BPI Test
Home performance - Answer-is the systematic approach to improving the comfort, health, safety,
energy efficiency, and durability of a home.
The Big 3: - Answer-Heat, Air and Moisture
Difference in temperature and humidity between areas inside the house, and between the inside and
the outside of the house, are exerting some sort of subtle influence on the conditions in the home.
Home Performance also includes: - Answer-Occupant health and safety
Indoor air quality and occupant comfort
Durability of materials
Building Science - Answer-taken from physics chemistry and thermodynamics
Whole-building home performance contractors - Answer-those professionals whose job is to improve
home performance - need to understand building science.
House-as-a-system: - Answer-holistic view: the whole-house approach and it's another way to define
building science
Four general categories of building science: - Answer-Building
Mechanicals
Environment
,Occupants
Building Envelope: - Answer-Foundation
Walls
Roof
Windows
Doors
Mechanicals: - Answer-Heating and cooling and ventilation
Electrical Systems Lighting and appliances
Plumbing Systems
Environment: - Answer-in this context, refers to managing the indoor environment as the exterior
environment is changing (keeping the interior temperature and relative humidity within acceptable
levels, and ensuring indoor air quality with an adequate amount of fresh air and little to no pollutant
concentrations
Importance of Occupants at a component of buildings - Answer-Home performance primarily deals with
existing, occupied homes. Occupants are the beginning and the end of the system: they may do things in
a house that affect the other components, and they are certainly on the receiving end when things like
comfort and indoor air quality are affected
Interacting relationship - Answer-an action taken on one component causes reactions or changes in
other components, or worsens certain pre-exiting conditions (and increases their likelihood of producing
negative effects
Ice dams - Answer-occurs when warm air melts snow on the roof directly above, but does not melt snow
on the overhangs. Water from the melted snow flows down into the gutters, where it freezes. This
prevents any further melting snow from draining properly. Ice dams can damage the roof and everything
beneath it.
, Mechanical ventilation (bathroom fan) - Answer-could cause air pressure differences between the inside
and outside of the home. If air leakage is present, this could cause the house to leak air at a faster rate,
which, in turn, would create the need for the thermostat to be adjusted more often
Cathedral ceiling - Answer-Has the same pitch as a roof
vaulted ceiling - Answer-does not have the same pitch as a the roof; can consist of one or two straight
slopes, or it can be arched. in the case of straight slopes, one wall of the room is taller than the opposite
wall, and the ceiling slopes downward toward the shorter wall.
Drawbacks to noon-standard types of ceilings - Answer-hard to clean, pain, and change light bulbs
cost more to heat and cool
expensive to install
Rafter - Answer-a sloped framing member that supports the roof
Joist - Answer-horizontal framing member that supports a ceiling or floor
Stud - Answer-a vertical framing member that supports an interior or exterior wall
Bay - Answer-the space between and the size of the wood influence the cavity or bay (indicates the
amount of insulation)
Thermodynamics Definition - Answer-an are of science that looks at the relationship between heat and
other kinds of energy
Home performance - Answer-is the systematic approach to improving the comfort, health, safety,
energy efficiency, and durability of a home.
The Big 3: - Answer-Heat, Air and Moisture
Difference in temperature and humidity between areas inside the house, and between the inside and
the outside of the house, are exerting some sort of subtle influence on the conditions in the home.
Home Performance also includes: - Answer-Occupant health and safety
Indoor air quality and occupant comfort
Durability of materials
Building Science - Answer-taken from physics chemistry and thermodynamics
Whole-building home performance contractors - Answer-those professionals whose job is to improve
home performance - need to understand building science.
House-as-a-system: - Answer-holistic view: the whole-house approach and it's another way to define
building science
Four general categories of building science: - Answer-Building
Mechanicals
Environment
,Occupants
Building Envelope: - Answer-Foundation
Walls
Roof
Windows
Doors
Mechanicals: - Answer-Heating and cooling and ventilation
Electrical Systems Lighting and appliances
Plumbing Systems
Environment: - Answer-in this context, refers to managing the indoor environment as the exterior
environment is changing (keeping the interior temperature and relative humidity within acceptable
levels, and ensuring indoor air quality with an adequate amount of fresh air and little to no pollutant
concentrations
Importance of Occupants at a component of buildings - Answer-Home performance primarily deals with
existing, occupied homes. Occupants are the beginning and the end of the system: they may do things in
a house that affect the other components, and they are certainly on the receiving end when things like
comfort and indoor air quality are affected
Interacting relationship - Answer-an action taken on one component causes reactions or changes in
other components, or worsens certain pre-exiting conditions (and increases their likelihood of producing
negative effects
Ice dams - Answer-occurs when warm air melts snow on the roof directly above, but does not melt snow
on the overhangs. Water from the melted snow flows down into the gutters, where it freezes. This
prevents any further melting snow from draining properly. Ice dams can damage the roof and everything
beneath it.
, Mechanical ventilation (bathroom fan) - Answer-could cause air pressure differences between the inside
and outside of the home. If air leakage is present, this could cause the house to leak air at a faster rate,
which, in turn, would create the need for the thermostat to be adjusted more often
Cathedral ceiling - Answer-Has the same pitch as a roof
vaulted ceiling - Answer-does not have the same pitch as a the roof; can consist of one or two straight
slopes, or it can be arched. in the case of straight slopes, one wall of the room is taller than the opposite
wall, and the ceiling slopes downward toward the shorter wall.
Drawbacks to noon-standard types of ceilings - Answer-hard to clean, pain, and change light bulbs
cost more to heat and cool
expensive to install
Rafter - Answer-a sloped framing member that supports the roof
Joist - Answer-horizontal framing member that supports a ceiling or floor
Stud - Answer-a vertical framing member that supports an interior or exterior wall
Bay - Answer-the space between and the size of the wood influence the cavity or bay (indicates the
amount of insulation)
Thermodynamics Definition - Answer-an are of science that looks at the relationship between heat and
other kinds of energy
