BPI _ BUILDING SCIENCE PRINCIPLES (GLOSSARY)
217.- Weatherstripping
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)
The difference in measured air pressure between two areas
3.- ΔT (Delta T)
The difference in temperature between two areas
4.- Air Barrier
A material used for controlling air flow
5.- ACH (Air Change per Hour)
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
6.- AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency)
A measure of how efficiently a furnace or boiler converts fuel to heat, on average, over
a typical year.
7.- Air change rate
The number of times the interior volume of air changes over one hour.
9.- Airflow
The movement of air in the house
8- Air Sealing
The practice of installing appropriate materials to stop airflow in certain areas of the
house
10.- Algorithm
A formula that energy modeling software uses to estimate a house's energy usage
11- Argon
An inert gas that can be placed between the panes in a multi-pane window to further
improve the window's thermal resistance.
12.- Atmospheric Vent
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
The indoor space under the roof at the top of a house.
14.- Average R-value
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
An element that can be installed on the exterior of a house over doors and windows to
provide shading.
16.- B-vent
, A vent made from double-wall metal.
17.- Balanced System
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
A type of framing used in older houses, in which the walls are built before the floors.
19.- Band Joist
A large cavity created in platform-framed houses when walls are built on top of
sheathed decks
20.- Baseload
A house's electricity and water demand
21.- Basement
A foundation configuration involving significant excavation that creates an area
underneath that adds a full floor to a house
22.- Batt insulation
A blanket created when loose fiberglass or mineral wool are held together with adhesive
23.- Bay
The cavity between studs in a framed wall:
A, Studs
B, Bay
C, Insulation
D, Drywall
24.- Blower Door
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
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
26.- BTU (British Thermal Unit)
A unit of measure related to heat
27.- Building Envelope
Any part of the building assembly that creates a boundary between indoor and outdoor.
28.-Building Science
Refers to the collection of scientific principles- taken from a variety of fields- that govern
home performance. To understand how a house performs, you need to understand
building science.
The set of fundamentals scientific principles, taken from several branches of science,
that govern home performance
29.- Bulk Moisture
217.- Weatherstripping
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)
The difference in measured air pressure between two areas
3.- ΔT (Delta T)
The difference in temperature between two areas
4.- Air Barrier
A material used for controlling air flow
5.- ACH (Air Change per Hour)
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
6.- AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency)
A measure of how efficiently a furnace or boiler converts fuel to heat, on average, over
a typical year.
7.- Air change rate
The number of times the interior volume of air changes over one hour.
9.- Airflow
The movement of air in the house
8- Air Sealing
The practice of installing appropriate materials to stop airflow in certain areas of the
house
10.- Algorithm
A formula that energy modeling software uses to estimate a house's energy usage
11- Argon
An inert gas that can be placed between the panes in a multi-pane window to further
improve the window's thermal resistance.
12.- Atmospheric Vent
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
The indoor space under the roof at the top of a house.
14.- Average R-value
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
An element that can be installed on the exterior of a house over doors and windows to
provide shading.
16.- B-vent
, A vent made from double-wall metal.
17.- Balanced System
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
A type of framing used in older houses, in which the walls are built before the floors.
19.- Band Joist
A large cavity created in platform-framed houses when walls are built on top of
sheathed decks
20.- Baseload
A house's electricity and water demand
21.- Basement
A foundation configuration involving significant excavation that creates an area
underneath that adds a full floor to a house
22.- Batt insulation
A blanket created when loose fiberglass or mineral wool are held together with adhesive
23.- Bay
The cavity between studs in a framed wall:
A, Studs
B, Bay
C, Insulation
D, Drywall
24.- Blower Door
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
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
26.- BTU (British Thermal Unit)
A unit of measure related to heat
27.- Building Envelope
Any part of the building assembly that creates a boundary between indoor and outdoor.
28.-Building Science
Refers to the collection of scientific principles- taken from a variety of fields- that govern
home performance. To understand how a house performs, you need to understand
building science.
The set of fundamentals scientific principles, taken from several branches of science,
that govern home performance
29.- Bulk Moisture
