The Skyscraper Museum is devoted to the study of high-rise building, past, present, and future. The Museum explores tall buildings as objects of design, products of technology, sites of construction, investments in real estate, and places of work and residence. This site will look better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.
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Bakeout - A process used to remove
volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) in a building by operating a building’s
HVAC systems at elevated temperatures using 100 percent outside air after
all the furniture and finishes (carpeting, ceiling tiles, etc.) have been
installed.
Biomass - An energy resource derived
from organic matter such as wood, agricultural waste and other living cell
material.
Bioremediation - The use of natural
biological processes (microbes, bacteria, plants, etc.) to break down contaminants
and restore contaminated land back to productive use.
Black Water - Water containing human
waste from toilets and urinals. Black water contains pathogens that must
be neutralized before the water can be safely reused. Typically black water,
after neutralization, is used for non-potable uses such as flushing or irrigation.
BREEAM Building Research Establishment
Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is a comprehensive tool for analyzing
and improving the environmental performance of buildings through design
and operations. This methodology has been developed by the UK based Building
Research Establishment.
Building Envelope - Elements (walls,
windows, roofs, skylights, etc.) and materials (insulation, vapor barriers,
siding, etc.) that enclose a building. The building envelope is a thermal
barrier between the indoor and outdoor environment and is a key factor in
the “sustainability” of a building. A well-designed building
envelope will minimize energy consumption for cooling and heating as well
as promote the influx of natural light.
