| lagoon | a pond designed for the settlement of suspended solids. |
| laminated veneer lumber (lvl) | beams made from thin layers of wood, similar to thick pieces of plywood. |
| landfill | essentially a cavity in the ground in to which refuse is disposed of. once full this is covered over and landscaped so as to appear as part of the surrounding area. |
| lath and plaster | the most common wall finish prior to the introduction of drywall. thin wood strips (lath) were nailed onto the framing as a base for the sand/lime plaster. more practical options to lath and plaster are now available such as reed boards. |
| leachate | a liquid generated at landfill sites by the solution in rainwater, groundwater or inherent moisture of compounds which are present in the waste and/or arise through decomposition. |
| lean construction | lean changes the way work is done throughout the delivery process. lean construction extends from the objectives of a lean production system, maximise value and minimise waste, to specific techniques and applies them in a new project delivery process. |
| least cost planning (lcp) | calculation of the comparative costs and benefits of investment in developing capital assets; be it in generation, supply or transmission against the investment in measures to reduce demand. consideration can include non-market costs and benefits. the aim is to identify the cheapest form of investment. |
| led lights | led lighting uses leds (light emitting diodes) as a light source. leds have a much longer life than conventional light bulbs and also use less power. this makes them more economical. |
| liechtlehm | straw and clay mixture, moistened and pressed between forms, which hardens into a strong material. typically used for making walls; an old and durable technique. (german for light loam). |
| life cycle assessment (lca) | a process to evaluate all costs of a product or process through its entire existence, including extracting and processing of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, distribution, use, maintenance, recycling, reuse, and disposal. |
| life cycle cost analysis (lcca) | the total cost of a product of material including the initial cost and the long term maintenance costs. this approach can often be used to justify more expensive and energy efficient systems which save money over the life of the product. |
| light straw | shuttering is created to ram straw dipped in a clay slip as an infill to a timber clay frame structure. very good insulator. |
| light to solar gain ratio (lsg) | a measure of the ability of a glazing to provide light without excessive solar heat gain. it is the ratio between the visible transmittance of a glazing and its solar heat gain coefficient. |
| lime | hydraulic/semi-hydraulic/non-hydraulic lime: a non-hydraulic lime is a more or less pure calcium hydroxide substance, used as a cement, which can only achieve a set through reaction with atmospheric carbon-dioxide. hydraulic or semi-hydraulic limes also contain calcium silicates or calcium aluminates, and their set is to a greater or lesser degree assisted by chemical reaction with water |
| lime mortar | a mortar produced from pure limestone which relies upon gradual reaction with atmospheric carbon dioxide (‘carbonation') to harden and develop strength.. pure lime (also known as ‘fat' or ‘non-hydraulic' limes) produces a mortar that is typically weaker and more porous and permeable than impure limes with a degree of hydraulic (water-dependent) set or those containing portland cement. |
| low-e glazing | glazing with a thin metallic coating applied to glass or plastic, reducing heat loss and solar heat gain through glazing. glazing that has special coatings to permit most of the sun's light radiation to enter the building, but prevents heat radiation from passing through. |
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