Verified Solutions30
Visible transmittance (VT) - ANSWERS -measures the mount of visible light the window allows
through it. expressed as a number b/w 0 and 1. The higher the VT value, the more light is
transmitted.
BPI is accredited by - ANSWERS -the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
BPI approved national standards include - ANSWERS -Air Conditioning And Heat Pump
Professional
envelope Professional
building Analyst Professional
Heating Professional
Active solar or Solar Thermal - ANSWERS -uses solar energy to heat water
Solar Insolation - ANSWERS -the amount of solar energy that hits one square meter of land in a
day (kWh/m2/day)
Home performance - ANSWERS -is the systematic approach to improving the comfort, health,
safety, energy efficiency, and durability of a home.
The Big 3: - ANSWERS -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: - ANSWERS -Occupant health and safety
Indoor air quality and occupant comfort
Durability of materials
Building Science - ANSWERS -taken from physics chemistry and thermodynamics
Whole-building home performance contractors - ANSWERS -those professionals whose job is to
improve home performance - need to understand building science.
House-as-a-system: - ANSWERS -holistic view: the whole-house approach and it's another way
to define building science
Four general categories of building science: - ANSWERS -Building
Mechanicals
Environment
Occupants
Building Envelope: - ANSWERS -Foundation
Walls
Roof
Windows
Doors
Mechanicals: - ANSWERS -Heating and cooling and ventilation
Electrical Systems Lighting and appliances
Plumbing Systems
, Environment: - ANSWERS -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 - ANSWERS -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 - ANSWERS -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 - ANSWERS -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) - ANSWERS -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 - ANSWERS -Has the same pitch as a roof
vaulted ceiling - ANSWERS -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.