Biodiversity: The word is a contraction of "biological diversity,"
and refers to the number, variety, and variability of living organisms.
Environmental Aspects: An element of an organization's activities,
products or services that can interact with the environment.
Environmental Chamber: A controlled, non-reactive testing device
of known volume with dynamically maintained air change rate, temperature, and humidity.
Environmental Policy: Is a statement by the organization of its
intentions and principles in relation to its overall environmental performance,
which provides a framework for action and for the setting of its environmental objectives
and targets.
Environmental Management System: The part of the overall management
system that includes organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities,
practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving,
reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy.
Formaldehyde: HCHO, a volatile organic chemical which is a natural
product of human metabolism, a byproduct of combustion process, and an important
industrial chemical used to produce synthetic urea- and phenol-formaldehyde.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Emissions of gases related to human activities
that accelerate the "greenhouse effect." The term "greenhouse effect" describes
the natural heat-trapping qualities of trace gases in the Earth's atmosphere. Human
activities have significantly increased the concentrations of natural greenhouse
gases such as carbon dioxide. While carbon dioxide is not the only greenhouse gas,
it is the main contributor to warming. Other important greenhouse gases include
nitrous oxide and methane, both of which have increased in the last century.
LEED-CI: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Commercial
Interiors. A Rating system that provides specifications for interior office spaces
to improve design, health, durability, affordability, and environmentally sound
workspaces.
LEED-NC: Leadership in Energy and Environmental design for New
Construction. A rating system that provides specifications for new building designs
and construction materials & methods to provide environmental performance from
a whole-building prospective.
Life-cycle: Means the total impact of a system, function, product
or service from the extraction of raw materials through its end-of-life management.
Renewable Energy: A renewable energy source is defined as any energy
source that is replenishable and replenished on some reasonable time scale. Renewable
energy sources include, but are not limited to wind, solar, heat from the earth's
interior, oceans, rivers, and eligible biomass.
Renewable Raw Materials: A renewable energy source is any material
that is replenishable and replenished on some reasonable time scale. Renewable material
sources include, but are not limited to wood; grass fibers, plant-based plastics,
fuels and 100 percent recycled content metals, papers, plastics and glass.
Resource Effectiveness/Material Intensity: Refers to the concept
of continuously improving the utility and durability of the product or service provided
while reducing its total material and energy throughput such as the use of less
energy, the generation of less waste, and the use of less mass per unit produced.
Significant Environmental Aspect: A significant aspect is an environmental
aspect that has or can have significant environmental impact.
Social Equity: Involves the identification of issues, the development
of standards and the implementation of programs that address corporate responsibility
for the ethical treatment of employees, communities and other stakeholders.
Source Reduction: This refers to a pollution prevention technique
that eliminates the potential for pollution at the source, or where the polluting
material enters the product or service cycle.
Sustainable Practices: This refers to efforts by industry to achieve
sustainable development goals that call for simultaneous performance improvements
in economic vitality; ecological integrity; and social equity.
Sustainable Business Codes or Practices: Refers to any voluntary
business code of conduct or code of practice that calls for simultaneous improvements
in economic, environmental, and social performance.
Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs): Sum of all airborne volatile
organics collected and analyzed by a defined analytical method, typically encompassing
C4 - C16 hydrocarbons.
Triple Bottom Line: Sustainable development involves the simultaneous
pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental quality and social equity. Companies
aiming for sustainability need to perform not against a single, financial bottom
line, but against the triple bottom line.
USGBC: Unites States Green Building Council. A national no-profit
organization founded in 1993. The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation's foremost
coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings
that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and
work.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Chemical compounds containing
carbon with a typical boiling range of 0-290°C and vapor pressure greater than 102
kP @ STP (e.g. benzene and trichloroethylene).
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