IV Construction | Heavy timber construction. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Type V Construction | Least fire-resistant construction using combustible materials such as light wood framing. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Fire Resistance | The ability of building elements to withstand fire for a specified number of hours. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Fire Sprinklers | Fire suppression systems that increase allowable building area and height under code provisions. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
OSHA | Occupational Safety and Health Administration; responsible for worker safety regulations. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
ASTM International | Organization that develops standards for materials and testing methods. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
ANSI | Organization that develops standards for products and systems across industries. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
MasterFormat | CSI-developed system for organizing construction specifications and information. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Division 03 | Concrete. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Division 04 | Masonry. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Division 05 | Metals. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Division 06 | Wood, Plastics, and Composites. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Division 07 | Thermal and Moisture Protection. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
UniFormat | A building classification system organized by functional building elements. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
OmniClass Construction Classification System | A comprehensive system that incorporates MasterFormat, UniFormat, and other organizational methods. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Technical Specifications | Written documents that define quality, products, execution requirements, and performance criteria. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Descriptive Specification | A specification that prescribes exact materials and methods to be used. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Performance Specification | A specification that states required performance outcomes while allowing flexibility in how they are achieved. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Proprietary Specification | A specification that requires a specific manufacturer, product, or model. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Or Equal Specification | A specification allowing alternative products with equivalent performance. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Or Approved Equal Specification | An alternative product may be used only after designer approval. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Design Team | Architects, engineers, and consultants responsible for project design. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Construction Team | General contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers responsible for building the project. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Owner Team | The owner, financiers, and user groups involved in a project. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Design-Bid-Build | A project delivery system where design is completed before competitive contractor bidding. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Design-Build | A project delivery method where a single entity performs both design and construction. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Engineering-Procurement-Construction (EPC) | A design-build variation that provides engineering, procurement, and construction services. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Construction Management (CM) | A delivery method where a construction manager advises the owner without holding construction contracts. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Construction Management at Risk (CMAR) | A CM delivery method where the construction manager provides a Guaranteed Maximum Price. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) | A cost limit guaranteeing the project will not exceed a specified amount. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) | A collaborative delivery method emphasizing shared risk, teamwork, and early stakeholder involvement. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Fixed Fee (Lump Sum) | A payment method where the owner pays a predetermined project price. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Cost Plus Fee | A payment method where the owner pays project costs plus a contractor fee. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Surety Bonds | Bonds that protect owners against contractor default and include bid, performance, payment, and warranty bonds. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Contractor Default | The inability of a contractor to fulfill contractual obligations within required timelines. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Sequential Construction | A process where each project phase begins only after the previous phase is completed. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Phased Construction | A process where design and construction activities overlap to shorten project duration. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Gantt Chart | A project scheduling tool that displays tasks on a timeline. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Critical Path | The sequence of tasks that determines the minimum project completion time. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
General Contractor | The party responsible for overseeing construction, managing trades, and coordinating project activities. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Quality (Construction) | Conformance to standards and specifications. 【1-ecf8dd】 |
Quality (Management) | Meeting or exceeding customer expectations. 【1-ecf8dd】 |