a
- A Pattern Language
Christopher Alexander’s ground breaking book first published in 1977. It is part 2 of a 3-part trilogy about the nature of the built environment.
A Pattern Language includes 253 universal patterns of human nature. Selecting and organizing the relevant patterns to solve a design problem(...)
- Absorbtion
Process whereby a porous material extracts one or more substances from an atmosphere, a mixture of gases, or a mixture of liquids.
Source: (from Gatley, Understanding Psychrometrics)
- (ACH) Air Changes per Hour
ACH is an acronym for Air Changes per Hour and is a measurement of
air infiltration. It is the total volume of air in a home that is turned over in one hour.
Source: http://www.
energyauditingblog.com
- Adsorption
(1) Process in which fluid molecules are concentrated on a surface by chemical or physical forces or both; (2) surface adherence of a material in extracting one or more substances present in an atmosphere or mixture of gases and liquids, unaccompanied by physical or chemical change.
Source:(...)
- Air Barrier
A system of materials that enclose a volume of air with minimal
air leakage between the enclosed air and the exterior. The effectiveness or adequacy of the
air barrier can be measured by the volume of air (in cubic feet per minute) that must be added or removed from the enclosure to maintain a(...)
- Air Infiltration
Uncontrolled inward leakage of air (that may contain entrained water vapor) through cracks and insterstices in any building element and around
windows and doors of a building, caused by the pressure effects of wind or the effect of differences in the indoor and
outdoor air density.
Source:(...)
- Air Leakage
Uncontrolled and/or unintended airflow through a
building enclosure or between units of occupancy. Leakage from indoors to outdoors is known as exfiltration and leakage from outdoors to indoors is known as infiltration.
Air leakage can cause indoor air quality problems,
condensation, excess(...)
- Air Retarder
A material or assembly that does not meet the performance requirements of an air control layer material or assembly, but that is nonetheless designed and constructed to control air flow.
Source: The Passivhaus Handbook
- Air Source Heat Pump
Air Source Heat Pumps absorb heat from the outside air. This heat can then be used to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems, warm air convectors and hot water in your home. It extracts heat from the outside air in the same way that a fridge extracts heat from its inside. It can get heat(...)
- Airtightness
The degree of leakage of air through the
thermal envelope. (See air permeability and air changes per hour, above).
Airtightness is a property of a building.
Source: The Passivhaus Handbook
- Arduino
Arduino is an open-source prototyping platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software.
Arduino boards are able to read inputs - light on a sensor, a finger on a button, or a Twitter message - and turn it into an output - activating a motor, turning on an LED, publishing something online.(...)
- Asbestos
Naturally occurring fibrous minerals that because of their extreme
durability and fire resistance were used extensively in residential and industrial construction. The inhalation of
asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses such as
asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Source:(...)
- (ASHRAE) American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers
A building technology society with more than 50,000 members worldwide. ASHRAE’s activities include research, standards writing, publishing, and continuing education. Its areas of interest include building systems,
energy efficiency, indoor air quality and sustainability within the(...)
b
- Beam
A structural supporting member that resists loads primarily in bending. May be vertical or horizontal and made of any material or composite.
- BIM (Building Information Modeling)
BIM is an intelligent 3D model-based process that equips architecture, engineering, and construction professionals with the insight and tools to more efficiently plan, design, construct, and manage buildings and infrastructure.
The National Building Information Model Standard Project(...)
- Black Eyed Susan
Plant Name : Rudbeckia fulgida
Height : 2'-3"
Light Conditions : Sun
Blooms : Summer
Color : Yellow
Notes : Self Sows
- Blower Door
A machine used to test the
airtightness of buildings or of smaller spaces within buildings. A
blower door is mounted in an opening such as a
window or door and then uses a fan to pressurize or depressurize the measured space. The more airtight the space, the less air is needed from the blower(...)
- Blower Door Test
Test used to determine a home’s
airtightness: a powerful fan is mounted in an exterior door opening and used to pressurize or depressurize the house. By measuring the force needed to maintain a certain pressure difference, a measure of the home’s
airtightness can be determined. Operating the(...)
- Building Enclosure
The system or assembly of components that provides environmental separation between the
conditioned space and the exterior environment.
Note: The enclosure is a special type of environmental separator. Environmental separators also exist within buildings as dividers between spaces with(...)
- Building Envelope
Exterior components of a house that provide protection from colder (and warmer) outdoor temperatures and precipitation; includes the house foundation, framed exterior walls, roof or ceiling, and
insulation, and air sealing materials.
Source: Green Building Advisor
- Building Morphology
Building Morphology in architecture is the study of the evolution of form within the built environment.
c
- CAD (Computer-Aided Design)
CAD, or computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), is the use of computer technology for design and design documentation. CAD software replaces manual drafting with an automated process. AutoCAD software was the first CAD program, and it is still the most widely used CAD(...)
- CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing)
CAD/CAM refers to computer software that is used to both design and manufacture products. CAD/CAM applications are used to both design a product and program manufacturing processes, specifically, CNC (computer numerical control) machining. CAD/CAM software is most often used for machining of(...)
- CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing)
CAM software is used to design and manufacture products. CAM software uses the models and assemblies created in CAD software to generate tool paths that drive the machines that turn the designs into physical parts.
Source: http://www.autodesk.com/solutions/cad-cam,(...)
- Caulking
- Cellulose
Cellulose is made from recycled newsprint and other recycled paper with one of the highest percentages of post-consumer waste content of any
insulation. It is treated with recognized safe fire retardants.
Cellulose insulation is blown onto attic floors, into wall and ceiling cavities, or is(...)
- Certified Passive House Consultant
An individual who has trained (taken a Passivehouse-Institute-of-the United States [PHIUS]-recognized
Certified Passive House Consultant [
CPHC] course and PHIUS
CPHC examination) and qualified in the principles and methodology needed to design a Passivehouse.
Source: PHIUS
- Cladding
A material or assembly that forms the exterior face of a wall. Examples of
cladding include
stucco, EIFS, metal panels, brick/stone
veneer, wood siding, and vinyl siding.
Source: IRC FAQ:
Cladding Attachment Over Insulating
Sheathing, Info-305: Reservoir
Claddings, BSI-058
- Climate
The exterior environmental conditions that will impose a load on the
building enclosure, including temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind, and solar
radiation. Dividing a map into
climate zones allows designers, code bodies, and ot
hers to make recommendations based on expected regional(...)
- Climate Zone
A
climate zone is a classification of the type of weather that is experienced in a specific geographic region of the world.
Climate zones are differentiated based on average temperatures, precipitation, and heating degree-days (HDD) that occurs in an area. The US Department of
Energy(...)
- Commisioning
A quality assurance process during and following building construction, prior to occupancy. Tests and inspections should note any problems to be fixed immediately (“fix and tune”). Tests should be conducted for duct leakage,
building enclosure leakage, air pressure relationships under all(...)
- Condensation
The change of state from vapor to liquid. A common factor in moisture damage. Occurs on surfaces, which must be cooler than the air containing vapor next to it. Vapor supply to the
condensation surface is usually by airflow but can be by
diffusion.
Source: BSD-163: Controlling Cold-Weather(...)
- Conditioned Space
The part of the building that is designed to be thermally conditioned (heated or cooled), either for the comfort of occupants or for other reasons such as preserving temperature-sensitive goods.
Source: BSI 022: The Perfect
HVAC - Connected Home
A
Connected Home is a home that contains a communication network that connects security, lighting, sound, TV’s, appliances,
HVAC, and
energy monitoring allowing the owner to control the network from a single app on a tablet, phone, or computer both locally and remotely.
- Cooling Degree Days
Heating degree days and
cooling degree days are climatological metrics used to express the magnitude of the heating or cooling load in a given location. These metrics are expressed in terms of a "base temperature" (e.g., "
Cooling Degree Days Base 65 F").
Cooling degree days are calculated by(...)
- Corrosion
The deterioration of metal by chemical or electrochemical reaction resulting from exposure to weathering, moisture, chemicals or other agents or media.
Source: RR-0605: Assessing the
Durability Impacts of
Energy Efficienct Upgrades Using Hygrothermal Modeling
- CPHB
Certified
Passive House Builder. An individual who has successfully completed the training and exam administered by PHIUS to build buildings that meet the
Passive House building standard.
- CPHC
- CPHD
Certified
Passive House Designer. An individual who has successfully completed the training and exam administered by PHI to design and engineer buildings that meet the Passivhaus building standard.
d
- Daylighting
The efficient use of natural light in ways that minimize the need for artificial light in buildings. It is achieved by control strategies and adapted components which fall mainly into three categories: • conduction components - spaces used to guide or distribute light towards the interior of a(...)
- Dehumidification
Removal of water vapor from air.
Source: from Gatley, Understanding Psychrometrics. Related Resources: RR-0215:
Dehumidification Systems Research Results; RR-1008: Building America Special Research Project—Enhanced
Dehumidification - Dense Pack Insulation
A method of
insulation application that results in
insulation that is less prone to air filtration and settling.
Source: www.buildingscience.com.
- Dew Point
- Diffusion
The movement of individual molecules through a material. The movement occurs because of concentration gradients and (to a much lesser degree) thermal gradients, independent of airflow. A mode of water vapor transport in
building enclosures that is much slower than airflow.
Source: BSI 049:(...)
- Drainage Plane
- Drained
A
building enclosure rain control strategy (or ground water control) that accepts that some water will penetrate the outer surface (the
cladding, which “screens” rain) and removes this water back to the exterior by gravity drainage over a
drainage plane, through a drainage gap, and exiting via(...)
- Durability
The capability of a building, assembly, component, or product to maintain serviceability over a specified time.
Source: BSD 144: Increasing the
Durability of Building Constructions; RR-1207: Vancouver Field Exposure Facility—Phase III Exterior
Insulation Analysis
e
- Off-Site Construction
Off-site construction refers to the planning, design, fabrication, and assembly of building elements at a location other than their final installed location to support the rapid and efficient construction of a permanent structure. Such building elements may be
prefabricated in a different(...)
- (EIFS) External Insulation Finishing System
A system which combines exterior
insulation and some type of
stucco cladding for buildings. Based on rain control strategy, there are two types of EIFS available in the U.S.—perfect barrier face-sealed systems and
drained systems.
Source: BSD-146: EIFS—Problems and Solutions, RR-0406: Face(...)
- Energy
Energy is a measurable quantity of heat, work, or light. Potential
energy is stored
energy, like a cord of wood. Kinetic
energy is transitional
energy, like a flame.
Source: Residential
Energy - Energy Audit
An
energy audit is an assessment of the
insulation, building structure, heating and hot water systems and electrical use. It is a practical way to protect your biggest asset, save money and live healthier. Our approach to auditing is based on the House as a System concept, balancing air(...)
- Energy Performance Standard
The measure of a building
energy efficiency.
- Energy Star
The Environmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with the Department of
Energy, has created a brand that identifies the most
energy-efficient products on the American market.
Source: Residential
Energy - EnerPHit
The Passivhaus Institut's
energy performance standard for retrofits. It allows a maximum annual [specific] space heated demand of 25kWh/m^2.a and an upper
airtightness limit of 1.0ACH, if the 0.6ACH target can be shown to be impracticable, and also sets requirements for individual elements of(...)
- Enthalpy
Thermodynamic quantity equal to the sum of the internal
energy of a system plus the product of the pressure-volume work done on the system.
Enthalpy cannot be directly measured; however,
enthalpy differences between the initial and the final state points of a process can be(...)
- ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator or Enthalpy Recovery Ventilator)
Exchanges the
energy contained in air exhausted from a building and uses this to heat or cool the building’s incoming outdoor ventilation air.
Source: Zehnder
Passive House Blog
- EUI
Energy Use Intensity (
EUI) is a measure of a building’s
energy use as a function of its size. It’s calculated by dividing the total
energy consumed by the building in one year (measured in kBtu or GJ) by the total gross floor area of the building.
f
- Flashing
"
Flashing refers to thin continuous pieces of sheet metal or impervious material installed to prevent the passage of water into a structure from an angle or joint.
Flashing generally operates on the principle that, for water to penetrate a joint, it must work itself upward against the force of(...)
- Floorplan
A horizontal section drawing showing the basic layout of a building, including the placement of walls,
windows and doors.
- Foam
A substance formed by trapping pockets of gas in a liquid or solid. Solid
foams can be divided into closed-cell
foams (where each pocket is separated) and open-cell
foams (where the pockets connect with each other).
Foams have many possible uses in building. A common use is as an insulator.
- Framing Member
Studs, joists,
plates (tracks), bridging, bracing, and related accessories manufactured or supplied for wood or light gauge steel framing.
Source: Future of Framing is Here
h
- Header
A
framing member that goes over a
window, door, or other opening. A
beam placed perpendicular to joists and to which joists are nailed in framing for chimney, stairway, or other opening.
Source: BSI-030: Advanced Framing
- HERS
Home
Energy Rating System (
HERS) a standard for measuring a home's
energy efficiency. Developed by the Residential
Energy Services Network (RESNET). The
HERS Index measures a home's
energy efficiency. It includes the
energy consumption from heating, cooling, water heating, lights, and some(...)
- Housewrap
Any of the numerous artificial polymer rolled sheet goods designed to function as
drainage planes, a class of
sheathing membranes. Some are also used as part of an
air barrier system. Can be made of spun-fiber polyolefin, perforated plastic films, or coated and micro-perforated polymers.(...)
- How Buildings Learn
Written by Stewart Brand, who brought us “The Whole Earth” catalog, “
How Buildings Learn” explores what happens to buildings after they’re built. These post construction insights allow us to “design-in” the inevitable evolution of our rooms and spaces.
Buy the Book Here
- HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator)
Also known as HRV, mechanical ventilation heat recovery, or MVHR, is an
energy recovery ventilation system using equipment known as a heat recovery ventilator, heat exchanger, air exchanger, or air-to-air heat exchanger which employs a counter-flow heat exchanger (countercurrent heat exchange)(...)
- HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning)
HVAC equipment performs heating and/or cooling for residential, commercial or industrial buildings. The
HVAC system may also be responsible for providing fresh
outdoor air to dilute interior airborne contaminants such as odors from occupants, volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) emitted from(...)
i
- IAQ (Indoor Air Quality)
The quality of air within buildings, in regard to both health and comfort. Indoor air often contains a complex mixture of contaminants and common pollutants, including smoke, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and
molds. The level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in indoor air also relates to IAQ, and(...)
- Insulated Sheathing
Non-structural insulating board products with varying
R-values and a wide variation in vapor permeability and drainage characteristics. Materials include expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), polyisocyanurate (most often foil-faced), rigid fiberglass, and mineral(...)
- Insulation
(1) Thermal
insulation: Any material which significantly slows down or retards the flow or transfer of heat. Building
insulation types are classified according to form (e.g loose-fill, batt, flexible, rigid, reflective, and
foamed-in-place) or material (mineral fiber, organic fiber,
foam(...)
- IOT (Internet Of Things)
The Internet of Things is the network of physical objects including devices, vehicles, buildings and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data.
Source: Internet of Things Global Standards Initiative
j
- Jamb
The vertical side or edge of a doorway,
window, or other opening.
Source: Water Management Guide
- Jump Duct
A flexible, short, U-shaped duct (typically 10-inch diameter) that connects a room to a common space as a pressure balancing mechanism.
Jump ducts serve the same function as
transfer grilles. Used when return ducts are not located in every room.
Source: Info-604: Transfer Ducts and Grilles;(...)
l
- (LEED) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
A US sustainability rating system, broad-based and internationally recognised. LEED is a set of rating systems intended to assess the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods. LEED was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).(...)
- Low-E
Most often used in reference to a coating for high-performance
windows. The "E" stands for "emissivity," which is the degree of efficiency. A thin metallic oxide coating increases the U-value and/or decreases the SHGC of the
window by reducing heat flow from a warm(er) surface to a cold(er)(...)
m
- Maintenance
A regular process of inspection, cleaning and minor repairs of building elements and exterior systems. Cleaning removes dirt, impurities, or extraneous matter as required on a regular basis, such as removing leaves from gutters and drains in the fall or cleaning lint from dryer vents. Minor(...)
- Membrane
A thin pliable or flexible sheet forming A thin pliable or flexible sheet forming a lining, covering, or layer.a lining, covering, or layer.
- Mineral Wool
A substance resembling matted wool and made from inorganic mineral material, used chiefly for packing or
insulation.
Source: www.
cellulose.org.
- Mold
A type of fungus that is different from plants, animals and bacteria.
Molds are decomposers of dead organic material such as leaves, wood and plants.
Molds sometimes can infect living plants and animals. The spores and hair-like bodies of individual
mold colonies are too small for us to see(...)
- (MVHR) Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery
Also known as heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or comfort ventilation. A whole-house ventilation system that takes out heat from the old (exhaust) air and gives it to the new (intake) air. Fresh air is delivered to living areas (e.g. living room and bedrooms) and extracted from kitchens and(...)
n
- Net Zero
A building which generates as much
energy as it uses.
- Net Zero Building (NZB)
A
net zero building is a building the produces as much
energy on site as it consumes on an annual basis. From the DOE: an
energy-efficient building where, on a
source energy basis, the actual annual delivered
energy is less than or equal to the on-site renewable exported
energy.
Source: US(...)
- Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB)
A
net zero building is a building the produces as much
energy on site as it consumes on an annual basis. From the DOE: an
energy-efficient building where, on a
source energy basis, the actual annual delivered
energy is less than or equal to the on-site renewable exported
energy.
Source: US(...)
o
- Outdoor Air
Air outside the building.
Source: RR-9901: Air Distribution Fan Outside Air Damper; Info-610: Central Fan Integrated Ventilation Systems
p
- Passive House
“
Passive House” is today’s most
energy efficient building standard. Buildings that meet the
Passive House standard use 80% less
energy for heating and cooling than conventional buildings yet are markedly more comfortable and healthy than traditional buildings.
A
Passive House conserves(...)
- Passive Solar
Utilizing solar in passive manner such as with thermal masses or solar light tubes instead of actively with
photovoltaic panels or solar hot water systems.
Source:
Energy Audit Blog
- Passivhaus Standard
A residential building construction standard requiring very low levels of
air leakage, very high levels of
insulation, and
windows with a very low
U-factor. Developed in the early 1990s by Bo Adamson and Wolfgang Feist, the standard is now promoted by the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt,(...)
- PHI (Passivhaus Institut)
The
Passive House Institute (PHI) is an independent research institute lead by Dr Wolfgang Feist with a continuously growing interdisciplinary team of employees. PHI has played an especially crucial role in the development of the
Passive House concept. The first pilot project (Kranichstein(...)
- PHIUS+
PHIUS+ rater. An individual who has successfully completed the training and exam administered by PHIUS to verify that PHIUS precertified
Passive House projects are constructed as design..
PHIUS+ raters perform onsite testing and inspection during multiple site visits to ensure QA/QC.
- PHIUS Certified Passive House
A
PHIUS certified Passive House is a building certified by the
Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) to meet the PHIUS + building standard. The PHIUS + building standard is a global building
energy standard designed to create comfortable, healthy, and
energy efficient buildings.
- PHIUS Certified Passive House Consultant
A PHIUS
CPHC (
Certified Passive House Consultant) is a professional in the building industry trained by PHIUS to apply the rigorous
Passive House approach to creating comfortable, healthy, and
energy efficient buildings. The training is focused on the principles of passive building design and(...)
- PHIUS (Passive House Institute of the US)
Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) is a 501(c)3 organization committed to making high-performance passive building principles the mainstream best building practice, and the mainstream market
energy performance standard. PHIUS has trained more than 1,700 architects, engineers,
energy(...)
- (PHPP) Passive House Planning Package
The
energy modelling design tool created by the Passivhaus Institut (PHI) to accurately predict
energy performance. It is the basis for designing and certifying Passivhaus and
EnerPHit builds.
Source: The Passivhaus Handbook
- Plate
Sill
plate: or “mud sill”: a horizontal member anchored to a masonry wall.
Sole
plate: bottom horizontal member of a frame wall.
Top
plate: top horizontal member of a frame wall supporting ceiling joists, rafters, or other members.
- Plywood
A wood product made of three or more layers of
veneer joined with glue, and usually laid with the grain of adjoining plies at right angles.
- Prefab
1. A building, manufactured in standardized parts or sections ready for quick assembly and erection.
2. A structure fabricated at an offsite location and brought to the site as fully assembled for installation.
3. A broad term that encompasses several different types of building.(...)
- Pressure Boundary
The primary air enclosure boundary separating conditioned air and unconditioned air. Typically defined by the air control layer system.
Source: BSD-104: Understanding
Air Barriers; Info-401:
Air Barriers—Airtight Drywall Approach
- Primary Energy
Primary energy is the raw fuel that is burned to create heat and electricity, such as natural gas or fuel oil used in onsite generation. When
primary energy is consumed on site, the conversion to
source energy must account for losses that are incurred in the storage, transport, and delivery(...)
- PV
Photovoltaics (
PV) is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar
radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the
photovoltaic effect.
Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels composed of a number of solar cells containing a(...)
r
- R-value
Quantitative measure of an assembly or material resistance to heat flow for a unit temperature difference and a unit area. It is the reciprocal of the
U-factor. The units for
R-value are ft2 °F hr/Btu (English) or m2 °K hr/W (SI or metric). As
R-value increases, conduction through an assembly(...)
- Radiation
The movement of
energy by electromagnetic waves; can occur through a gas or a vacuum. One of the three modes of heat transfer (in addition to convection and conduction). At normal temperatures,
radiation is in the infra-red region of the spectrum, whereas solar
radiation is at visible(...)
- Raised Heel Energy Truss
A truss with a raised heel height, or the depth of the attic space at the eaves (the vertical distance from the top
plate to the underside of the roof
sheathing), measured at the outside wall. This leaves more room for
insulation.
Source:(...)
- Randek
Randek develops, manufactures and markets high-performance machines and systems for
prefabricated house manufacturing. The product range consist of: cut saws, wall floor and roof lines, roof truss system, butterfly tables and special machines. The automation level stretches from fully(...)
- Energy Rater
An individual, certified to perform Building
Energy Efficiency Ratings for the building type and in the rating Class for which the Rater is certified.
There are three classes of residential Rater certification: Class 3 - requiring the certified capability to complete Ratings based on(...)
- Relative Humidity
A measure of the quantity of water vapor in a given volume of air, expressed as a percentage of the maximum quantity of water vapor that volume can contain before it becomes saturated (after which
condensation will occur). Variants : RH
Source: The Passivhaus Handbook
- RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network)
In April 1995, the National Association of State
Energy Officials (NASEO) and
Energy Rated Homes of America founded the Residential
Energy Services Network (RESNET) to develop a national market for home
energy rating systems and
energy efficient mortgages.
Source: Building Science Corporation
s
- Sarking Membrane (WRB)
A layer of flexible
insulation typically installed under roof tiles when a home is being constructed. It consists of aluminum foil laminated onto paper or plastic backing with a flame retardant adhesive and fiberglass reinforcing mesh, and is manufactured in sheet form. Sarking performs a(...)
- Rainscreen
- Sealant
A flexible, polymer-based elastomeric material that is used in the assembly of the
building enclosure to seal gaps, seams, or joints, making them waterproof or airtight (as part of the air or water control layers) or to provide a clean finish.
Sealants are typically applied wet and may be(...)
- Sensible Heat
The heat (
energy) exchanged that affects only the temperature. Compares to latent heat which is the heat (
energy) that is not observable as a change in temperature. Examples include vapor condensing from air or ice melting into water. In both cases, the material stays the same temp until the(...)
- Sheathing
A material used to provide structural stiffness to the wall framing and to provide structural backing for the
cladding and
sheathing paper. Typical materials are OSB (oriented strand board),
plywood, or various forms of gypsum board.
Source: Info-500: Building Materials Property Table;(...)
- Site Energy
Site energy represents the total nonrenewable
energy consumed by a building measured on site.
- Source Energy
Source energy represents the total amount of raw fuel that is required to operate the building. It incorporates all transmission, delivery, and production losses.
- Steico
- Stucco
An exterior
cladding formed in place on the wall and made of inorganically bonded sand and small aggregate. Typically Portland cement-based, but with additives of lime, surfactants, water repellents, etc.
Source: BSI-029:
Stucco Woes—The Perfect Storm; BSI-013: Face Lift for Old Buildings
- Sustainable
A resource,
energy or material which can be extracted and used in a manner which is viable over an indefinite period. Compare with finite resources like petroleum.
Source:
Energy Audit Blog
t
- Thermal Comfort
Defined by Dr P. Ole Fanger as "the condition of mind which expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment." Dr Fanger identified
thermal comfort as being determined by: air temperature, 'radiant' temperatures (the temperatures of walls, floor and ceiling), air movement (draughts),(...)
- Thermal Control Layer
The component or components that are designed and installed in an assembly to control the transfer of thermal
energy (heat). Typically these are comprised of
insulation products, radiant barriers, or trapped gaps filled with air or other gases.
Source: BSI-024: Vocabulary; BSI-001: The(...)
- Thermal Envelope
The area of floors, walls,
windows and roof or ceiling that contains the building's internal warm / heated volume.
Source: The Passivhaus Handbook
- Transfer Grille
An intentional opening used to relieve
HVAC supply pressure, preventing unintentional pressurization or depressurization of spaces.
Source: Info-604: Transfer Ducts and Grilles; RR-0006: Discussion of the Use of
Transfer Grilles to Facilitate Return Air Flow in Central Return Systems
u
- U-factor
A quantitative measure of heat flow or conductivity; the reciprocal of
R-value. While building scientists will use
R-values for measures of the resistance to heat flow for individual building materials,
U-factor is usually used as a summary metric for the ease of heat transfer through building(...)
v
- Vapor Barrier
Also known as vapor closed, a
vapor barrier is a material that has a permeance of 0.1 US perm or less. A
vapor barrier is a material that is essentially vapor impermeable (e.g., metal, glass, thick plastics, unperforated epoxy paint). A
vapor barrier is a Class I vapor control layer. The test(...)
- Veneer
1. A non-loadbearing layer of masonry on the exterior of an enclosure.
2. A thin slice or sheet of wood or other material that is glued onto a base of wood, fibreboard, or other material to create a flat panel (furniture, counter tops, etc.).
- Vented Cladding
Wall
cladding separated from the framed wall by an air cavity, allowing for ventilation.
Source: www.buildingscience.com
- (VOC) Volitile Organic Compound
In terms of indoor air quality, a VOC is any organic chemical compound that can evaporate under normal indoor atmospheric conditions of temperature and pressure. VOCs may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products including many building(...)
w
- WarmForm
WarmFörm™ Slab Forms are remain-in-place, self-shuttering, insulated concrete formwork used to create slab-on-grade foundations. WarmFörm is based on decades of testing and tens of thousands of installed examples in Northern Europe where it is has evolved as the preferred formwork system, as(...)
- Water Resistant Barrier
A sheet, spray- or trowel-applied
membrane or material layer that prevents the passage of liquid water even after long or continuous exposure to moisture.
Source: RR-1101: Evaluation of
Cladding and Water-Resistive Barrier Performance in Hot-Humid
Climates Using a Real-Weather, Real-Time(...)
- Window
A manufactured assembly of a frame, sash, glazing and necessary hardware, made to fit an opening in a wall. Components of a
window may include the following:
Window sill: horizontal member at the base of a
window opening.
Window head: horizontal member at the top of a
window(...)
- Window Frame
The stationary part of a
window unit; the
window sash fits into the
window frame.
Source: RR-1203: Measure Guideline—Wood
Window Repair, Rehabilitation and Replacement
- Windwashing
The phenomenon of air movement driven by wind pressures wind passing through or behind the thermal
insulation within enclosures, causing significant loss of heat flow control and potentially causing
condensation. Typically occurs at exposed building edges, such as at the outside corners and(...)
z
- ZEB (Zero Energy Building)
A
net zero building is a building the produces as much
energy on site as it consumes on an annual basis. From the DOE: an
energy-efficient building where, on a
source energy basis, the actual annual delivered
energy is less than or equal to the on-site renewable exported
energy.
Source: US(...)
- ZEH (Zero Energy Home)
- ZNE (Zero Net Energy)
See Zero
Energy Home (ZEH) and Zero
Energy Building (ZEB).
Source: Building Science Corporation