BPI Exam Questions with 100% Correct Answers

How should energy auditors approach assessing a home? Correct Answer Use the house as a system to approach to assessing a home. Core concepts of home performance Correct Answer Don't insulate unless you air seal. Don't air seal unless you insulate. Don't air seal unless you have air for the fire. Don't know if you have air for the fire until after you air seal. Don't put good air in bad places. What does the national fire protection association's national fuel gas code (NFPA 54) state that combustion air must be provided for any combustion zone? Correct Answer Where the collective fuel input exceeds 1,000 BTU per 50 cubic feet. What are the three goals all building scientists should strive to achieve? Correct Answer Increased IAQ = healthy indoor conditioned spaces. Use low flow shower/faucet heads Decrease heating/cooling system use What is the square footage of the living room, kitchen, bedroom, dining room, garage, sunroom, total area, and the value of y in a home (in ft2)? When the base and height are 35/30, 20/30, 35/35, 20/35, 12/35/30/9/12/56, 12/9/2, 1050/600/1225/700/672/54 Correct Answer Living room (1,050), kitchen (600), bedroom (1,225), dining room (700), garage (672), sunroom(54), total area (4,301) What are the categories of potential for energy conservation and how do you define them? Correct Answer Heating and cooling - seasonal efficiency for fossil-fuel heating systems range from 30 - 90%. Most older systems operate at the mid-to-lower end of this scale. Air leakages - infiltrating air must by heated or cooled to a comfortable temperature, and heated and cooled air is lost when air leaks out of the building. Water heating - energy losses in heating and storage of hot water can amount to 40% or more of that system's energy consumption. Appliances and Lighting - refrigerators, lights, entertainment systems, computers and other appliances use considerable electrical energy because of obsolete design, careless operations, or just the sheer number of electrical devices in a home. Residential Behavior - The awareness and care of a buildings residents and managers has a significant influence on how much energy the building uses. What are the cost effectiveness formulas? Correct Answer Simple payback: PB (measured in years) = C (the initial cost in dollars)/S(the annual savings in dollars).