Built Environment
This refers to urban areas comprised of buildings, streets and other infrastructure.
Chicanes
Part of Water Sensitive Urban Design, chicanes are landscaping features along a street that allow a portion of rainwater run-off to be captured in small basins planted with trees and shrubs. The rainwater is often managed by cuts in the curb to capture the water running down the street, as well as allow water to pass by once the basin is full. Chicanes that are built into the street, as opposed to the side of the street, have an added benefit of slowing traffic.
Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs)
These bonds may be issued by public sector entities (like local governments) or energy cooperatives to finance renewable energy projects. The issuer is responsible for repaying the bond’s principal but the interest is paid in the form of federal tax credits, which is considered taxable income for the bond holder. The amount of bonds available is limited by Congress and applicants for this bond program are solicited by the IRS. Major infusions of funding for this program include the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Tax Relief and Healthcare Act of 2006, the Energy Improvement and Investment Act of 2008 and the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009
More Info:
http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives
Dual Flush Toilets
TODO: Definition here.
Ecosystem Services
The benefits provided to humans by natural ecosystems. These may include clean air, clean water, pest control, crop pollination, waste decomposition and more.
Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles are less dependent on fossil fuels than even the most efficient gas-fueled vehicle. Electric vehicles operate on energy primarily created from a source outside of the car, whereas traditional combustion engines use fuel to create energy inside the car. Therefore, electric vehicles may get their energy from any source including solar, fossil fuel or nuclear plants. An electric car that receives its energy from the primary electric grid is powered by the energy type or mix that serves the electricity of that area
Heat Island Effect
The sun heats dry, paved, brick and concrete surfaces to temperatures much higher than the surrounding air (have you ever walked barefoot on pavement on a sunny, summer day?) During the evening and night, when the sun is gone, the heat stored in paved surfaces is released back into the surrounding atmosphere, keeping air temperatures from cooling down as they normally would in open/ natural areas with minimal concrete and paved surfaces. This is called the heat island effect; dense urban centers are hotter than the surrounding open land. Evening air temperatures in urban areas can be up to 22 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than nearby natural, open lands. The negative environmental impact caused by the heat island effect is due to the increased need for air conditioning indoors to combat the higher exterior temperatures, which leads to increased energy production, use of fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions. Trees and other vegetation planted in urban areas reduce the heat island effect by shading paved and concrete surfaces from the sun.
More Info:
http://www.epa.gov/hiri
HVAC and SEER
The efficiency of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems is described by a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER), a number determined by the cooling output during a typical summer divided by the total electric energy input during the same period. Currently, the highest SEER rating achieved is 27.2 (higher = more efficient) and the minimum required for residences in Arizona is 14. There is no requirement for commercial systems.
Local Food Production
Food that is grown or made of locally grown products is more sustainable than food brought in from other regions. Food transported by air, water, train or truck over long distances requires consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels, which emit greenhouse gases. Local food requires less of this, and overall it generally requires less water, less herbicides and fewer pesticides, making it a more sustainable process.
Local Watershed
A watershed is the area from which a stream or river receives its water. For example, the Santa Cruz River watershed includes all of Tucson, Green Valley, Nogales, Marana; portions of the Santa Catalina Mountains, the Rincon Mountains, the Santa Rita Mountains and the Atascosa Highlands; all of the Tucson Mountains; and more. The way water is managed anywhere within these regions has the potential to affect other portions of the watershed.
Passive Solar Design
Managing indoor air temperatures for comfort can be accomplished with careful building design techniques, which are often referred to as passive solar design. Architects and designers with this focus try to capture the sun’s heat and distribute it throughout the building during the times of day and year when more heat is advantageous and then block the sun and capture breezes during other times when cooling is desired. Design techniques include proper placement of windows, use of shade structures and plants, use of exterior building materials with high thermal mass and consideration for the movement of warm or cool air throughout a structure. Successful passive solar design reduces the need for fossil fuel-based energy to cool and heat indoor spaces.
More Info:
http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/passive-solar-home-design
Peak/Off-Peak Energy Hours
There is more demand for electricity during the day than at night, due to industrial, commercial and personal activities. An electric utility company must be able to provide enough energy to meet the peak need so if peak demand is reduced, so is the need for energy-producing plants, which generally cause environmental damage by tapping non-renewable resources and emitting greenhouse gasses. There is also energy lost when any facility is brought online, just like energy is lost while heating an oven because you can’t cook anything until the oven reaches the necessary temperature. By moving energy intensive activities to the evening hours, there is a net savings in energy for the region, even if not for the facility. However, utilities often charge lower rates for nighttime energy use so facilities that operate at night save money.
Photovoltaic Array (PV)
A photovoltaic, or PV, array is made up of multiple PV panels, which are often called solar panels. Each panel generates and supplies electricity by harnessing the power of the sun. The sun’s rays are converted into energy by the materials incorporated into the panel and that energy is transmitted to the electrical grid via an inverter and connection wires.
Solar Gain
The increase in temperature in the air or surface of a solid structure as a result of the sun’s rays.
Solar Hot Water
Water is circulated through roof-top panels, where it is heated by the sun with the help of dark-colored material that absorbs heat. The heated water is stored in tanks like a conventional water heater, and re-circulates through the panel as needed to maintain a consistent temperature.
TEP Rebates
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) is group comprised of 5 elected commissioners that determines the policy and funding that drives the programs and electric rates of the utilities throughout Arizona. In 2005, the ACC established a Renewable Energy Standard for the state that dictates utilities must have 15% of their energy provided by renewable sources by 2025. Utilities will achieve this by implementing various programs to subsidize renewable energy installations by residential and commercial entities. In the past TEP has offered rebates on electric bills for entities that install grid-tied photovoltaic arrays. These rebates were generally based on the amount of energy produces by the arrays.
More Info:
http://www.tep.com/renewable
T-8 Bulbs
TODO: Definition here.
Water Sensitive Urban Design
A land planning and engineering design approach which integrates the urban water cycle, including stormwater, groundwater and wastewater management and water supply, into urban design to minimize environmental degradation and improve aesthetic and recreational appeal.
More Info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water-sensitive_urban_design