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Glossary
Perplexed by all this talk of u-values and blower door tests? Our sustainable building glossary will help you get to grips with the key terminology.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| GGBS | |
| Green oak | Green oak is oak that was felled within the last 18 months. Because it is still drying, it has a high moisture content. But according to Oakwrights it is stronger, more durable and easier to work with than dried oak, as well as being less expensive. |
| greywater | Wastewater from baths, sinks, dishwashers, washing machines etc - essentially all a house's wastewater except that from toilets and macerators/food grinders |
| ground granulated blastfurnace slag | A steel-industry by-product that is used instead of traditional portland cement for 'eco' and 'green' cements and concretes. Because GGBS is essentially a by-product of an existing industry, it's considered to have a much lower embodied energy than portland cement |
| ground source heat pump | Heat pump that uses the ground - which has a fairly consistent temperature - as a heat source. Ground source heat pumps take heat from the ground and deliver it to internal spaces, using electricity to boost the temperature if needed |