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Table 2 Green building knowledge categories

From: Green building literacy: a framework for advancing green building education

Category

Sample themes (factual and conceptual knowledge)

Sample skills (procedural knowledge)

Sustainable sites

Stormwater management; effects of the building on light pollution; heat island effect

• Measure water quality on building site

• Install water-saving landscape features (e.g., rain barrels)

Location and transportation

Sensitive land protection; neighborhood density; green transportation

• Calculate effects of population density on biodiversity

Shape of building

Size and compactness of building (e.g., occupants per square foot/meter); door and window locations; orientation of the building on the site relative to sun and wind

• Measure and compare solar gain through windows that face various cardinal directions

Energy and atmosphere

Energy reduction; energy efficiency; the carbon footprint that results from the building construction and operations

• Measure kilowatt hours and determine energy-saving solutions

• Monitor solar panel performance

Water

Conservation of water through building fixtures such as toilets and sinks; water issues in the landscape such as rainwater harvesting and drought-tolerant plantings

• Use water-saving landscape features

• Select water-saving plumbing fixtures

Materials and waste management

Building material considerations such as: recycled content, recyclable, rapidly renewable, sustainable wood products, local materials, re-purposed materials; overall reduction in material use

• Build furniture out of salvaged materials

• Research the social, ecological, and economic impacts of a building product like carpet, wood, or stone

Indoor environmental quality

Indoor air quality; moisture and temperature control; connect occupants to nature via daylight, views, and biophilic design

• Assess environmental toxins such as mold and radon

• Select furniture that promotes healthier air quality

• Study psychological impact of daylight

Social justice

Affordability; accessibility; positive or negative impacts to communities locally and globally due to green building design choices

• Advocate for equitable green building solutions

• Volunteer construction skills in communities of need

Beauty and inspiration

Designs that “elevate our spirits and inspire us to be better than we currently are” (International Living Future Institute, n.d.); show innovation compared to past practices

• Paint a mural that celebrates the history of the building site

• Compare old and new building practices

Economics

Cost-saving features; long-term budgeting; trade-offs between cost and performance

• Calculate energy savings

• Compare costs of green building materials

Life cycle assessment

Ecological impacts across the life of building materials from creation to use to end-of-life; Embodied energy in furniture and building materials

• Follow a building product from “cradle to grave” or “cradle to cradle” (Braungart et al., 2007)

Operations and metrics

Green cleaning; occupant education and training; building information modeling (BIM); performance monitoring

• Contrast and compare environmental effects of various cleaning products on air and water quality

• Monitor performance of HVAC system

Local and healthy food

The built infrastructure for growing and consuming food that is healthy for people and the environment (e.g., greenhouses, edible landscapes, etc.)

• Design and properly orient a greenhouse

• Design and build a vegetable garden for wheelchair accessibility

Policy

The relationship between green buildings and the political context, including local/regional/national policies, codes, guidelines, strategic plans, etc. that affect green building practices

• Examine local residential building codes and identify opportunities and constraints for eco-home design