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Browse Glossary :
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Frequently Searched Terms
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Definition of Medium density fiberboard (MDF)
Medium density fiberboard (MDF)This sturdy, inexpensive substitute for wood is common in homes, though it's often hidden behind an attractive exterior. MDF is a composite material, made from wood fibers and adhesive. It is useful as a substrate material beneath laminate countertops, cabinets, and flooring, among other things. Because synthetic, formaldehyde-based resins are typically used in MDF, this material is a major source of formaldehyde offgassing in homes. Formaldehyde-free MDF products are available.
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I-P
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| Indoor air quality |
| Pollution is not only outside. Indoor air quality refers to the condition of the air inside a... more |
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| Industrial waste |
| The manufacture of nearly everything produces waste, some of it hazardous waste, and some of it... more |
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| Ingeo |
| So what can't be made from corn these days? Automobile fuel, bioplastic, and now clothing, too?... more |
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| Instantaneous water heater |
| Also called tankless water heater or demand water heater. Hot water when you need it, without... more |
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| Insulated concrete form (ICF) |
| Have you ever thought of living in a concrete house? It may be more welcoming than it sounds. These... more |
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| Insulation |
| Like the down on a goose, it's a protective layer against the elements. Technically, insulation is... more |
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| Integrated building design |
| This is teamwork at its best: A holistic approach to building, through which multiple disciplines... more |
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| Joist |
| If building or remodeling a home, you'll almost certainly hear about these. Part of the framing of... more |
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| Kelvin (K) |
| Ever wonder what "white-hot" really means? Kelvin has the answer. It is the scale for the color... more |
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| Kilowatt |
| This is a unit of energy used to measure electrical power. One kW equals 1000 watts-or the... more |
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| Kilowatt hour (kWh) |
| This common measurement of electrical energy consumption is equal to the use of 1000 watts of power... more |
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| Kyoto Protocol |
| A global problem requires a global solution. That was the thinking behind this agreement, reached... more |
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| Laminate |
| This term refers to thin layers of material that are bonded together to create a strong, durable... more |
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| Latex |
| It's in rubber gloves, elastic bands, and even birthday-party balloons. This natural resin, which... more |
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| Leaching |
| Not related to bloodsucking leeches, but arguably as objectionable, this term refers to the drawing... more |
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| Lead |
| You definitely want to get the lead out. Although it has been widely used for centuries-in products... more |
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| Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) |
| For green builders, this is both a benchmark and a support system. The U.S. Green Building Council... more |
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| Life cycle |
| Everything has a lifespan, whether it's a person, a planet, or a house. This term, in green design... more |
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| Linoleum |
| Poor Linoleum. This flooring material hung out with some questionable characters back in the... more |
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| Low flush toilet |
| A water-saving toilet that still gets the job done. Low-flush toilets use no more than 1.6 gallons... more |
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| Low impact dye |
| Ever had a red sock turn all your white shirts pink in the wash? That's one of the troubles of... more |
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| Low-emissivity (Low-E) window |
| Want to let the light in but keep the heat out? A low-E window can do just that. It has been coated... more |
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| Mastic |
| What good is a powerful heating and cooling system if air can leak in and out around the ducts?... more |
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| Medium density fiberboard (MDF) |
| This sturdy, inexpensive substitute for wood is common in homes, though it's often hidden behind an... more |
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| Megawatt (MW) |
| A unit of electrical power, equal to a million watts or one thousand kilowatts. It is typically... more |
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| Methane (CH4) |
| Can we lay a little blame for global warming on anyone else? Like cows, maybe? Actually, yes. By... more |
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| Multiple chemical sensitivity |
| Ever feel as if perfectly ordinary things in your environment are making you sick? This is how some... more |
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| National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) |
| Planning a little window shopping? Before you go, you'll want to know about this group. It has... more |
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| Native vegetation |
| These plants are born to be wild. Native vegetation refers to grasses, wildflowers, and other plant... more |
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| Natural cooling |
| In the days before mechanical air-conditioning, this was how people beat the heat, and it can work... more |
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| Natural dye |
| Colorful dyes have been used to gussy up fabric for thousands of years, and for most of that time... more |
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| Natural ventilation |
| You feel this effect every time you throw open a few windows in the house: Natural ventilation... more |
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| New urbanism |
| For decades, the car has been the quintessential symbol of individual freedom. Proponents of new... more |
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| Nonrenewable resource |
| We're using them up faster than they are made. These natural resources-including forests, coal, and... more |
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| Offgassing |
| Does that unmistakable "new rug smell" or "new car smell" make you woozy? That's because the smell... more |
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| Old-growth tree |
| This is a tree that has lived hundreds, even thousands of years. Such trees are usually found in... more |
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| Organic |
| In the widest sense, this is anything of, or relating to, living organisms. It is also a term used... more |
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| Organic gardening |
| It's the most Earth-friendly method of gardening, and the healthiest, too. Organic gardening... more |
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| Orientation |
| When a real estate ad says that a home has a "southern exposure," this is what it means. It is the... more |
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| Ozone |
| This chemical molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms, has something of a dual personality: On... more |
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| Particleboard |
| You might know it best as that bookshelf that arrived in 109 pieces, with "some assembly required."... more |
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| Particulates |
| These are tiny bits of matter; they come from soot, dust, or other polluting sources, and can... more |
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| Passive cooling |
| In the days before mechanical air-conditioning, this was how people beat the heat, and it can work... more |
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| Passive solar design |
| Here's a passive way to be aggressive about helping the planet. This age-old approach to design... more |
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| Peak oil |
| When will the world's oil run out? It's a hotly debated question among energy experts, geologists,... more |
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| Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) |
| These man-made compounds show up in a host of items we associate with making our lives a little... more |
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| Permaculture |
| This concept, which comes from the words permanent, agriculture, and culture, means a lot of... more |
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| Pesticide |
| These potent chemicals a major reason we wash our vegetables well before eating them-and an... more |
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| Petrochemical |
| The source of many of the highly useful but unsustainable and potentially damaging products in our... more |
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| Petroleum-based |
| From the gasoline in your car, to your car's dashboard, to the lip balm in your pocket (and maybe... more |
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| Phantom load |
| Your house is probably haunted…by a phantom load. This is the small but not insignificant... more |
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| Phenol formaldehyde (PF) |
| In layman's terms, this is a glue. It's one of two synthetic, formaldehyde-based polymer resins... more |
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| Photocell |
| Would you like to have your front-porch light come on when dusk falls, whether you're home or not?... more |
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| Photovoltaic (PV) cell |
| This is the technology that makes solar power happen. A panel of semiconductor material (typically... more |
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| Phthalates |
| Nearly impossible to pronounce and nearly impossible to avoid, phthalates are a group of chemicals... more |
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| Plastic |
| In the 1967 movie The Graduate, the word plastics represents a certain kind of bright, golden... more |
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| Plywood |
| This tough, inexpensive pressed-wood product is commonplace in homes-in furniture, flooring, and... more |
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| Pollution credit |
| How much is one company allowed to pollute? That might depend on how many credits it has. The... more |
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| Polyester |
| Not just the fiber that makes leisure suits and gauchos possible, polyester has long outlasted... more |
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| Polyethylene |
| This lightweight, translucent, and flexible plastic is used for grocery bags, food containers,... more |
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| Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) |
| This is the stuff that holds your soda, your peanut butter, and possibly your bathroom cleaner.... more |
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| Polymer |
| This is a chain of small molecules, called monomers, that is joined to create a material with a... more |
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| Polyurethane |
| It's used as foam insulation, upholstery stuffing, shiny wood-floor sealant, and more. This... more |
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| Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) |
| This durable plastic can be found just about anywhere: in your shower curtain, raincoat, or baby's... more |
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| Post-consumer |
| A term that refers to something used and discarded by a consumer. With recyclables, purchasing... more |
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| Post-consumer recycled (PCR) content |
| This is any material that was used by a consumer and then recycled for use in a new product. A... more |
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| Potable water |
| Water that is free enough of chemicals, particulate matter, and biological nasties (such as... more |
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| Prefab |
| A house in a box? In construction, prefabrication means creating the pieces of a building-complete... more |
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| Pressure-treated wood |
| This is wood that is used mostly for outdoor construction-in decks, for example. Pressure-treated... more |
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