Green Building Cheat Sheet

The core ideas of Green Building distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.

PiqCue — piqcue.com/green-building/cheatsheet

Quick Reference

Net-Zero Energy Building

A building that produces as much renewable energy as it consumes over the course of a year, resulting in zero net energy consumption from the utility grid. This is achieved through a combination of extreme energy efficiency measures and on-site renewable energy generation.

LEED Certification

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, it evaluates buildings on a points-based system across categories such as energy, water, materials, indoor quality, and innovation, awarding Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum levels.

Passive House (Passivhaus)

A rigorous voluntary standard for energy efficiency in buildings that reduces the structure's ecological footprint. Passive House buildings achieve ultra-low energy use for heating and cooling through superinsulation, airtight construction, high-performance windows, thermal bridge-free design, and heat recovery ventilation.

Building Envelope

The physical barrier between the conditioned interior of a building and the unconditioned exterior environment, including walls, roof, foundation, windows, and doors. A well-designed envelope minimizes unwanted heat transfer, air leakage, and moisture infiltration.

Embodied Carbon

The total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, manufacturing, transportation, installation, and end-of-life disposal of building materials, as distinct from the operational emissions produced during a building's use phase.

Daylighting

The intentional use of natural light to illuminate building interiors through the strategic placement and sizing of windows, skylights, light shelves, and reflective surfaces. Effective daylighting reduces electric lighting loads and improves occupant comfort and productivity.

Greywater Recycling

The collection and treatment of gently used wastewater from sinks, showers, and laundry for reuse in non-potable applications such as toilet flushing and landscape irrigation. Greywater systems reduce total potable water consumption in buildings.

Green Roof

A building roof that is partially or fully covered with a waterproof membrane, growing medium, and vegetation. Green roofs reduce stormwater runoff, provide insulation, mitigate the urban heat island effect, and can extend roof membrane lifespan by protecting it from UV radiation and temperature extremes.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

A systematic methodology for evaluating the environmental impacts of a building or building product across its entire life span, from raw material extraction through manufacturing, construction, operation, and end-of-life. LCA quantifies impacts such as carbon emissions, water use, and resource depletion.

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)

The conditions inside a building that affect the health, comfort, and productivity of occupants, including air quality, thermal comfort, lighting quality, and acoustics. Green building standards require attention to IEQ through ventilation, material selection, and design strategies.

Key Terms at a Glance

ASHRAE:American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Sets widely adopted standards for building energy efficiency, ventilation, and indoor air quality.

Biophilic Design:A design approach that incorporates natural elements such as plants, water features, natural light, and organic materials to enhance occupant well-being and connection to nature.

BREEAM:Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. The world's first green building rating system, established in the UK in 1990, evaluating sustainability across multiple categories.

Building Envelope:The physical separator between the conditioned interior and unconditioned exterior of a building, including walls, roof, foundation, windows, and doors.

Commissioning:A systematic quality assurance process that verifies building systems are designed, installed, calibrated, and operating according to the owner's project requirements.

Cross-Laminated Timber:An engineered wood product made from layers of lumber boards glued at perpendicular angles, used as a structural material with lower embodied carbon than steel or concrete.

Daylighting:The controlled admission of natural light into a building to reduce electric lighting needs and improve visual comfort for occupants.

Embodied Carbon:The sum of all greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the mining, harvesting, processing, manufacturing, transportation, and installation of building materials.

Energy Use Intensity:A building performance metric calculated by dividing total annual energy consumption by gross floor area, expressed in kBtu per square foot per year or kWh per square meter per year.

Green Roof:A roof system that supports vegetation and growing medium over a waterproof membrane, providing stormwater management, insulation, and urban heat island mitigation.

Greywater:Wastewater generated from domestic activities such as handwashing, bathing, and laundry that can be treated and reused for non-potable purposes.

Heat Recovery Ventilation:A mechanical system that exchanges heat between outgoing exhaust air and incoming fresh air, maintaining ventilation while recovering 70 to 90 percent of thermal energy.

HVAC:Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. The building systems responsible for maintaining thermal comfort and indoor air quality.

Indoor Environmental Quality:The overall quality of a building's interior environment as it relates to occupant health and well-being, encompassing air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, and acoustics.

LEED:Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. A globally recognized green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

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