GLOSSARY AND ACRONYMS

•Coefficient of Performance (COP): The efficiency of air conditioning systems can be measured by the Coefficient of Performance (COP). The COP is equal to the cold power provided divided by the electrical power used. The higher the COP, the more efficient the AC system.

•Efficiency: To be efficient, a process needs to use the lowest amount of inputs to create the greatest amount of outputs. For AC, the input is electricity and the output is cold.

•Global Warming Potential (GWP): The Global Warming Potential relates to the amount of solar heat trapped by a greenhouse gas into the atmosphere as well as its stagnation time in the atmosphere.

•Greenhouse Gas (GHG): A Greenhouse Gas is a gas in the atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect.

•Heat Island Effect (HIE): Materials used in urban areas usually absorb and reradiate solar energy creating a small microclimate which is hotter. This phenomenon is called the urban Heat Island Effect.

•Life-cycle Costing: Life-cycle costing is a technique to analyse whether a service or product purchase is responsible, by measuring the total costs of that service or product, “from cradle to grave”.

•Lighting Power Density (LPD): The Lighting Power Density is the sum of the power of all lightings in the space divided by the area of the space. It is expressed in W/m² .

•Ozone Depleting Substances: Substances that have a proven important ozone depleting potential. Such substances are used particularly for refrigerators and air-conditioners, in dry-cleaning, in cleaning solvents, etc.

•Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP): Level of theoretical degradation a substance causes to the ozone layer, which is protecting the Earth from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and thus making it liveable for human beings. The depletion occurs as the substance destroys the ozone gas in the atmosphere.

•Payback Period: It is the length of time required to recover the cost of an investment. The payback period of a given investment or project is an important determinant of whether to undertake the position or project, as longer payback periods are typically not desirable for investment positions.

•Refrigerant: The refrigerant is a compound typically found in either a fluid or gaseous state. It readily absorbs heat from the environment and can provide refrigeration or air conditioning when combined with other components such as compressors and evaporators.

•Site Perviousness: It is the capacity of the site to let water infiltrating the soil. Maximising the infiltration capacity of the site is critical to minimise the impact on ground water and to reduce local flooding.

•Solar Heat Gain: It refers to the increase in thermal energy of a space, object, or structure as it absorbs the energy of the sun.

•Thermal Insulation: It is a general term used to describe products that reduce heat loss or heat gain by providing a barrier between areas that are significantly different in temperature (inside and outside for instance).

PHOTOGRAPHIC CREDITS

15 16 16 17 20 20 22 26 30 30 36 46 47 47 47 Light reflector: © Sarawut Muensang/Shutterstock.com Motion sensor: © Pixabay.com Manual time switch: © KVDP [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons Keycard switch and lock: © ABB Photo/Shutterstock.com AC outdoor unit on the façade: © Artelia AC outdoor unit (standard and infrared camera): © Artelia Solar thermal systems: © Artelia Green Earth card: © The Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok Example of drip irrigation: © AJCespedes/Shutterstock.com Example of sprinkler: © Pixabay.com BUFFET: © PATA Examples of locally-sourced products: © Amanjaya Pancam Suites Hotel Densely vegetated groundcover: © Artelia Open-grid pavement: © Immanuel Giel [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons Unbound gravel: © Pixabay.com

All other illustrations were designed by © Lan Nguyên (lannguyen1308@gmail.com)

THE HUMMINGBIRD

An inspiring tale(19) to close this Eco-Guide and get started!

The story of the hummingbird is about this huge forest being consumed by a fire.

All the animals in the forest come out and they are transfixed as they watch the forest burning, and they feel very overwhelmed, very powerless. Except this little hummingbird.

It says, “I'm going to do something about the fire.”

So, it flies to the nearest stream and takes a drop of water. It puts it on the fire, and goes up and down, up and down, up and down… as fast as it can.

In the meantime, all the other animals - much bigger animals like the elephant, with a big trunk that could bring much more water - are standing there, helpless, and they are saying to the hummingbird: “What do you think you can do? You're too little! This fire is too big! Your wings are too little, and your beak is so small, you can only bring that small drop of water at a time.”

But as they continue to discourage it, it turns to them without wasting any time, and tells them:

“I’m doing the best I can.”

As told by Professor Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

19 http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/get-involved/be-a-hummingbird, accessed on 02/04/2018.