ADAPTATION 
The process of adjusting to new (climate) conditions in order to reduce risks to valued assets.  
(U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit) 

AERATORS 
Add-ons to faucets in sinks and showers that incorporate air into the water as it comes out. This reduces water consumption while providing a wider spray, and equal force 
(Green Museums) 
 
ASHRAE 90.1 
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers' guideline for evaluating the energy demands and costs of the heating, cooling, lighting, and other systems of the proposed design and comparing that to the comparable figures for a base building design that meets ASHRAE 90.1 prescriptive requirements 
(Green Museums) 
 
Ballast 
Fluorescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs use electronic, electromagnetic (hybrids), or magnetic ballasts. Their job is to start and manage the electricity flow into the lightbulbs. Electronic ballasts change the electric frequency, normally 60 hertz to a more efficient level of about 25 kilohertz. This uses energy more efficiently. Electronic ballasts for dimming fluorescent fixtures are relatively new to the market 
(Green Museums) 
 
BIODEGRADEABLE 
Able to break down completely and naturally into safe materials for the environment 
(Green Museums) 
 
BIOFILTRATION 
Using living materials, usually plants, to filter water 
(Green Museums) 
 
BIOMASS 
A collective term referring to something previously living that is being converted into something else. Most often this means agricultural waste burned for heat or converted into energy 
(Green Museums) 
 
BIOMIMICRY 
Practices developed by studying and imitating nature's designs and processes. It is taken from the words bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning imitate. An example is high-rise architecture without air conditioning inspired by the ventilation systems in termite dens 
(Green Museums) 
 
BIOSWALE 
Landscaped areas capture water runoff, retaining and cleansing it of silt and pollution before it is released into the storm sewer or watershed 
(Green Museums) 

BLACK WATER 
Waste water from toilets and other contaminated uses that must be treated before discharge or reuse. Some organizations clean the black water onsite through living machines that are vegetated cleaning systems 
(Green Museums) 
 
BULB 
The glass or other material the electric light shines through 
(Green Museums) 
 
CARBON FOOTPRINT 
Generally understood to be "a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide" 
(Green Museums) 
 
CARDBOARD BALER 
A machine that will compress and tie cardboard into bales for purchase by recycling vendors 
(Green Museums) 

CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 
An implementation document that includes strategies to reduce contributions to the drivers of climate change (e.g., reduce/eliminate greenhouse gas emissions). Often the goal is to become carbon neutral. (Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage) 

CLIMATE CHANGE 
A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.  
(United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) 

CLIMATE DIASPORA / MIGRATION 
Migration (of both animal and plant species) that can be attributed largely to the slow onset impacts of climate change on livelihoods owing to shifts in water availability and crop productivity, or to factors such as sea level rise or storm surge and other compounding issues. (Adapted from White House Report on the Impact of Climate Change on Migration, 2021.) 

CLIMATE RESILIENCE STRATEGY 
A planning document that coordinates an organization’s response to the effects of climate change. The plan assesses vulnerabilities and prioritizes actions for managing risks to assets, operations, and support infrastructure and to be better prepared for more changes. (Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage) 

CLIMATE CHANGE 
The totality of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and geosphere and their interactions. (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) 

COMBINED HEAT AND POWER (CHP) 
Sometimes called cogeneration. A system that generates electricity and heat and uses that heat rather than releasing or neutralizing it as in traditional electricity generation 
(Green Museums) 
 
COMMISSIONING 
Building commissioning is the systemic process of assessing the building system design and postoccupancy performance compared to the design intent. In short, it makes sure the client gets the performance it asked and paid for 
(Green Museums) 
 
COMPACT FLUORECENT LIGHTS (CFLs) 
Those corkscrew-shaped lights that can be used in traditional light fixtures yet use significantly less energy. Note:  they must be recycled properly because they contain small amounts of mercury that should be disposed of in a way that captures and recycles the mercury, preventing it from reaching the waterways 
(Green Museums) 
 
COMPOSTING TOILET 
A toilet that uses the composting process to convert human waste into organic compost usable as planting medium, and completely clean and safe 
(Green Museums) 
 
CREDIT 
Often a tax credit, given to organizations or individuals installing and using an alternative energy system 
(Green Museums) 
 
DATABASE OF STATE INCENTIVES FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY (DSIRE) 
An online listing, by state, of all renewable energy rebates and other financial incentives 
(Green Museums) 
 
DAYLIGHT HARVESTING 
Allowing daylight to penetrate into buildings to reduce the need for artificial light 
(Green Museums) 

DAYLIGHTING 
Using daylight to provide light inside a building, through windows, tubular devices, skylights, and wall placement; often called daylight harvesting. It is usually paired with light sensors so that as daylight conditions change, interior lighting conditions adjust 
(Green Museums) 
 
ECO-SOLVENT 
Low-toxin, low-petroleum solvents in inks that evaporate and leave behind the ink print 
(Green Museums) 

EMISSIONS 
The release of greenhouse gases and/or their precursors into the atmosphere over a specified area and period of time.  
(United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) 
 
ENERGY AUDIT 
A review of energy use, including rates, amounts, types, fixtures, and demand levels to create benchmarks and locate areas for energy conservation or system changes 
(Green Museums) 
 
ENERGY SERVICE COMPANIES (ESCOs) 
Businesses that provide audits of building or whole-campus energy consumption and recommend a comprehensive suite of energy saving measures. The ESCO is typically paid for the cost of the improvements through a guarantee of energy savings from the retrofits with a guaranteed level of energy savings 
(Green Museums) 
 
ENERGY STAR 
A joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. It is a combination of programs, tools, and products that help individuals and businesses save energy. Most people recognize it as the seal of energy efficiency on home appliances, but it is a larger program that includes online tools for calculating energy efficiency 
(Green Museums) 
 
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY 
Practices that rely on renewable or reusable materials and processes that are green or environmentally benign (we think of that as "do no harm and keep the patient alive"). Many also use the definition of providing for our needs today in  a way that does not limit the ability of future generations to meet their needs 
(Green Museums) 
 
E-WASTE 
Electronic waste like cell phones, computers and screens, PDAs, and so on 
(Green Museums) 
 
EXTENSIVE GREEN ROOF 
A green roof that is primarily a single shallow depth, with low-maintenance, low-growing plants 
(Green Museums) 

FEMA 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency 
 
FIXTURE 
The unit in which the bulb goes 
(Green Museums) 
 
GEOTHERMAL 
Existing heat inside the Earth. Sometimes it comes out in hot springs; usually we access it through wells and pipes containing air or water at a nearly constant temperature of 55 degrees F. In the summer this air or water is much cooler than outside air we would normally spend energy to cool to make our indoor temperatures more comfortable. Using air or water at cooler temperatures reduces the amount of energy we spend artificially cooling the air. Conversely, the air or water is much warmer that outside air in the wintertime, reducing the degrees of heating required to reach a comfortable level indoors in winter. The system can use horizontal or vertical piping, water or air, and each choice affects the type of heat exchange system required to modify air temperature in the building 
(Green Museums) 
 
GRAY WATER 
Waste water from sinks, not contaminated but nonpotable; often reused to flush toilets 
(Green Museums) 
 
GREEN 
In this book (Green Museums, Brophy and Wylie), we use the term green to suggest or describe the array of environmentally thoughtful practices in museums. Green refers to products and behaviors that are environmentally benign (we think of the "do no harm" clause). Green is today's generic term for environmentally better practice 
(Green Museums) 
 

GREENHOUSE GASES (GHG) 
Gases emitted through both anthropogenic (burning of fossil fuel, extractive industries, etc.) and non-anthropogenic (volcanic eruptions, wildfires, etc.) activities. Anthropogenic emissions include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ozone (O3), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), and nitrous oxide (N2O) as the main components.  Concentration levels of these gases beyond the ability of the environment to absorb are detrimental to a healthy climate.  
(United States Environmental Protection Agency “Overview of Greenhouse Gases”). 

 
GREEN GLOBES 
An environmental assessment and rating system that was developed by the Green Building Initiative and grew out of the U.K.'s Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method 
(Green Museums) 
 
GREEN ROOF 
A roof, flat or sloped, built and planted to capture precipitation, clean it, and slowly release it into the air or into storage systems. They have the advantage of also reducing heat island effects. In some climate they provide substantial insulating value 
(Green Museums) 
 
GREEN TEAM 
A group of staff, volunteers, and often consultants, who work to research, implement, and evaluate the adaptation of green practices in the organization 
(Green Museums) 
 
GREEN WALL 
A planted vertical surface, either interior of exterior; also called a living wall 
(Green Museums) 
 
GREENWASHING 
Adapted from whitewashing, means exaggerating green properties or arbitrarily selecting the green aspects and ignoring the non-green aspects. The promoter may not take care to research or explain the extent of green, or will simply gloss over the data to capture the marketing appeal of green 
(Green Museums) 
 
HARVESTING 
Collecting something for use or reuse. You can harvest stormwater by collecting it from roofs and parking areas, and clean it and send it back to the waterways, or use it to flush toilets, wash vehicles, and irrigate landscape. You can harvest daylight by encouraging it to reach into the building to reduce artificial lighting 
(Green Museums) 

HAZARD 
An event or condition that may cause injury, illness, or death to people or damage to assets. 
(U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit) 
 
HEAT ISLAND EFFECT 
The buildup of heat, in urban or built areas, as the sun's heat is absorbed in dark roofs and pavement. Heat island temperatures can differ dramatically from nearby suburban areas, or areas with green roofs, surface landscaping, and permeable surfaces 
(Green Museums) 
 
IMPERMEABLE SURFACE 
Any surface, often a roof or traffic area, that does not allow water to filter through 
(Green Museums) 
 
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) 
Using knowledge of pest life cycles and habits, along with environmentally sensitive practices, to control or eliminate pests 
(Green Museums) 
 
INTENSIVE GREEN ROOF 
Often built with deeper growing medium, and holding more substantial plants and trees, often requiring more maintenance, as if in a park setting 
(Green Museums) 
 
IPCC 
United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 

LAMP 
The element that produces the light 
(Green Museums) 
 
LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (LEED) 
The LEED rating system was introduced in 2000 to provide a widely understandable and technically specific system for ranking levels of sustainability in buildings and operations. It is now an established brand and market force 
(Green Museums) 
 
LEED AP 
A voluntary professional certification earned by examination through USGBC. It guarantees the museum that the engineer or other consultant has passed the exam for competency in energy efficiency and sustainable building practices. It addresses the building and site issues primarily. The USGBC website lists LEED AP professionals 
(Green Museums)