Green Tech Buyer

Green Technologies

A

Acid Rain

The precipitation of solutions containing strong mineral acids (low pH) that are formed by the mixing of various industrial pollutants (primarily ammonium, carbon, nitrogen and sulfur) with naturally occurring oxygen and water vapor in the atmosphere.

Active Solar

A solar application that uses electrical or mechanical equipment (typically pumps and/or fans) to assist in the collection and storage of solar energy for the purpose of heating, cooling (buildings, liquids, or gases) or making electricity.

Adaptability

Design strategy that allows for multiple future types of usage for a space as needs evolve over time. Adaptable design is considered a sustainable building strategy, as it reduces the need to resort to major renovations or tearing down a structure to meet future demands.

Adapted (or Introduced) Plants

Plants that reliably grow well in a given habitat with minimal attention from humans in the form of winter protection, pest control, water irrigation or fertilizer once root systems are established in the soil. Adapted plants are considered to be low maintenance but not invasive.

Adaptive Reuse

Renovation of a building or site to allow an occupant to utilize the space for uses not intended when originally constructed.

Aerator

A device attached to faucets and showerheads that mixes air into the water stream, which maintains pressure while reducing water usage.

Aerosol

A collection of airborne solid or liquid particles, with a typical size between 0.01 and 10 micrometers (µm) and residing in the atmosphere for at least several hours. Aerosols may be of either natural or anthropogenic origin. Aerosols may influence climate in two ways: directly through scattering and absorbing radiation, and indirectly through acting as condensation nuclei for cloud formation or modifying the optical properties and lifetime of clouds. The term has come to be erroneously associated with the propellant used in "aerosol sprays”, which is more closely related to the glossary term ‘Particulate Matter’

Afforestation

Planting of new forests on lands that historically have not contained forests or dense plant life.

Aflatoxin

A known human carcinogen caused by the infestation of molds, most commonly seen on legumes such as peanuts, but also seen in corn, rice, wheat, soy beans and sorghum. The USDA is responsible for testing products to insure that they do not exceed acceptable levels of aflatoxin. While new methods for eliminating these molds are being implemented, concerns remain over the long-term effects of ingesting it at low levels.

Agenda 21

A program run by the United Nations (UN) related to sustainable development that served as the planet's first organized summit to discuss global warming related issues. It is a comprehensive blueprint of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the UN, governments, and major groups in every area in which humans directly affect the environment. The Program for Further Implementation of Agenda 21 was strongly reaffirmed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002.

Agricultural Waste

Materials left over from agricultural processes (e.g., wheat stalks, shell hulls, etc.). Some of these materials are finding new applications as building materials and finishes. Examples include structural sheathing and particleboard alternatives made from wheat, rye and other grain stalks, and panels made from sunflower seed hulls.

Agrifiber Board

A composite panel product derived from recovered agricultural waste fiber from sources including cereal straw, sugarcane bagasse, sunflower husk, walnut shells, coconut husks and agricultural prunings. The raw fibers are processed and mixed with resins to produce panel products with characteristics similar to those derived from wood fiber. The products must comply with the following requirements:
1. The product is inside of the buildings waterproofing system.
2. Composite components used in assemblies are to be included (e.g., door cores, panel substrates, etc.)
3. The product is part of the base building systems.

Air Change Effectiveness

A measurement of a ventilation system’s performance that is determined by measuring the age of air in a volume, often by using a tracer gas decay technique.

Air Changes Per Hour (ACH)

The movement of a volume of air in a given period of time. Ex: If a house has one air change per hour, it means that the air in the house will be replaced in a one-hour period.

Air Cleaning

An indoor air-quality control strategy to remove various airborne particulates and/or gases. Most common methods are particulate filtration, electrostatic precipitation, and gas sorption.