706: JARGON BUSTER INDEX Words + Phrases A

NGS JARGON BUSTER A
INDEX: 

• ABBREVIATIONS
• ABIOTIC
• ABIOTIC COMPONENTS
• ABIOTIC DEPLETION (AD)
• ABIOTIC RESOURCE DEPLETION POTENTIAL (ADP)
• ABOLITION OF REGIONAL STRATEGIES
• ABSORPTION
• ABUNDANT MATERIALS
• ACADEMY FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES (ASC)
• ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR CONTRACT (ABC)
• ACCESS (FOR PUBLIC)
• ACCESS HATCH
• ACCESSIBILITY
• ACCESSIBLE
• ACCESS ROADS
• ACCOMMODATION     See: BIM ACCOMMODATION
• ACCREDITATION
• ACCREDITATION AUTHORITY
• ACCREDITED CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
• ACID
• ACID DEPOSITION SO₂
• ACIDIFICATION
• ACIDIFICATION POTENTIAL (AP)
• ACIDITY
• ACID RAIN
• ACOUSTIC
• ACOUSTIC ABSORPTION
• ACOUSTIC BARRIER
• ACOUSTIC FLANKING
• ACOUSTIC INSULATION
• ACOUSTIC ISOLATION

ACOUSTIC ISOLATION JOINT (AIJ)

ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE
Building’s ability to enhance or minimise airborne noise from outside to inside and vice versa, and/or impact noise transmission between floors, walls and ceilings.
(EESC ’11)

ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS)

ACQUISITION COST
Price paid including all transaction costs.
(EESC ’11)
See: Total Cost of Ownership
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ACR       See: AIR CHANGE RATE

ACRE     See: ACTION WITH COMMUNITIES IN RURAL ENGLAND

ACRONYMS
Like abbreviations and initials they are a short hand version of an organisations name, unlike initials they make up a word in their own right e.g. CIRIA, CIRCA, etc. They often become part of our normal vocabulary like WYSIWYG, NEDO, etc. Another variation of the abbreviation, Initial and Acronym is one where more than one letter from each or some words is used to make a pronounceable word out of more than just initials. E.g. NAMAS. Etc.
(ASWS BRM ’97)
See: Plain English, Abbreviation, Initials, TLA, Three Letter Abbreviation, Crystal clear, Crystal mark
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)

ACRYLONITRILE BUTADIENE STYRENE (ABS)
Used at BedZED for above ground drainage in place of PVC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylonitrile_butadiene_styrene
See: Greenpeace Plastics Hierarchy
(GreenSpec BRM ’11 – ‘12)

ACTION PRORAMME FOR RESPONSIBLE SOURCING (APRES)
Training programme on Responsible sourcing run by Responsible Solutions
Http://www.responsible-solutions.co.uk
http://apres.lboro.ac.uk
Dr Jacqualine Glass info@lboro.ac.uk
See: ISO 26000, BES 6001, GreenSpec Light, Local Sourcing, Responsible Sourcing, DFE
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL INGREDIENTS (API)

See: CLP, GHS, DPD, DSD, REACH
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ACTIVE SOLAR HEATING
Passive renewable heat energy solar thermal panels attached to a frame with universal joint mounting that follows the sun to maximise the heat energy gained.
Often used for heating swimming pools
Take care to ensure the benefits outweigh the losses, especially the carbon accounting, using grid electricity to obtain renewable heat may not have a short carbon payback period.
PV collectors for the motor electricity would overcome some of the issues.
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ACTIVE WASTE
Materials include: Topsoil, Green (Landscape) waste, Untreated (preservatives) timber, Lime mortar, lime render, lime paint, Limecrete, Mixed metals, Cardboard, Paper, Office paper
See: Waste types,
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ACTOR IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN
All manufacturers and/or importers and/or downstream users in a supply chain of a substance.
(HSE REACH ’10)

AD          See: ABIOTIC DEPLETION

AD          See: ANAEROBIC DIGESTION

AD          See: APPROVED DOCUMENT

ADAPTATION   See BIM ADAPTATION

ADAPTATION
Adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities.
(UKCIP Climate Change Science)
Adaptation involves taking actions to minimize the effects, and take advantage of the opportunities, of climate change (both current and those yet to come).
(Adapting to the impact of climate change on buildings, neighbourhoods and cities A Briefing Guide for the North West  Ian Cooper et al ’10)
Adaptation and Mitigation need to be tackled in parallel.
Reducing carbon emissions (mitigation) is essential but adaptation is also critical.
Some climate change is now inevitable and unless urgent, concerted global action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, further changes to our climate may become unavoidable,
This assumes that preparing for and adapting to the changes is not an alternative strategy to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but a parallel, complementary and highly necessary one.
(London Climate Change Partnership)
See: Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation, DFE,
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)

ADAPTABILITY
The capacity of a building or space to be changed so as to respond to changing social, technological and economic conditions.
(Peterborough Residential Design Guide circa ‘00)

ADAPTABLE BUILDING
a building that has been designed with thought of how it might be easily altered to prolong its life, for instance by addition or contraction, to suit new uses or patterns of use.
(CIRIA RP656 Design for Deconstruction Bill Addis)
See: Climate Change Adaptation, DFE
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)
Building that is designed in such a way that, over time, it can be readily transformed to accommodate uses for which it was not originally conceived.
(EESC ’11)

ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Collective effort that is needed to devise new strategies, policies, technologies, materials and methods to assist the human race to cope with the effects of climate change.
(EESC ’11)

ADDITION
Extension or increase in floor area or height of a building or to any building system or equipment
(Building Energy Glossary ’06)
See: Extensions,
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ADDITIVES
Added to most recipes E additive in food, chemicals in products.
Most chemical additives will emit VOCs during the curing process.
Many will emit VOCs long after curing and whilst buildings are in use.
If applying a sealer or other coating to a floor or other surface, check that the curing compound is compatible with the finish.
Also ensure there is sufficient ventilation during the curing process.
See: Off-gassing
(SEDA ’08 & GreenSpec ’09)

An additive is any input material in the product representing up to 5 mass %.
(Natureplus 2002)

ADHESIVES
Wood adhesives used in plywood, particleboard, OSB, etc.
urea formaldehyde (UF)
melamine urea-formaldehyde (MUF)
phenol- formaldehyde (PF)
polymeric methylene di-isocyanate (PMDI)
Making most wood panel products high embodied energy, high embodied carbon, worse than timber boarding which benefits from low embodied energy and carbon sequestration during growth.
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)

ADJUSTED LIGHTING POWER
lighting power, ascribed to a luminaire(s) that has been reduced by deducting a lighting power control credit based on use of an automatic control device(s)
(Building Energy Glossary ’06)

ADOPTED ROAD
A prerequisite of adoption is compliance with set or published engineering standards, usually by the City Engineer, however a pre-existent road may not be able to comply with them, buildings may skirt the road and to comply would require their demolition.
See: Un-adopted road
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ADOPTING AUTHORITY
agency or agent that adopts a standard or an addition to the infrastructure e.g. adopted road or SUDS drainage
(GreenSpec BRM ’10-’11)

ADP       See: ABIOTIC DEPLETION POTENTIAL

ADSCR   See: ANNUAL DSCR

ADSORPTION
Adsorption is the physical adherence or bonding of ions and molecules onto the surface of another phase (e.g. reagents adsorbed to solid catalyst surface).
(Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adsorption#Adsorption_spillover)

Materials can be added to polluted water that attract hydrocarbons to their surfaces that then get adsorbed onto the surfaces and cannot be washed off or squeezed out.
When introduced into Sludge Gullies and Petrol Interceptors will capture hydrocarbons from road run-off and hold them for collection by LA road maintenance staff.
The same materials can be used to adsorb pathogens from polluted water.
See: Absorption, Sorption
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)

ADVOCATE
Someone to speak on your behalf
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ADVOCACY

AEC       See: ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION

AECB     See: ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENT CONSCIOUS BUILDING

AECB     See: SUSTAINABLE BUILDING ASSOCIATION

AEP       See: SANDY PATIENCE
Editor of GreenSpec website
See: BRM, GreenSpec, MyGreenSpec renamed GreenSpec Studio, GreenSpec PASS, WasteCost Lite, GreenSpec EPD,
(GreenSpec BRM ’10 – ‘12)

AEROBIC COMPOSTING
The natural breaking down of organic waste into compost.
One form of Recovery in the Waste Hierarchy
(Cherrington ’95)
See: Anaerobic Digestions, AD

AEROBIC DIGESTION (AD)
The bacterial process of decomposition or rotting occurring in the presence of oxygen – aka composting.
(GreenSpec AEP ’09)
‘Recovery’ in the waste hierarchy.
Recovering nutrients from waste for use in soil improvement, by adding recovered nutrients to the soil and adding water retaining capacity and breaking up heavy clay soils.
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AEROGEL INSULATION
See: Thin Insulation
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)

AFAG   See: ARBORICULTURE AND FORESTRY ADVISORY GROUP

AFFILIATES
See: Passipedia: iPHA Affiliates
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AFFORDABILITY
Passive Houses not only save money over the long term, especially in light of rising energy costs, but also are surprisingly affordable to begin with.
Passive Houses do not require heating and cooling systems on conventional scales, meaning that the money that would have gone towards larger heating and cooling systems can be spent instead on better windows, thicker insulation and a ventilation system – hallmarks of Passive House design.
Add to this the long-term energy savings Passive Houses bring and it becomes clear that Passive Houses are a good investment.
Especially in the face of dwindling energy resources and rising energy costs, the Passive House Standard demonstrates sustainable affordability.
Even so, Passive Houses do cost more upfront than their conventional counterparts.
On average, someone building a Passive House in Germany might expect to spend anywhere from 3 to 8% more, and this cost differential is likely more in countries where Passive House components are not yet readily available.
As the number of Passive House suitable components on the market increases, however, prices in these other countries will drop.
Financial support for Passive Houses, as currently available in a number of countries, further reduces their cost. In this light then, building a Passive House may even be more affordable over the long term than building a conventional home.
See: Passipedia: Affordability
See: £60k House
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Most residential developments are required by their T&CP permission to have a percentage of ‘affordable’ housing for essential services employees (fire, police, ambulance, hospital, bin men, etc.) (for rent in the social sector).
Developers often object to mixing tenure on the same site seek to carryout a second development near by to compensate, often with an RSL involved in management to rent the properties.
See: £60k House
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AFFORESTATION
The planting of trees in areas that have not previously held forests.
(GreenSpec AEP ’09)
Planting of new forests on lands which have never, in recorded history, contained forests.
(EESC ’11)
See: Trees, Zone of Influence,
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

AF          See: AREA FACTOR

AFUE     See: ANNUAL FUEL UTILIZATION EFFICIENCY

AGENCY
An organisation, voluntary, statutory or private company, which is involved in providing services
(Participation Works Partnership)

AGENDA 21
Programme run by the United Nations (UN) related to sustainable development, which provides a comprehensive blueprint of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organisations of the UN, governments, and major groups in every area in which humans have an impact on the environment.
(EESC ’11)
See: Local Agenda 21
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

AGGREGAIN
WRAP website focussed on recycled aggregates
www.aggregain.org
GreenSpec assisted in the creation of the Demolition Module.
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AGGREGATE
Sand and gravel used alone or with a binder or found with a natural binder or used in concrete making.
See: Virgin, Primary, Secondary, Recycled, RCA, Manufactured aggregates, Breedon gravel,
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AGRICULTURAL CO-PRODUCT, BY-PRODUCTS OR WASTE
The material/product uses agricultural co-product, by-products or waste?
Co-Product e.g. milling waste not used for fuel,
Bi-product e.g. unused stem of Straw, Hemp, flax,
Waste: leaves, bark, roots, forest thinnings, husks, nut shell, coffee grounds, Animal bone, sewage,
Under valued/under used: e.g. sheep’s wool, feather
Material applications:
construction panel,
construction board,
thermal insulation,
bone used as aggregate in lightweight concrete blocks
animal sewage made into LESA lightweight expanded sewage aggregate
Reservations:
Use of synthetic, petrochemical, hazardous: treatments, binders, etc.
Exceptions/Exclusions:
No beneficial use of by-product or waste
Waste generated and stored at ground level or deposited in landfill/landrise
No or poor Animal Husbandry Stewardship schemes in place
Examples:
Animal brain and nerve tissue
Synthetic binders
Hazardous treatments added for durability
Hazardous as a waste product
Potential substitutes:
Recycled timber fibres from virgin solid wood, reclaimed or recycled wood
Secondary aggregates, recycled aggregates,
bio-plastics,
Sewage,
LECA Clay
See: Abundant Material, Agricultural Co-Product, By-Products Or Waste, Healthy Material, Renewable Materials, Rapidly Renewable Material, Non-renewable material, VOC, CAPEM
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AGRÉMENT CERTIFICATE
Issued by the BBA it represents one of a number of third party accreditation schemes where a manufacturer is creating a product or system, which may not necessarily comply with a BS or industry standard or CP. 
BBA will carry out test to verify that the product complies with the specification it sets out to comply with and identify any limitations that the user should adopt for successful use. 
The Agrément Certificate sets out the manufacturer’s design intent, any regulations or standards that apply and where they can be ignored, what limitations if any apply and what the life expectancy should be.
(ASWS BRM ’97)

AHU       See: AIR HANDLING UNITS

AI           See: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

AIDS      See: ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME

AIJ         See: ACOUSTIC ISOLATION JOINT

AIR BARRIER
An air barrier comprises materials and/or components, which are air impervious or virtually so, separating conditioned spaces (heated, cooled or humidity controlled), from unconditioned spaces (unheated, uncooled, humidity uncontrolled, usually outside).
(Based on SEDA Airtightness Guide definition)

AIRBORNE SOUND
Sound propagating through the air, often linked to noise sources such as speech and television.
(CC Publication: Concrete and Sound insulation)
http://www.pavatex.co.uk/lexikon.aspx?GlossaryId=24&mid=2785&ctl=Detail&SkinSrc=%5bG%5dSkins%2fpavatexcss%2fnoSkin&ContainerSrc=%5bG%5dContainers%2f_default%2fNo+Container
(Pavatex Glossary ‘__ www.Pavatex.co.uk)

AIRBORNE SOUND INSULATION
Sound insulation that reduces the transmission of airborne sound between adjoining dwellings or parts of adjoining dwellings.
(CC Publication: Concrete and Sound insulation)

AIR CHANGES
a measure of the air exchange in a building.
One air change is an exchange of a volume of air equal to the interior volume of a building.
(Hastoe HA GreenStreet.org)

AIR CHANGES PER HOUR (ACH)
Measures ventilation as the number of times per hour that the air inside a building is changed.
Units: m³ hr./ m³.
(GreenSpec AEP ’09)
See: Air change rate
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)
Number of times each hour that an enclosure’s total volume of air is exchanged with fresh (or conditioned) air.
(EESC ’11)
The rate of ventilation expressed in terms of the number of times the entire volume of air in a home is replaced within the duration of an hour.
(NHBC Foundation ’12)

AIR CHANGE RATE (ACR)
The rate at which outside air enters a room, space or building; or inside air escapes from a room, space or building divided by the volume of that room, space or building.
This is expressed as ach (air changes per hour).
(Based on SEDA Airtightness Guide definition & GreenSpec ’09)

AIR CHANGE VALUE
Indicates how often the entire room air is renewed within one hour.
(Pavatex Glossary ‘__ www.Pavatex.co.uk)

AIR CONDITIONED FLOOR AREA
area served by air conditioning equipment measured at floor level from the interior surfaces of the walls
See: floor area,
(GreenSpec BRM ’10 – ’11)

AIR CONDITIONED SPACE
space served by air conditioning equipment
See: Air-conditioned floor area
(GreenSpec BRM ’10 – ’11)

AIR CONDITIONING (AC)
High-energy intensive system of ventilation with cooling, part of the process is both heating and cooling to manage humidity, more often than not mechanical ventilation could suffice.
(Ska ’09 and GreenSpec BRM ’10)
See: HVAC, MV, MVHR, WHMV, ACI, VO, Voltage Optimisation,
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)
Mechanically aided heating, cooling and conditioning of indoor air to optimise thermal and humidity conditions.

See: Heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC)
(EESC ’11)

AIR CONDITIONING FOR HUMAN COMFORT
Conditioning air to modify its temperature, relative humidity and cleanliness; and its distribution, delivery and dispersal within conditioned space(s) to meet the comfort requirements of the occupants of the condition space(s).
Some air conditioners may not accomplish all these controls
(Building Energy Glossary ’06 & GreenSpec BRM ’10)
See: AC, Air Conditioning, ACI, VO, Voltage Optimisation,
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AIR CONDITIONING INSPECTION (ACI)
Because of the risk of legionella outbreaks from faulty AC units it’s now a legal requirement to have regular inspections of air-conditioning equipment.
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AIR CURTAIN
A stream of high velocity, temperature-controlled (usually heated in the heating season) air that is directed across an opening.
It enables control of conditions in a space, which has an open entrance.
(Based on SEDA Airtightness Guide definition)

AIR EXFILTRATION
The uncontrolled outward leakage of indoor air through cracks, discontinuities and other unintentional openings in the building envelope.
In winter the air is likely to be heated and heated air exfiltration will result in uncontrolled heat loss and potential interstitial condensation risk.
(SEDA Scottish Environmental Design Association, GreenSpec ’09 & Ecological Building Systems’09)

AIR FILM RESISTANCE
Results from convection currents at the surface of a material.
As the surface heats up or cools down, it affects the temperature of the air immediately adjacent.
This then starts to rise or fall depending on whether it is hotter or colder.
This has the same effect as increasing the resistance of the material to the flow of heat.
See: Surface Resistivity
(GreenSpec AEP ’09)

AIR FLOW RATE
Amount of air supplied, discharged or extracted per unit of time
Units: L/s = litres/second
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)

AIR HANDLING UNIT (AHU)
An encased assembly, room, or space in a plant room or in a duct assembly, consisting of sections containing a fan or fans and other necessary equipment to perform one or more of the following functions: circulating, recirculating, filtration, heating, cooling, heat recovery, humidifying, dehumidifying and mixing of air; as well as noise attenuation; used for ventilation, heating, cooling or air conditioning of the conditioned spaces they serve.
(GreenSpec BRM ’10-’11)

AIR INFILTRATION
The uncontrolled inward leakage of outdoor air through cracks, discontinuities and other unintentional openings in the building envelope.
In winter the air is likely to be cold and cold air infiltration will result in uncontrolled draughts, leading to thermal discomfort and condensation risk.
(SEDA Scottish Environmental Design Association, GreenSpec ’09 & Ecological Building Systems ’09)
Another term for inward air leakage/air permeability
(GreenSpec AEP ’09)
Through careful design and quality of construction, air permeability and air infiltration can be minimised.
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)
Air that leaks into a building through small cracks in door and window frames.
(EESC ’11)

AIR LAYING
(Renuables AN ’09)

AIR LEAKAGE
Uncontrolled movement of air out of a building which is not for the specific and planned purpose of exhausting stale air or bringing in fresh air.
(EESC ’11)

AIR LEAKAGE AUDIT
The inspection of materials and components, between conditioned and unconditioned spaces to try to establish where major discontinuities in an air barrier system might exist.
(Based on SEDA Airtightness Guide definition)
AIR LEAKAGE INDEX
The leakage of air (m3.h-1) in or out of a building space, per unit area (m2) of envelope (excluding ground floor area, except for non-ground supported lower floors)
at a reference pressure of 50 Pa between inside and outside the building.
(Based on SEDA Airtightness Guide definition)
AIR LEAKAGE INDEX
The measure of air leakage per unit thermal envelope area including the roof and walls – but not the ground floor.
Units: m³/m²hr at 50 Pascals or m/h @ 50 Pa.
(GreenSpec AEP ’09)

AIR LEAKAGE PATH(S)
A route by which air enters or leaves a building or flows through a component.
(based on SEDA Airtightness Guide definition)
A route by which air enters or leaves a building or flows through a component.
The air leakage path may not pass directly through an element but can also pass long its length or across its area, leaks in the external envelop can manifest themselves in more than one location and in any junction of external or internal construction.
Plasterboard is an example of an air-leaky construction where air moves between walls and plasterboard and leaks out of electrical switches and sockets, around skirting, etc.
Holes through the building fabric through which air can pass, that can destroy the integrity of the fabric’s acoustic, fire, thermal, wind, weather, water, moisture and air tightness performance.
The building fabric can be both internal construction or external envelop, air leakage paths can link them.
During the heating season, air passing through air leakage paths will carry heat, increase energy demand and increase the carbon footprint of the building and its occupants.
Air leakage paths will show up on Infrared-Thermography images as an anomaly.
(GreenSpec ’09)

AIR LEAKAGE RATE
The leakage of air (m3.h-1) in or out of a building space, per unit volume (m3) at a reference pressure of 50 Pa between inside and outside the building.
(based on SEDA Airtightness Guide definition)

AIR MOVEMENT THROUGH BUILDINGS
See: Atrium, Atria, FD, Fluid Dynamics, Bypass, SunSpaces, Conservatory, Solar Spaces,

CPD:   See Air Movement Through Buildings
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

AIR PATH
A direct or indirect air passage from one side of a structure to the other.
(CC Publication: Concrete and Sound insulation)
AIR PERMEABILITY
The leakage of air (m3.h-1) in or out of a building space, per unit area (m2) of envelope (including ground floor area) at a reference pressure of 50 Pa between inside and outside the building.
(based on SEDA Airtightness Guide definition)
AIR PERMEABILITY
Determined by Part L of the Building Regulations as the uncontrolled air leakage through the building envelope including the roof, walls and ground floor.
Part L of the Building Regulations specifies maximum values for the air permeability of dwellings, commercial and public buildings.
BS EN 13829 defines air permeability.
Units: m³/m²hr at 50 Pascals or m/h @ 50 Pa.
(GreenSpec AEP ’09)

AIR PUMPS
Use buoyancy of air to drive water upwards against gravity in a close fit tube, the bubble of air wants to occupy the whole diameter of the tube to be most effective.
Avoid energy intensive water pumps.
See: water pumps, Hydroponics, Liquid soil nutrient,
V          http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/britta_riley_a_garden_in_my_apartment.html
(GreenSpec BRM ’12 after Britta Riley)

AIR RIGHTS

AIR SOURCE COOLING PUMPS (ASCP)

AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS (ASHP)
Air-source pumps are more efficient than GSHP or GSCP in this situation, nevertheless the basic mechanics are similar.
(Based on Building Magazine Steve Piltz, Turner & Townsend ’08)
See: HP, GSHP, WSHP, GSCP, WSCP
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)
Pump which extracts heat from the outside air (in the same way that a fridge extracts heat from its inside) in order to heat a building.
(EESC ’11)

AIR SPACE
See: Contact, Air Space, Capillary Action/Attraction, Moisture Transport, Internal Insulation,
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AIRTIGHT CONSTRUCTION
See: Passipedia: Airtight construction
See: Airtight envelop, Airtightness,
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AIR TIGHT ENVELOPE
This describes the state of the external faces of a building, it is vitally important that buildings are airtight to ensure no hot air escapes and no cold enters in the heating season making the building more expensive and fuel consuming that it need be to maintain a comfortable temperature inside free from drafts.
See: U value Envelop
(GreenSpec ’09)

AIRTIGHTNESS
Identifying and controlling air leakage is key to preventing energy losses through convection of warm air.
(Based on Ecos Renews 17)
A term relating to the leakiness of a building.
The smaller the leakage for a given pressure difference across a building, the tighter the building envelope.
(Based on SEDA Airtightness Guide definition)
A term related to the airtightness of a building but describing the opposite, i.e. leakiness of a building.
An airtight building is one that does not lose either heated or cooled air to the outside in an uncontrolled manner.
The smaller the leakage for a given test pressure difference through the external envelop of the building, the tighter the building envelope.
Old buildings were designed to be leaky and it would normally be desirable for this to remain the case, for the health of the construction.
As we move towards zero carbon buildings air tightness and deliberate controlled efficient ventilation are deemed essential.
(BCT & GreenSpec ’08)
Airtightness is also a precursor to increased vapour control reducing the incidence of interstitial condensation particularly in timber or lightweight structures.
(Ecological Building Systems ’09)
Building Regulations Approved Document L “Part L” specifies maximum values for the air permeability of dwellings, commercial and public buildings.
External rendering or internal plastering in the form of ‘parge coating’ on brick / block backgrounds can be useful in effecting an air seal – providing there is continuous coverage. The application of a ‘skim’ coat to plasterboards can also prove effective.
(GreenSpec AEP ’09)
The placing of vapour barrier (VB) on the warm side of thermal insulation and breathing membranes (BM) on the cold side of thermal insulation will discourage moisture entering the construction and enable moisture to  to escape from it generally in the outward direction.
This basic principle is not fully understood and can be designed, specified, carried out incorrectly or inadequately.
This can lead to interstitial condensation where warm moist air passes into the insulation, cools down, the air can no longer hold the moisture which is released as condensation.
To overcome this issue replacing the Vapour barrier VB and the breather membrane BM with a moisture permeable air tightness layers ATL internally and a moisture permeable wind tightness layers WTL externally; these prevent air flow but permit moisture passage in either direction but the inner layer needs to be 5 times more moisture resistant than the outer layer to encourage outward movement of moisture.
In this situation the insulation used must by hygroscopic.
This type of construction is described as breathing (misleading since it refers to breathing moisture not breathing air).
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)
Through statutory air tightness requirements for the building shell, additional energy losses in the form of out flowing, warm air and the resulting damage due to moisture will be prevented.
Standards:
DIN 4108 T7 thermal insulation,
DIN 68800 wood protection and regulations of the Central Association of German Roofing Contractors (ZVDH)
SIA (Swiss Association of Engineers and Architects) 180
(Pavatex Glossary ‘__ www.Pavatex.co.uk)
Measure of a building envelope’s resistance to inward or outward air leakage.
(EESC ’11)
The descriptive term for the resistance of the building envelope to the leakage of air.
The greater the airtightness, the lower the air infiltration.
(NHBC Foundation ’12)

AIRTIGHTNESS CHAMPION
In order for airtightness to be achieved it is important to give an individual within the construction team the role of championing the achievement of airtightness for the duration of the project; this need not be their only task but significant time must be allocated to the task at appropriate times.
Choose a person who is full time, based on site (it may be a site agent or a project manager)
They must be interested in achieving airtightness or has past experience; reluctance is unlikely to lead to good will or good results.
Duties include:
Liaison with Project design team’s airtightness champion in design team meetings and on site.
Checking labour force for airtightness training or qualifications history
Organise any visits for “Upskilling for Airtightness” training
Facilitate or provide Airtightness tool box talks for airtightness and interface trades
Co-ordination of sequence, responsibilities and interface of trades on site
Development of checklists specific to project
Facilitate airtightness intermediate checking, formal testing and any retesting
Recording failures into checklist, report back to all interface trades
Checking remedial action is understood and carried out.
Managing all paperwork associated with airtightness champion tasks.
(GreenSpec BRM ’09)

AIRTIGHTNESS TEST & TESTING
The air tightness of a building can be ascertained during an air tightness test – sometimes known as a Blower Door-Test.
The building is pressurised and areas of air leakage are identified using smoke guns or other
This gives a measurement of air changes per hour within the building.
Identifying and controlling air leakage is key to preventing energy losses through loss of warm air or gaining of cool air.
(based on Ecos Renews 17)
Airtightness is also a precursor to increased vapour control reducing the incidence of interstitial condensation particularly in timber or lightweight structures.
(Ecological Building Systems ’09)
Sticking down a 1m2 patch of air tight membrane on the inside face of a wall, running the air tightness test (negative pressure inside) and looking for any ballooning will indicate if the wall itself is airtight.
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

AIRTIGHTNESS LAYER
A layer built into the external envelope of a building designed to minimise the movement of air through infiltration and exfiltration.
It may consist of a wide range of materials (for example, walls, plasters, floors, sealants, gaskets, glazing or membranes) and should be continuous to be effective.
The materials can be within a building element (e.g. walls or roofs) or at its surface but should be continuous to be effective.
Abutments between elements need to maintain the continuity.
(BCT & GreenSpec ’08)
Air-tightness layers can be one of 4 types: vapour barrier (VB), breather membrane (BM), wind tightness layer (WTL) or air tightness layer (ATL).
Air-tightness layers can be vapour open (breather membrane, wind tightness layer or air tightness layer) or vapour closed (vapour barriers or vapour check (an inadequate vapour barrier)).
Typically, airtightness layers control the passage of air and vapour penetration from the heated space to the cold space using an appropriate vapour control layer
Wind tightness ensures air/wind penetration through the insulation is minimised from the outside reducing potential convective losses.
It also protects the building structure from moisture penetration from the outside, this is typically a breather membrane.
(based on SEDA Scottish Environmental Design Association + GreenSpec ’09 & Ecological Building Systems ’09)

AIRTIGHTNESS LINE
Achieving airtightness is not just about workmanship on site it is a design issue, the airtightness is not about luck it is about designed intention; when designing a building it is essential that the designer determines the parts of the building forming the airtightness line and to indicate them on the drawings as you would a damp proof membrane with a dotted line linking DPM in floors to DPC in walls.
Since airtightness is a new issue to builders as well as designer they need to know what they are trying to make airtight and how.
The methods and the materials used to make the airtightness line must be known, capable, designed, drawn and specified.
Then it’s performance is determined by workmanship on site.
(GreenSpec ’09)

AIRTIGHTNESS TEST
The air tightness of a building can be ascertained during an air tightness test – sometimes known as a Blower Door-Test.
The building is depressurised or/and pressurised and areas of air leakage are identified using smoke guns or other
This gives a measurement of air changes/hour within the building.
(Ecos Renews 17 & Ecological Building Systems ’09)

Air tightness testing is a method of measuring the extent to which air is lost through leaks in the building.
Air tightness testing can also be referred to as air leakage testing or air pressure testing.
The testing to measure the air leakage rate from a building is usually based on a standard 50 Pa reference pressure difference.
Current Building Regulations require a test pass rate of 10, it is expected that the pass rate will reduce with each revision of the Building Regulations.
Testing should occur on the building shell before claddings, linings and finished are applied.
(BCT & GreenSpec ’08)

AIR TIGHTNESS TESTING & MEASUREMENT ASSOCIATION (ATTMA)
(CIRIA RP656 Design for Deconstruction Bill Addis)
www.attma.org
(GreenSpec BRM ’09)

AIR QUALITY
In addition to global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain other form of air pollution can affect human health and the natural environment:
Off-gassing from materials and internal finishes
(Cherrington ’95)
See: Passipedia: Air quality
See: IAQ Internal Air Quality
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AIR VOLUMES:
See: Passipedia: Air volumes
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

AJ          See: ARCHITECT’S JOURNAL

AKA       See: ALSO KNOWN AS

ALBEDO
Lighter coloured materials can refect more heat whilst darker colours absorbe heat more readily.
Some designers choose lighter coloured materials to face their buildings to help maintain the earth’s albedo effect (light reflectance from space) as close to 0.39 as possible, but reduction in glacier coverage is changing this figure more rapidly.
See: UHI, Urban Heat Island, UHIE, Urban Heat Island Effect, Heat Island, Urban Plume, Boundary Layer Zone of Influence.
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ALIGNMENT
It is critical that insulation materials are in alignment and abutting with each other in all plains of the U value envelop to ensure there is no thermal bridging across misaligned joints.
T&G Jointed boards help to maintain alignment.
Internal and external corners are often cut and inaccuracies may creep in.
Taping of joints allows the opportunity to check the alignment at joints and corners and to ensure they are in order.
Some manufacturers make extruded or moulded corners, but they will only move the cut to a new location rather than remove it altogether.
Taping of joints also allows the opportunity to hide gaps in the insulation which is bad for the heat that will escape but petter than gaps with no tape.
(GreenSpec ’09 – ‘12)

ALKALINITY
Alkalinity is caused by low levels of hydrogen ions in a liquid, the opposite of acidity with more hydrogen ions making the liquid more acidic.
(Cherrington ’95)
See: pH value, Acid, Acidity
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ALKALI-SILICA REACTION (ASR)
Popularly know as ‘Concrete cancer’, when the cement attacks the sand or glass aggregate.
Can be avoided by use of Alkali Resistant cement or GGBS ground granulated blast furnace cement.
It is a particular issue for recycled glass as an aggregate in terrazzo like materials
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ALL COMMUNICATION PORTS OPEN, CAPTAIN
We are looking and listening to all channels, on all frequencies, for and translating anything that comes our way.
(Luitenant Uhura, Flight deck, Enterprise)
See: Brains
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ALLERGEN & ASTHMA REDUCTION MEASURES
The simplest of measures is to replace carpets with hard or soft smooth surfaces that do not readily harbour dust.
Other measures include choosing materials less likely to cause allergic reactions.
Clients with allergies will probably know their triggers and these can be avoided.
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ALLERGY
A condition in which the body has an exaggerated response to a substance (e.g. food or drug).
Also known as hypersensitivity.
(SEDA Chemical Reduction in Building ’08)

ALLERGY TRIGGER
The substances that trigger allergy are called allergen.
Examples include pollens, dust mite, hair, moulds, danders, and certain foods.
(SEDA Chemical Reduction in Building ’08)

the ALLIANCE for SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PRODUCTS (ASBP)
Rising to the challenge of the BRE GGtS’s not-level ‘Level Playing Field’ and the barriers to true sustainability that it creates.
Champion for the cause of Sustainable Building Products.
Launched November 2011 in Westminster.
Now active in running CPD events.
(GreenSpec BRM ’11 – ‘12)

“ALL NEW”
= parts not interchangeable with the previous design
(Glossary of Engineering Terminology)

ALLOTMENTS

ALP        See: ASSOCIATION OF LEARNING PROVIDERS

ALPHA (a) – VALUE
The overall thermal performance of the entire building envelope, taking into account the positive effect of the U value of all plane elements (roof, rooflights, walls, etc) and the negative ‘heat draining’ thermal bridging effect of junctions, details and interfaces, which act as direct heat conductors from the inside to the outside of the building.
To achieve compliance under Part L of the Building Regulations, two a values must be calculated, one for a notional building and one for an actual building.
The objective is to establish that the a value of the actual building is lower than the notional building.
(GreenSpec AEP ’09)

ALSO KNOW AS (AKA)

ALTERATION
Rearrangement, replacement, or addition to a building or its systems and equipment.
Routine maintenance and service or a change in the building’s T&CP use category shall not constitute an alteration.
(Building Energy Glossary ’06, modified GreenSpec BRM ’11)
See: T&CP use category
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ALTERNATING CURRENT (AC)
The standard format of electricity supplied through the national grid to homes and non-domestic buildings
See: DC, Direct Current, Watts, Volts, Amps, Hertz
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ALTERNATIVE FUEL
Fuel which substitutes a primary fuel.
(EESC ’11)

ALTERNATIVE MATERIAL
Material which substitutes a primary material.
(EESC ’11)
See: Secondary, Virgin, Recycled, Or equivalent, Substitution, VE, Value Engineering
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ALUMINIUM WINDOWS ASSOCIATION (AWA)

A/M        See: ASSESSMENT AND/OR MONITORING

See: A/M EPB, EPB, P/SA,
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

A/M EPB                      See: ASSESSMENT AND/OR MONITORING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE OF BUILDINGS

See: A/M, EPB, P/SA,
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION HEALTH HOUSE
www.healthhouse.org

AMMONIA
Common ingredient of paints: Preservative.
Can cause eye, skin and respiratory irritant, and trigger asthma.
(GreenSpec AEP ’10)

AMT       See: AUTOMATIC MONITORING AND TARGETING

AND APPROVED
Here be dragons
usually following: or equivalent… or equal… worst of all: or similar…
Avoid the use of this addition on drawings and in specifications.
If a specification substitution or suruptitious specification substitution occurs without the CA’s knowledge and the CA signs off a stage payment then the substitution is approved by the CA, if it is inadequate and fails the CA takes responsibility for a change they know nothing about..
See: Equivalency, Substitution, Surruptitious Substitution, Or Equal, Or Equivalent, Or Similar, EU Procurement Rules. OGC, GPP,
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
A resource recovery process which digests kitchen waste and other organic waste into compost and a biogas.
(Cherrington ’95)

ANCIENT SEMI-NATURAL WOODLAND (ASNW)
See: Woodland.
(UKWAS ‘08)

ANCIENT WOODLAND
See Woodland.
(UKWAS ‘08)

ANCIENT WOODLAND SITE
See Woodland.
(UKWAS ‘08)

“AN EXTENSIVE REPORT IS BEING PREPARED ON A FRESH APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM”
= We just took on three new university graduates
(Glossary of Engineering Terminology)

ANNOTATION
Adding notes to drawings which may include specification notes, which is regarded as bad practice in CPI terms, since the specification notes should be in the specification and the drawings should only cross reference to the specification, this removes the risk of duplication and potential differences between each note and between the notes on drawings and in the specification and any descriptions in the Bills of Quantities.
(ASWS BRM ’97)
Annotation can include sizes or dimensions
See: Size, Dimension, XYZ.
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ANNUAL COOLING DEGREE-DAYS (CDDs)
Annual cooling degree-days (CDDs) are the sum of the degree-days over a calendar year.
(Building Energy Glossary ’06)

ANNUAL DSCR (ADSCR)
See: PFI, PPP, DSCR

ANNUAL ENERGY PERFORMANCE
Average annual primary energy consumption of a building.
(EESC ’11)

ANNUAL FUEL UTILIZATION EFFICIENCY (AFUE)
ratio of annual output energy to annual input energy which includes any non-heating season pilot input loss.
(Building Energy Glossary ’06)

ANNUAL HEATING DEGREE-DAYS (HDDS)
Annual heating degree-days (HDDs) are the sum of the degree-days over a calendar year.
(Building Energy Glossary ’06)

ANNUAL HEATING REQUIREMENTS
See: Pavatex Glossary Annual heating requirements
(Pavatex Glossary ‘__ www.Pavatex.co.uk)

ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE (APR)

ANOMALY
Defects in the building envelope where heat escapes more readily than the adjacent construction, including:
Air leakage paths
Bat and Bird accesses and roosts
Damp patches caused by leaking pipes or overflowing roofs or gutters
Defective or incomplete seals
Discontinuity of insulation
Open Vents
Thermal bridging (see below)
Thermal bypass
Thermal flanking
Thermal radiators (not central heating radiators) but where the geometry of the building outside of a thermal bridge encourages greater heat loss e.g. cantilevered concrete balcony or walkway
(Ired ’09 & GreenSpec ’09)

ANTI-BACTERIAL

ANTI-BACTERIAL ADDITIVES
Additives can be added to coatings to add additional properties, anti-bacterial additives are increasingly used in coatings used on linings, furniture and ironmongery especially in health and public buildings.
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ANTIBACTERIAL ADDITIVE
BS 6250: pass for severe usage.
Active ingredient: Not silver,
Some are very effective and can kill the following bacteria 99.9% over a 24 hour period for up to 10 years!
Staphylococcus aureus Methicillin-Resistant Strain (MRSA)
Listeria monocytogenes
Clostridium difficile
Staphylococcus aureus
Salmonella enteriditis
Klebsiella pneumonia
Aspergillus niger
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Penicillium purpurogenum
Bacillus cereus
Saccharmyces cerevisiae
Escherichia coli
H1N1 Swine Flu
Legionaires
The active ingredient may need approvals from the following organisations:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (USA)
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) approval for indirect or incidental food contact
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (USA)
BS certificate (UK)
FDAS certificates of effectiveness
NHS (UK): certificates of effectiveness
Applications: adding into lacquers,  varnishes, silicone and paints.
UV stable: maintains appearance which does not degrade over time.
Building applications: those with large throughput of people: hospitals, care homes, schools, colleges, etc.
ANTI-BACTERIAL COATINGS
See Nanotechnology
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ANTI-BACTERIAL FINISHES

ANTI-BACTERIAL LININGS

ANTI-BACTERIAL MATERIALS
Silver, Copper and Stainless steel all have anti-bacterial properties of varying degrees, silver being the most effective quick action and stainless steel having the slowest reaction time.
They can be adopted in any location where there is an opportunity for bacteria to be passed from person to person via contact with surfaces.
Silver is used as an electroplating on matals and is used on sanitaryware taps, WC flush handles or flush buttons and on door and window ironmongery.
Copper and stainless steel used in rainwater drainage pipes should not be used in rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation, SUDS or there is a risk of destroying beneficial bacteria in topsoil or sub bases and also risk the planting.
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ACT (ASBA)
See: ASBO, Anti Social Behaviour Order, Duty of Care, Environment Protection Act
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ORDER (ASBO)
Orders from the authorities aiming to stop someone committing anti-social behaviour; these are a step below criminal proceedings
(Participation Works Partnership)
ASBOs can be handed out over waste dispoal activity and anti-social lighting.
See: ABC
(to be added to re Waste Management Regulations)
See: ASBA, Anti Social Behaviour Act, Duty of Care, Environment Protection Act
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

“A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES ARE BEING TRIED”
= we are still pissing in the wind
(Glossary of Engineering Terminology)

AOA       See: AGREEMENT ON AGRICULTURE

AONB     See: AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY

AOV       See: AUTOMATIC OPENING VENTS

AP          See: ACIDIFICATION POTENTIAL

APA       See: ANNUAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

APC       See: ASSESSMENT OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE

API      See: ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL INGREDIENTS

APLV     See: APPLICATION PART LOAD VALUE

APM       See: ASSOCIATION OF PROJECT MANAGERS

APME    See: ASSOCIATION OF PLASTICS MANUFACTURERS IN EUROPE

APP AREWM   See: APPENDIX: APPROACHES TO RESOURCE EFFICIENCY & WASTE MINIMISATION

APP ASR         See: APPENDIX: ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE RECOVERY

APP DOEM      See: APPENDIX: DECLARATION ON EXCLUDED MATERIAL

APP DOFC       See: APPENDIX: DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

APP EACD       See: APPENDIX: ENQUIRY ABOUT CONTRACT DOCUMENTS

APPELLATE BODY (AB)
(UNEP    See: Environment and Trade — A Handbook ’05)
See: WTO Appellate Body
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

APPENDIX

APP EWC        See: APPENDIX: EUROPEAN WASTE CATALOGUE

APP FFEI         See: APPENDIX: FURNITURE, FITTINGS, EQUIPMENT & IT SALVAGE & REUSE

APP LDN         See: APPENDIX: LOGISTICS DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

APPLICATION PART LOAD VALUE (APLV)
single number part-load efficiency figure of merit calculated per the method described in ARI Standard 550 or 590
referenced to modified rating conditions described in those standards
(Building Energy Glossary ’06)

APP MEW        See: APPENDIX: MATERIAL EXCHANGE WEBSITES

APP MR                       See: APPENDIX: MANUFACTURER’S REVIEW

APP MRR        See: APPENDIX: MATERIALS FOR RECOVERY AND REUSE

APP PDA         See: APPENDIX: PRE-DEMOLITION/ALTERATION AUDIT

APP PPR         See: APPENDIX: PACKAGING PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY

APP ROMP      See: APPENDIX: RECYCLING OPERATIONS: MATERIALS & PACKAGING

APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT (AA)
Is the process and documentation associated with the statutory requirement under the EU Habitats and Species Directive.
(UKWAS ‘08)

APPROVALS
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

APPROVED CODE OF PRACTICE (AcoP)
See: IcoF, Interim Code of Practice, CoP
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

APPROVED DOCUMENT (AD)
See: Building Regulations Approved Document, BRADL, ADL, ADE, ADM,
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

APPROVED REMANUFACTURERS SCHEME (ARS)
CRR developed a certification scheme for remanufacturers.
The Approved Remanufacturers Scheme has been developed to certify remanufacturers against BS 8887-220.
Certification against this scheme will give customers more confidence in buying products and enable access to new customers who are looking for high quality products.
E            ben.walsh@remanufacturing.org.uk
See: CRR, Remanufacture, Review of Standards
(CRR & GreenSpec BRM ’10)

APP SDOE      See: APPENDIX: SITE & DESIGN OFFICE EXPENDABLES

APP SPDQ      See: APPENDIX: SCHEDULE OF PRE-DEMOLITION/ALTERATION QUANTITIES

APP SWMP     See: APPENDIX: SITE WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN CHECKLIST & DATASHEETS

APP TBS          See: APPENDIX: TAKE BACK SCHEMES

APR       See: ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE

APRES   See: ACTION PRORAMME FOR RESPONSIBLE SOURCING

APSE   ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE EXCELLENCE

AQA       See: ASSESSMENT QUALIFICATIONS ALLIANCE

AQUACULTURE

AQUAPONICS
V          http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/britta_riley_a_garden_in_my_apartment.html
See: Hydroponics, Indoor Window Farms,
(GreenSpec BRM ’12 after Britta Riley)

AR ‘Ar’   See: ROOM AREA

ARBORICULTURE AND FORESTRY ADVISORY GROUP (AFAG)

Advisory group to the Health & Safety Executive.
(UKWAS ‘08)

ARCHICAD
CAD software for Apple community, ______ in that market
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)

ARCHITECT
protected name for professionals that design buildings, defended by ARB Architects Registration Board
See: ARB, ACA, CIAT, CLAWSA, OFT, RIAS, RIBA, RSAW, RSUA, SCALA.
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ARCHITECT’S JOURNAL (AJ)
historically technically biased news weekly for the Architectural Profession; was ‘anti-green’ for many decades, has now gone ‘coffee-table’.
Hatti Harman is now addressing environmental and making up for lost time.
Once criticised www.GreenSpec.co.uk as having a navigation system that is ‘simplistic to the point of boredom’, praise indeed.
(GreenSpec BRM ’09)

ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION (AEC)
a ‘plug-in-module’ computer programme which makes AutoCAD more intelligent, particularly for the Construction Industry.  It is pre-programmed to create objects or users select objects from it’s library of pre-made objects, which have particular characteristics which can be duplicated and adjusted to suit different situations.
These objects are created as a series of lines grouped together in particular configurations where the programme recognises the series of lines as an object not just a series of lines, it knows to keep all of the lines together as one object and in the same relationship which are pre defined by the user or the object creator.
An example of an object would be a staircase or WC pan.
(ASWS BRM ’97)

ARCHITRAVE
Mouldings usually made of timber around door or window openings that cover tolerance gaps between frames and surrounding walls in the same plain
Usually forms a pathway for air movement in a non-airtight building
(GreenSpec ’10)

ARDP     See: ABIOTIC RESOURCE DEPLETION POTENTIAL

AREA FACTOR (AF)
multiplying factor which adjusts the unit power density (UPD) for spaces of various sizes to account for the impact of room configuration on lighting power utilization
(Building Energy Glossary ’06)
See: Unit Power Density, UPD,
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)

AREA OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST (ASSI)
A statutory designation in Northern Ireland that offers statutory protection to habitats and species.
(UKWAS ‘08)
See: SSSI,
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

AREA OF THE SPACE
A horizontal lighted area of a given space measured from the inside of the perimeter walls or partitions, at the height of the working surface
ARI Standard 550 or 590
(Building Energy Glossary ’06)

ARI         See: ___________
___________ (ARI)
E.g. ARI Standard 550 or 590
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)

ARISINGS
The result of excavation or demolition, not the whole but the subsoil removed, not the empty site but the pile of demolition rubble.
Both are potentially inert but could be polluted with active or hazardous wastes or recipie spoilers.
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ARRIS
Sharp external angle, usually 90 degrees
(GreenSpec BRM ’10)

ARRISSED
Exposed glass edges are often cut square, arrissed to remove the sharp external angle by taking off the corner with a 1 or 2 mm. wide 45 degree angle, before polishing
See: Bevel, Champher
(GreenSpec ’10)

ARS       See: APPROVED REMANUFACTURERS SCHEME
ARTICLE
An object which during production is given a special shape, surface or design, which determines its function to a greater degree that does its chemical composition
Examples of articles are a car, a battery and a telephone.
For further details see the ECHA overview on articles.
http://guidance.echa.europa.eu/substances_articles_en.htm
(HSE REACH ’10)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)
See: 3D CAD, Objects, Clash Detection, Snap, Parametric, BIM,
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ASA       See: ADVERTISING STANDARDS AGENCY

ASAP     See: AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

ASBA     See: ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ACT

ASBP     See: the ALLIANCE for SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PRODUCTS

ASBO     See: ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ORDER

ASC       See: ACADEMY FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

ASCP     See: AIR SOURCE COOLING PUMPS

ASEAN   See: ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS

ASHP     See: AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS

ASNW  See: ANCIENT SEMI-NATURAL WOODLAND

ASR       See: ALKALI-SILICA REACTION

ASSEMBLY
Bringing together and/or holding apart of materials, products and/or component parts in a way that they remain assembled.
Mechanisms of assembly include:
Adhesives (glues, mortars, binders and bonding agents),
Fasteners (nails, screws, bolts, holding down bolts, clamps, rivets, dowels),
Fixings (brackets, supports, restraints, dowels, anchors, ties, straps, etc.)
See: Building, Component, Element, Elemental Assembly, Generic Material, Material, Product, Resource.
(GreenSpec BRM ’11)

ASSESSMENT:
Fire test houses carry out fire tests and provide fire test reports, if the test is in accordance with a standard then the object subject to the fire test will be fire test reported and its performance against the test method recorded and this will be the basis for manufacture of many doors of the same specification.
Tests are expensive and to avoid costs Fire test houses with years of testing experience can often assess a product and predict when its individual parts will fail and predict the time at which the whole will fail.
This can allow a manufacturer to have a construction assessed without the full fire test, this may be applicable for a variation of a component where the original was tested and the variant only assessed.
Whilst this is a valid approach the Building Control Officer will decide if they are prepared to accept the assessment or insist upon a test.
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ASSESSMENT AND/OR MONITORING (A/M)
See: A/M EPB, EPB, P/SA,
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ASSESSMENT AND/OR MONITORING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE OF BUILDINGS (A/M EPB)
See: A/M, EPB, P/SA,
(GreenSpec BRM ’12)

ASSESSMENT AND VERIFICATION OF CONSTANCY OF PERFORMANCE (AVCP)
Assessment and Verification of Constancy (in CPR) º System of Attestation of Conformity (in CPD)
(CPA Guidance Note on the Construction Products Regulations Version 1 ’12)

ASSESSMENT OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE (APC)

ASSESSMENT QUALIFICATIONS ALLIANCE (AQA)
An organisation that is responsible for validating accreditation for training courses
(Participation Works Partnership)
ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS

ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (ABCD)

• ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE EXCELLENCE (APSE)
• ASSOCIATION OF BUILDING ENGINEERS (ABE)
• ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS (ACE)
• ASSOCIATION OF LEARNING PROVIDERS (ALP)
• ASSOCIATION OF TOWN CENTRE MANAGERS (ATCM)
• AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (ASAP)
• ASSUME
• ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS BY WASTE/LANDFILL SITES
• ATMOSPHERE
• ATRIA
• ATRIUM
• ATTESTATION OF CONFORMITY
• AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVE
• AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION
• AUTOCAD ‘AutoCAD’
• AUTOCLAVED AERATED CONCRETE (AAC)
• AUTODESK ‘AutoDesk’
• AUTOMATIC
• AUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICES
• AUTOMATIC MONITORING AND TARGETING (AMT)
• AUTOMATIC OPENING VENTS (AOV)
• AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE (ATM)
• AUTONOMY
• AUXILIARY CONSTITUENTS
• AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE
• AVNIR ‘[avniR]’
• AWA SPECIFICATION

© NGS BrianSpecMan aka Brian Murphy
– 29th October 2013