Materials comprised of natural fibres - usually agricultural by-products such as straw.

The air that leaks in around doors, windows, and electrical outlets, etc. which can be a major source of heat loss.

A measure of surface light reflectance. Albedo is measured on a scale of 0 – 1.0 (0.75 is high).

American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. ASHRAE provides many of the standards related to energy efficiency, ventilation and thermal comfort for both the US and Canada. 
 

Standards describing energy performance.

A shallow trench planted with trees, shrubs, and ground cover that detains and filters stormwater before allowing it to infiltrate the groundwater system.

An additive which will prevent growth of bacteria or fungi. Used in paints, floor coverings and sometimes in fabrics. They are toxic materials which are usually only safe in low concentrations.

A material that will decompose into naturally occurring, harmless components with exposure to air, sunlight and/or moisture.

Building integrated photovoltaic products such as solar roof shingles for homes and opaque glass PV facades are now available on the market. These replace conventional building materials while generating electricity, effectively reducing the cost of PV installation. (See Photovoltaic) 
 

Waste water that contains organic matter – i.e waste water from kitchen sinks, toilets, etc. 
 

BOMA BESt (Building Environmental Standards) is an environmental certification program for commercial buildings. This national program addresses an industry need for realistic standards for energy and environmental performance of existing buildings based on accurate, independently verified information. BOMA BESt provides common standards, an array of educational and on-line assessment tools; independent data audits; and a four-level performance certification program. 
 
 

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

The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water 1 deg. F., equal to 252 calories or the heat given off by a match. Used to measure heat output or the energy contained within a material.

A site that has been previously developed and likely to contain soil contamination.

Anything produced in the course of making another product.

Canadian Green Building Council

Commercial Buildings Incentive Program (Formerly known as C2000) was developed by NRCan. Provides compensation for creating energy efficiency features in new commercial/institutional buildings. Based on MNECB and CBIP Technical Guide.

A short and intensive design process that usually involves people from different backgrounds and disciplines in order to gain an integrated and broad perspective of issues at hand. See also Integrated design.

Commissioning of building systems is a systematic process to ensure that all the building systems perform interactively according to the contract documents, the design intent and the owners operational needs. Commissioning maximizes energy efficiency thus minimizing environmental impacts associated with energy production and consumption.

A waste management system for plant material (i.e. kitchen scraps and garden thinnings) that involves the biological decomposition of organic material into a rich soil amendment.

CFCs are chemicals manufactured from hydrocarbons, such as methane, chlorine, fluorine, or bromine and often used as a propellant that traps heat in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming. Commonly used in refrigerants and solvents, they can destroy the ozone in the upper atmosphere when released.

CFD is a detailed airflow modeling technique which “solves the governing equations of air motion” to give predictions of pressure, velocity and temperature. CFD allows engineers to reconsider natural ventilation rather than mechanical ventilation and air conditioning.

Extensive engineered systems comprising wide range of native plants designed to mimic natural wetland treatment properties.

An understanding of the life cycle of materials and their embodied energy that accounts for the original extraction or harvest of material to its end-life and eventual reuse.

An understanding of the life cycle of materials and their embodied energy that accounts for the original extraction or harvest of material to the beginning of its first use.

“Certified forest products” are branded with the label of one of the organizations (see FSC) that sets standards for responsible forest management. Some forest certification systems require manufacturers to have a material management system, or “chain of custody” process, in place in order to sell “certified forest products” with their label. (See Chain of Custody)

A chain of custody certificate verifies that the forest products that a certified company sells contain fibre from certified, well managed forests. Certifiers that provide forest certification services also provide chain-of-custody certification to manufacturers.

A cut-off luminaire provides shielding of emitted light to reduce light pollution. Best practice standards set by IESNA. (see IESNA)

DF is a ratio of exterior illumination to interior illumination.

Demolition and land clearing.

Capture water run off and allow pollutants to drop out before release into next system. Either gravity or mechanically powered. Often dry except for major weather events.

Notion of taking Integrated Design Charrette to an industrial community (see Integrated Design and Charrette). EIN builds relationships among businesses, governments, and the community to share and more efficiently use resources such as energy, material, water, land, capital, infrastructure, and people. 
 

The total impact on the environment including source depletion, pollution and degradation of habitats. That which impacts the least, costs the least.

A roof covered with soil mix and vegetation. Stormwater is absorbed by the soil and vegetation, reducing and detaining stormwater from overloading sewer systems.

This concrete is produced by replacing cement with a maximum percentage of supplementary cementing materials (see SCMs) within the parameters of cost-effectiveness, constructability, and performance.

The amount of light output (lumen) per watt of input electricity to a lamp.

A representation of the energy used to grow, harvest, extract, manufacture, transport, and dispose of a material. 
 

Embodied energy can be defined as the quantity of energy required by all of the activities associated with a production process including the acquisition of primary material, transportation, manufacturing and handling. A useful measure of ecological cost.

The tool through which NRCan will deliver the existing home retrofit incentive program. EnerGuide® provides a rating of a homes energy performance and establishes the benchmark against which improvements may be made that will be eligible for a grant.

(See Sustainability)

Polystyrene, a plastic that is formed with CFCs or HCFCs into pellets and compressed into sheets, or extruded into closed cell sheets and used for insulation. It is sometimes called by the trade name “Styrofoam”.