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Browse Glossary :
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Frequently Searched Terms
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Definition of Sustainable development
Sustainable developmentThe concept of combining economic growth and improvement of the human condition with respect for and protection of the environment, in such a way that needs can be met in the present as well as in the future. It's analogous to living within one's financial means, as opposed to living with a large burden of credit card debt. We currently deplete and harm the environment with our lifestyles and growth, rather than using the environment as if it had a "budget" beyond which we couldn't continue spending.
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Q-Z
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| R-value |
| When it comes to keeping out the heat, one window-or one type of insulation or building material-is... more |
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| Radiant barrier |
| This is a reflective material that is used to block heat from entering a building. A layer of... more |
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| Radiant heat |
| If you're the type who gets cold feet, your toes will love this. It's a network of pipes beneath... more |
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| Radiation |
| This is the transfer of energy via waves or particles. An example is when heat moves from a warmer... more |
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| Radon |
| An invisible threat in many homes, this colorless, odorless, radioactive gas, radon is produced... more |
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| Rainwater harvesting |
| Here's a good rainy-day project: Collecting water-from a roof, driveway, or other hard surface... more |
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| Reclaimed material |
| Have you ever seen a beautiful old door in an all but forgotten building and wanted to rescue it?... more |
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| Recycled plastic lumber |
| A house made out of soda bottles and milk jugs may sound like a third-grade art project, but those... more |
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| Recycling |
| This is the process of taking materials that would be tossed away, most likely ending up in... more |
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| Renewable energy |
| A supply of energy that won't run out, at least not as long as humans are on Earth to put it to... more |
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| Renewable resource |
| This is the holy grail of conservationists: Any material that can be quickly regrown or replenished... more |
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| Renewables |
| This is the holy grail of conservationists: Any material that can be quickly regrown or replenished... more |
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| Retrofit |
| This is not about snug bell-bottoms. Retrofit is a term that refers to taking an existing... more |
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| Runoff |
| This is one source of pollutants in the water supply. The term refers to rainwater or irrigation... more |
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| Seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) |
| Here's a cool number to know. This is the rating, given by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), to... more |
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| Sick building syndrome (SBS) |
| Is it your imagination? Maybe you really just don't like that job? It's something of a mysterious... more |
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| Smart growth |
| For decades, the car has been the quintessential symbol of individual freedom. Proponents of smart... more |
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| Smog |
| It's that dirty brown haze that hangs over a city on a hot summer day, reminding us that we... more |
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| Soffit |
| This is the underside of a roof overhang. It can be fitted with vents to increase airflow under the... more |
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| Softwood |
| Pine, spruce, cedar, and other conifer trees fall into this category of wood. Softwood trees are... more |
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| Solar collector |
| Ever wish you could bottle the sun's warmth on a summer day? This device effectively does that: It... more |
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| Solar electricity |
| A clean, powerful energy source, right above our heads. It's power that is harnessed from sunlight... more |
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| Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) |
| The number to know when selecting windows, doors, and skylights. It's a measure of how much of the... more |
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| Solar water heater |
| Sun-warmed water is something you might seek on a tropical vacation. But you don't have to go that... more |
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| Solid bleached sulfite |
| The little box that housed your last tube of toothpaste, the cereal cartons in your kitchen... more |
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| Sprawl |
| Ever notice how farmland is disappearing right before your eyes, only to be replaced by strip... more |
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| Storage water heater |
| This is the conventional water heater most of us know well. A ready supply of heated water is kept... more |
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| Structural insulated panel (SIP) |
| It's not all about posts and beams. For builders, this is an energy-efficient alternative to... more |
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| Styrene-butadiene (SB) latex |
| This is one of many products that can affect the indoor air quality in homes and businesses. A... more |
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| Sustainability |
| A word that pops up quite a bit in green-speak, it's really all about thinking ahead.... more |
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| Sustainable development |
| The concept of combining economic growth and improvement of the human condition with respect for... more |
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| Tankless water heater |
| Also called instantaneous water heater or demand water heater. Hot water when you need it, without... more |
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| Thermal mass |
| A rock warmed in the sun all day still radiates heat long after nightfall. That's the principle of... more |
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| Thermal resistance |
| When it comes to keeping out the heat, one window-or one type of insulation or building material-is... more |
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| Toxin |
| This is a poison. Within the scientific community, it is the term used specifically to refer to... more |
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| Triple bottom line |
| How does a business measure success? The conventional way is simple: profit. The bottom line has... more |
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| Tropical hardwood |
| Many beautiful, highly sought-after woods-including teak, mahogany, and Brazilian cherry-fall into... more |
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| Truss |
| Cooks think of this as a way to tie up a turkey. In construction, it plays a different kind of... more |
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| U-factor |
| The measure of how well a material (a window, door, or other construction element) conducts heat;... more |
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| Ultraviolet (UV) radiation |
| Gone are the days of roasting on the beach in nothing but tanning oil. We're wearing more sunscreen... more |
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| Universal design |
| It's not easy being all things to all people. Those who take this approach to design, however, give... more |
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| Urea formaldehyde (UF) |
| This glue can be found in most homes, and it's sticky stuff. It's one of two common, synthetic,... more |
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| Utility grid |
| This is the energy highway. The grid is the system of distribution lines that delivers energy from... more |
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| Varnish |
| Products involved in refinishing are often powerful enough to knock your socks off, which is why... more |
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| Vegetable dye |
| This is any natural dye that is derived from plant sources, such as roots or... more |
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| Veneer |
| This is a very thin sheet of wood. It is used to make plywood (many sheets laminated together) or... more |
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| Vinyl |
| This durable plastic can be found just about anywhere: in your shower curtain, raincoat, or baby's... more |
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| Volatile organic compound (VOC) |
| A paint job that leaves you lightheaded, or new upholstery that has a funny scent-these are VOCs at... more |
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| Water purification |
| This is the process by which water from the ground, or some other source, is treated to make it... more |
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| Water-based paint |
| For most home projects, this is your go-to paint. Also called latex paint, it has a binder that is... more |
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| Weatherstripping |
| It may sound like an urge to peel off all your clothes during a summer heat wave, but... more |
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| Wildlife corridor |
| Nature has its own complex map. This term refers to a stretch of land (and/or water) across which... more |
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| Wind energy |
| Humans have known wind as a reliable source of power since long before the days of Don Quixote, and... more |
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| Wind farm |
| This is a sort of natural power plant. It's a group of many wind turbines located together in an... more |
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| Wood pulp |
| This is the raw material that is used to make paper, paperboard, and cellulose products such as... more |
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| Xeriscape |
| Ever see a lush, green lawn and garden in a desert region and feel as if it didn't happen... more |
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