BPI _ BUILDING SCIENCE PRINCIPLES (GLOSSARY)
217.- Weatherstripping - Answers- An energy efficiency measure that involves installing
a material to seal air leaks around components that open, close, and generally move
(exterior doors and windows).
2.- ΔP (Delta P) - Answers- The difference in measured air pressure between two areas
3.- ΔT (Delta T) - Answers- The difference in temperature between two areas
4.- Air Barrier - Answers- A material used for controlling air flow
5.- ACH (Air Change per Hour) - Answers- How air exchange rate is typically expressed
ACH = CFM x 60 / volume
Example: A house is leaking at rate of 67 CFM. the volume of the house is 8,000 cubic
feet (cu. ft)
ACH = 67 x ,000 =4,,000 = .5
12.- Atmospheric Vent - Answers- A type of heating system vent in which combustion
by-products exhaust from the house up through a chimney by stack effect due to the
natural buoyancy of hot gases.
13.- Attic - Answers- The indoor space under the roof at the top of a house.
14.- Average R-value - Answers- A way of determining the R-value of a space that has
adjacent areas of differing R-values (an attic floor with insulation everywhere except
around the hatch).
15.- Awning - Answers- An element that can be installed on the exterior of a house over
doors and windows to provide shading.
16.- B-vent - Answers- A vent made from double-wall metal.
17.- Balanced System - Answers- A type of whole-house mechanical ventilation system
that works by bringing in fresh outdoor air, and removing polluted indoor, in equal
amounts.
18.- Ballon Framing - Answers- A type of framing used in older houses, in which the
walls are built before the floors.
19.- Band Joist - Answers- A large cavity created in platform-framed houses when walls
are built on top of sheathed decks
, 20.- Baseload - Answers- A house's electricity and water demand
21.- Basement - Answers- A foundation configuration involving significant excavation
that creates an area underneath that adds a full floor to a house
22.- Batt insulation - Answers- A blanket created when loose fiberglass or mineral wool
are held together with adhesive
23.- Bay - Answers- The cavity between studs in a framed wall:
A, Studs
B, Bay
C, Insulation
D, Drywall
6.- AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) - Answers- A measure of how efficiently a
furnace or boiler converts fuel to heat, on average, over a typical year.
7.- Air change rate - Answers- The number of times the interior volume of air changes
over one hour.
9.- Airflow - Answers- The movement of air in the house
8- Air Sealing - Answers- The practice of installing appropriate materials to stop airflow
in certain areas of the house
10.- Algorithm - Answers- A formula that energy modeling software uses to estimate a
house's energy usage
11- Argon - Answers- An inert gas that can be placed between the panes in a multi-
pane window to further improve the window's thermal resistance.
24.- Blower Door - Answers- A diagnostic tool used to assess the amount of air leakage
in a house:
A, Fan
B, Flexible panel
C, Digital gauge
25.- Boiler System - Answers- A type of heating system in which a boiler heats water to
produce either steam or hot water for heating:
A, Heat Exchanger
B, Burners
C, Expansion tank
217.- Weatherstripping - Answers- An energy efficiency measure that involves installing
a material to seal air leaks around components that open, close, and generally move
(exterior doors and windows).
2.- ΔP (Delta P) - Answers- The difference in measured air pressure between two areas
3.- ΔT (Delta T) - Answers- The difference in temperature between two areas
4.- Air Barrier - Answers- A material used for controlling air flow
5.- ACH (Air Change per Hour) - Answers- How air exchange rate is typically expressed
ACH = CFM x 60 / volume
Example: A house is leaking at rate of 67 CFM. the volume of the house is 8,000 cubic
feet (cu. ft)
ACH = 67 x ,000 =4,,000 = .5
12.- Atmospheric Vent - Answers- A type of heating system vent in which combustion
by-products exhaust from the house up through a chimney by stack effect due to the
natural buoyancy of hot gases.
13.- Attic - Answers- The indoor space under the roof at the top of a house.
14.- Average R-value - Answers- A way of determining the R-value of a space that has
adjacent areas of differing R-values (an attic floor with insulation everywhere except
around the hatch).
15.- Awning - Answers- An element that can be installed on the exterior of a house over
doors and windows to provide shading.
16.- B-vent - Answers- A vent made from double-wall metal.
17.- Balanced System - Answers- A type of whole-house mechanical ventilation system
that works by bringing in fresh outdoor air, and removing polluted indoor, in equal
amounts.
18.- Ballon Framing - Answers- A type of framing used in older houses, in which the
walls are built before the floors.
19.- Band Joist - Answers- A large cavity created in platform-framed houses when walls
are built on top of sheathed decks
, 20.- Baseload - Answers- A house's electricity and water demand
21.- Basement - Answers- A foundation configuration involving significant excavation
that creates an area underneath that adds a full floor to a house
22.- Batt insulation - Answers- A blanket created when loose fiberglass or mineral wool
are held together with adhesive
23.- Bay - Answers- The cavity between studs in a framed wall:
A, Studs
B, Bay
C, Insulation
D, Drywall
6.- AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) - Answers- A measure of how efficiently a
furnace or boiler converts fuel to heat, on average, over a typical year.
7.- Air change rate - Answers- The number of times the interior volume of air changes
over one hour.
9.- Airflow - Answers- The movement of air in the house
8- Air Sealing - Answers- The practice of installing appropriate materials to stop airflow
in certain areas of the house
10.- Algorithm - Answers- A formula that energy modeling software uses to estimate a
house's energy usage
11- Argon - Answers- An inert gas that can be placed between the panes in a multi-
pane window to further improve the window's thermal resistance.
24.- Blower Door - Answers- A diagnostic tool used to assess the amount of air leakage
in a house:
A, Fan
B, Flexible panel
C, Digital gauge
25.- Boiler System - Answers- A type of heating system in which a boiler heats water to
produce either steam or hot water for heating:
A, Heat Exchanger
B, Burners
C, Expansion tank
