Green building fundamentals : a practical guide to understanding and applying fundamental sustainable construction practices and the LEED green building rating system

This book helps readers understand the fundamental concepts of sustainable design and green building practices, which will soon become common practice on every project. It is also intended as a practical study guide for the LEED Green Associate exam, with a step-by-step study guide and an assessment (a practice exam with 80 questions and a focused discussion for each example). This book includes a discussion on why this topic is important to understand, practice, and teach along with practical examples of methods that are being used to increase a project’s environmental performance and additional study resources/references. Some features include: Covers cost implications of green building practices , including initial investments, long-term cost benefits, and current market trends. Provides a practical guide to understanding fundamental sustainable design and green building practices. Includes a Focused Study Guide that helps readers prepare for the LEED-Green Associate exam. Plus! A companion student website, "MyGreenTradesKit", is now available! Click here for a brief demonstration of this outstanding resource. Cover 1 Contents 6 Preface 12 Chapter 1 Introduction to Green Building Fundamentals 16 References and Resources for Further Study 19 Chapter 2 Sustainability and the Building Industry 20 The Triple Bottom Line 20 The Environmental Imperative 20 The Economic Imperative 22 The Social Imperative 23 References and Resources for Further Study 25 Chapter 3 Sustainable Design and Green Building 26 Sustainable Design Practices 26 Benefits of Sustainably Designed Projects 30 Designing High-Efficiency Buildings 32 Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Building Materials 32 Natural Resource Use Reduction 32 Green Building Practices 34 LEED[sup(®)], Follow, or Get Out of the Way 35 References and Resources for Further Study 37 Chapter 4 Evaluating Cost Implications of Green Building 38 Cost Implications of Green Building 38 Evaluating “Soft” Costs 40 Evaluating Capital Costs and Initial Investment 41 Life-Cycle Cost and Long-Term Investment Considerations 42 Selling and Renting LEED Buildings 43 Long-Term Cost Benefits Due to User Productivity 43 Building Energy and Water Consumption 44 References and Resources for Further Study 45 Chapter 5 Site Development Considerations 46 Evaluating the Project Site 46 Developing Damaged Sites 48 Brownfield Site Remediation Strategies 49 Encouraging Alternative Transportation Use 50 Reducing Disturbance to Natural Ecosystems 52 Reducing Heat Island Effects on Ecosystems 52 Reducing Pollution from Building and Site Lighting 54 Maximizing Efficiency by Using Building Orientation 54 References and Resources for Further Study 56 Chapter 6 Managing Site Water Runoff 58 Managing Erosion and Controlling Sedimentation 58 Effective Strategies for Stormwater Management 64 References and Resources for Further Study 67 Chapter 7 Improving a Project’s Water Use Efficiency 68 Improving Water Use Efficiency 68 Water-Efficient Landscaping 68 Water-Efficient Buildings 69 Recycling Wastewater 70 Wastewater Retention and Reuse 71 Rainwater Reuse 72 Greywater Reuse from Buildings 74 References and Resources for Further Study 75 Chapter 8 Improving a Building’s Energy Efficiency 76 Efficient Energy Use for Building Systems 76 Heating and Cooling Systems 76 Passive Solar Heating and Cooling 77 Direct Heat Gain 78 Indirect Heat Gain 79 Isolated Heat Gain 80 Maximizing Energy Performance 80 References and Resources for Further Study 82 Chapter 9 Using Renewable Energy Sources 83 Renewable Energy Sources 83 Green Power 85 Wind Farms 85 Photovoltaic Power Plants 87 Solar Thermal Power Plants 89 Geothermal Power Plants 90 Hydroelectric Power Plants 91 Biomass Power Sources 92 Tidal Power Sources 92 References and Resources for Further Study 92 Chapter 10 On-Site Power Generation Using Renewable Energy Sources 94 Photovoltaic (PV) Power Generation 94 Electricity Storage with PV Systems 96 Grid-Connected PV Systems 96 Building-Mounted PV Systems 98 Site-Mounted PV Arrays 99 Building-Integrated Photovoltaics 100 Financial Incentives for On-Site Solar Power Generation 102 Biomass Power Systems 103 Geothermal Power Systems 103 Wind Turbine Power Systems 104 Turbine Configuration 105 Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems 107 References and Resources for Further Study 108 Chapter 11 Improving a Building’s Material Use 109 Reusing Existing Building Stock 109 Selecting Building Materials 109 Building Materials That Have Recycled Content 110 Material Transportation Impacts 110 Building Materials That are Made from Rapidly Renewable Resources 111 Recycling Construction Waste 112 References and Resources for Further Study 113 Chapter 12 Improving a Building’s Indoor Environment Quality 114 Ventilation Systems for Improved Indoor Air Quality 114 Measuring Indoor Air Quality 114 Mechanical Ventilation Systems 115 Passive Ventilation Systems 115 Hybrid Integrated Ventilation Systems 117 Methods for Improving Indoor Air Quality During Construction 118 Construction Air Quality Control Plan 118 Improving Air Quality During Construction 118 References and Resources for Further Study 119 Chapter 13 The USGBC’s LEED® Green Building Certification Program 120 Sustainability and the USGBC’s LEED[sup(®)] Green Building Certification Program 120 The U.S. Green Building Council 120 USGBC Guiding Principles 121 The LEED Green Building Rating System 121 The Future of LEED 123 Becoming a LEED-Accredited Professional 123 Building Certification 125 References and Resources for Further Study 127 Chapter 14 Becoming a LEED Green Associate 128 LEED Accredited Professional Programs 128 LEED Green Associate Program 129 Preparing for the LEED Green Associate Exam 130 Focused Study Plan 130 USGBC Reference Guide 133 Timeline for LEED Implementation 136 Additional Study Sources 136 Exam Format 137 LEED Green Associate Exam General Topics 138 Study Assessment Guide 140 Appendix A: Project Checklist: LEED Version 3 (2009) 142 Appendix B: LEED Version 3 Study Outline 148 Appendix C: Study Assessment Guide LEED Version 3 Green Associate 150 Appendix D: Study Assessment Guide Answer Key and Focused Study Resources 160 Index 182 A 182 B 182 C 183 D 183 E 183 F 184 G 184 H 185 I 185 K 185 L 185 M 186 N 186 O 186 P 186 R 187 S 187 T 188 U 189 V 189 W 189 X 189