Glossary U-Value: Measures the ease with which a material or building assembly allows heat to pass through it, i.e. how good an insulator it is. The lower the U-value, the better the insulator. Uvalues are measured in W/m2K Cradle to gate: Encompasses all input and output flows (as applicable from the system boundaries) between the confines of the cradle up to the factory gate of final processing operation) Cradle to grave + end of life: Cradle to gate plus operation end of life processes. A complete study. Cradle to site: Cradle to gate plus delivery to the site of use. This boundary condition is ambiguous when it comes to construction site energy and material waste. Cradle to practical completion: Cradle to gate plus delivery to the site of use, site energy and embodied carbon of waste materials. Embodied Carbon (EC): Embodied carbon is the sum of fuel related carbon emissions (i.e. embodied energy which is combusted – but not the feedstock energy which is retained within the materials) and process related carbon emissions (i.e. non-fuel related emissions which may arise, for example, from chemical reactions). Global Warming potential (GWP): The release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere gives rise to global warming. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A ’tool’ where the energy and materials used, and pollutants or wastes released into the environment as a consequence of a product or activity are quantified over the whole life-cycle from cradle-to-grave. Passivehaus: A is Passivhuas if it meets a voluntary technical standard, that being international, has to be met regardless of the local climate. Standard assessment procedure (SAP): The standard assessment procedure is a methodology used by the U.K government to assess and compare the energy and environmental performance of dwellings. Its purpose is to provide accurate and reliable assessments of dwelling energy performances that are needed to underpin energy and environmental policy initiatives.
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