BPI BUILDING SCIENCE PRINCIPLES VOCABULARY
The difference in measured air pressure between two areas
delta P
the difference in temperature between two areas
delta T
a material used for controlling air flow
air barrier
how air exchange rate is typically expressed
ACH (air changes per hour)
"a measure of how efficiently a furnace or boiler converts fuel to heat, on
average, over a typical year"
AFUE (annual fuel untilization efficiency)
the number of times the interior volume of air changes over in one hour
air exchange rate
the practice of installing appropriate materials to stop airflow in certain areas of a
house
air sealing
the movement of air in a house
airflow
a formula that energy modeling software uses to estimate a house's energy usage
algorithm
an inert gas that is placed between the panes in multi-pane windows to improve
the window's thermal performance
argon
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 bouyancy of hot
gases
atmospheric venting
the indoor space under the roof at the top of a house
attic
a way of determining the R-value of a space that has adjacent areas of differing R-
values
average R-value
an element that can be installed on the exterior of a house over doors and
windows to provide shading
awning
a vent made from double-wall metal
B-vent
a type of whole-house mechanical ventilation system that works by brining in
fresh outdoor air and removing polluted indoor air in equal amounts
balanced system
a type of framing used in older houses in which the walls are built before the floor
balloon framing
, a large cavity created in platform framed houses when walls are built on top of
sheathed decks
band joist
a house's electricity and water demand
baseload
a foundation configuration involving significant excavation that creates an area
underneath that adds a full floor to a house
basement
a blanket created when loose fiberglass or mineral wool are held together with
adhesive
batt
the cavity between studs in a framed wall
bay
a diagnostic tool used to assess the amount of air leakage in a house
blower door
a type of heating system in which a boiler heats water to produce either steam or
hot water for heating
boiler system
a unit of measure related to heat
BTU (British thermal unit)
any part of the building assembly that creates a boundary between indoor and
outdoor space
building envelope
"the set of fundamental scientific principles, taken from several branches of
science, that govern home performance"
building science
collected water in liquid form
bulk moisture
a force created by differences in density between indoor and outdoor air that
drives stack effect
bouyancy force
the maximum amount of electrical power that a piece of electrical equipment can
accommodate
capacity
an occurrence in which water is 'sucked up' into tiny spaces in and between
building materials
capillary action
a part of door weatherstripping; attaches to the door
carrier
a high sloping ceiling that shares the same pitch as the roof
cathedral ceiling
a type of insulation material made from ground up newspaper
cellulose
a type of energy-efficient lighting
CFL (compact fluorescent lamp)
a unit of measure for airflow velocity
The difference in measured air pressure between two areas
delta P
the difference in temperature between two areas
delta T
a material used for controlling air flow
air barrier
how air exchange rate is typically expressed
ACH (air changes per hour)
"a measure of how efficiently a furnace or boiler converts fuel to heat, on
average, over a typical year"
AFUE (annual fuel untilization efficiency)
the number of times the interior volume of air changes over in one hour
air exchange rate
the practice of installing appropriate materials to stop airflow in certain areas of a
house
air sealing
the movement of air in a house
airflow
a formula that energy modeling software uses to estimate a house's energy usage
algorithm
an inert gas that is placed between the panes in multi-pane windows to improve
the window's thermal performance
argon
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 bouyancy of hot
gases
atmospheric venting
the indoor space under the roof at the top of a house
attic
a way of determining the R-value of a space that has adjacent areas of differing R-
values
average R-value
an element that can be installed on the exterior of a house over doors and
windows to provide shading
awning
a vent made from double-wall metal
B-vent
a type of whole-house mechanical ventilation system that works by brining in
fresh outdoor air and removing polluted indoor air in equal amounts
balanced system
a type of framing used in older houses in which the walls are built before the floor
balloon framing
, a large cavity created in platform framed houses when walls are built on top of
sheathed decks
band joist
a house's electricity and water demand
baseload
a foundation configuration involving significant excavation that creates an area
underneath that adds a full floor to a house
basement
a blanket created when loose fiberglass or mineral wool are held together with
adhesive
batt
the cavity between studs in a framed wall
bay
a diagnostic tool used to assess the amount of air leakage in a house
blower door
a type of heating system in which a boiler heats water to produce either steam or
hot water for heating
boiler system
a unit of measure related to heat
BTU (British thermal unit)
any part of the building assembly that creates a boundary between indoor and
outdoor space
building envelope
"the set of fundamental scientific principles, taken from several branches of
science, that govern home performance"
building science
collected water in liquid form
bulk moisture
a force created by differences in density between indoor and outdoor air that
drives stack effect
bouyancy force
the maximum amount of electrical power that a piece of electrical equipment can
accommodate
capacity
an occurrence in which water is 'sucked up' into tiny spaces in and between
building materials
capillary action
a part of door weatherstripping; attaches to the door
carrier
a high sloping ceiling that shares the same pitch as the roof
cathedral ceiling
a type of insulation material made from ground up newspaper
cellulose
a type of energy-efficient lighting
CFL (compact fluorescent lamp)
a unit of measure for airflow velocity
