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Building Systems - Key Terms 1, 2, 3

Terms in this set (83)

air space
sheet of air contained on two sides by drywall, brick, insulation, or other building materials
slows down the transfer of heat through a building envelope
ASHRAE
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment
building envelope
is the point at which the inside comes into contact with the outside, the place where energy, materials, and living things pass in and out
chase
integrated into building cores and stairwells of especially large buildings
conduction
involves the transfer of heat directly from molecule to molecule
convection
exchange of heat between a fluid and a solid
evaporation
water changing from a liquid state to a vapor and loses latent heat
carries heat away from wet surfaces in the building envelope
curtain walls
non-load bearing exterior surface treatments
framing or panels supported by either columns or edges of floor slab
dew point
The temperature at which condensation begins
direct-gain passive solar system
introduces solar energy directly into the interior space through ordinary fenestration
energy load
the amount of energy the building uses to operate
fenestration
the arrangement, proportioning, and design of windows and doors in a building
green design
another term for sustainable design
green roof
a natural roof covering typically consisting of vegetation planted in lightweight soil or growing medium over a waterproof membrane
high performance building
integrate and optimize all major _________ attributes, including energy efficiency, durability, life-cycle performance, and occupant productivity
HVAC
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
indirect gain system
place thermal storage mass between the sun and the occupied space
sunlight strikes the thermal mass, where it is absorbed and stored, then slowly transferred to the occupied space
trombe wall
indirect gain thermal wall
consists of thermal mass (often around 12" thick) just inside a sheet of south-facing glazing and of heavy masonry construction material
sunlight is absorbed through wall in longwave radiation and gradually migrates inside to be released at night
internal load dominated
tall thick buildings sheltering larger amounts of floor space from outside climate
LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
green building certification program where projects must satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification
Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT)
gives a value to the way an interior space and its furnishings radiate and emit heat to a human body in a given location
natural ventilation
additional glass skin that allows solar control
electromagnetic spectrum
radiation emitted by the sun includes wavelengths ranging from extremely short x-rays to very long radio waves
passive solar design
relies on the design of the building itself, rather then on fuel-consuming mechanical equipment
thermal lag
when afternoon temperatures are generally warmer than mornings
heat islands
a city that is significantly warmer than the surrounding suburbs due to human activities
relative humidity (RH)
a measure of the water vapor content in air - climate views the weather statistically and includes this in its criteria along with temperature , solar radiation, and wind speed
greenhouse gases
pollutants that trap the earth's heat
CO2
man-made sources are by burning fossil fuels, cement production, and deforestation... After water vapor, these are the most common GHGs
biomass
the organic matter of plants
demolition by hand salvage
when the building is taken apart and its constituent pieces are reused, is an alternative that is labor-intensive but energy-wise
drain leaders
horizontal offsets that carry rain water and clear water waste to the storm building drain
fossil fuels
made from decomposing plants and animals, release energy in combustion
greenhouse effect
the trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere
net metering
a system where solar panels or other renewable energy generators are connected to a public-utility power grid and surplus energy is transferred to the grid
photovoltaic (PV)
the conversion of light into energy from a system that uses solar cells (two substances exposed to light)
potable
drinkable water
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
Chemicals that replaced CFC's role in society, that actually is a greenhouse gas. Compounds of hydrogen, carbon, and flouride
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
contain carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine. Widely used as refrigerants.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
stable chemicals, used for AC, refrigerators, etc. destroy ozone molecules in the upper atmosphere which allows more ultraviolet radiation to reach the earth and harm us, they are included in GHGs
ultraviolent radiation (UV)
most ________ is intercepted by the high-altitude ozone layer, long term exposure can lead to skin cancer
infrared radiation (IR)
electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths greater than visible light and carries sun's heat
climate types
cold climate design, temperate climate design, hot arid climate design, hot humid climate design
environmental protection agency (EPA)
The US federal agency with a mission to protect human health and the environment.
photosynthesis
Conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy.
wind turbines
devices that convert wind's kinetic energy into electric energy
net zero building
buildings that become self-sufficient and operate entirely on renewable energy
passive house
a voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building that reduces its ecological footprint so that it requires little energy for space heating or cooling
R-values
measure the thermal resistance of a given material
Aisle Accessway
Provides path to adjacent aisle, must be 30" min
Compartmentation
Confines fire, heat, smoke and toxic gasses to the area of their origin
Exit Access Corridor
Any corridor leading to an exit in a building
Exit Access
Portion of a means of egress that leads to an exit
Exit Access Stair
Used in spaces where more than one tenet more than one floor
Exit Discharge
Exterior vestibule connecting exterior exit door to public way
Exit
Portion of a means of egress that is separated from all other spaces of a building
Fire Barriers
Fire rated structural elements that prevent spread of flame and heat
Occupant Load Factor
The amount of space required per occupant
One-Half Diagonal
Two exits must be separated by distance at least 1/2 dimension of diagonal line drawn across area
Public Way
A street, alley, etc. open to the sky and permanently available for passage and use of general public
Fire Dampers
In HVAC ductwork to automatically interrupt flow of air during emergency
Fire Exit Hardware
Required for fire exit doors, disengages when pressure is applied to horizontal bar
Fire Separation Walls
Create fire rated compartments within a building
Fire Triangle
Graphic representation of three things necessary for fire (air, heat, fuel)
Fire Suppression Systems
Cover fuel or displace oxygen to control fire
Firewalls
Highest fire ratings, usually part of building shell
Flame Retardant Chemicals
Inhibit or resist the spread of fire
Horizontal Exits
Passages through wall constructed as required for occupancy separation, protected by automatic fire door
Mean of Egress
Continuous and unobstructed path of travel from any point in the building to its exit or a public way
radiation
heat flows via electromagnetic waves from hotter surfaces to detached colder ones
regenerative design
to produce positive environmental impact, leaving the world better off in terms energy, water and materials
safety glazing
glazing that meets Consumer Product Safety Commission test requirements
skin load dominated
interior spaces in thinner buildings almost all have an exterior wall that needs to be heated in cold weather and cooled in hot weather
sunspace
is used as an extension of the occupied space only when the weather permits
heat build up in here transfers to occupied space to meeting heating needs and this space is not heated at night
sustainable design
a holistic approach to building design that reduces negative social, economic, and ecological impacts on the environment through conservation and reuse of natural resources, energy, water, and materials
thermal equilibrium
when two objects are at the same temperature and no heat flows
thermal resistance
the rate at which a building gains or loses heat through any portion of its enclosure under stable indoor and outdoor temperatures
vapor retarders
materials that resist the flow of water vapor through the envelope assembly
thermodynamics
branch of science that deals with the relationship between heat and other forms of energy
US Green Building Council
a coalition of building design and construction businesses; group has developed the LEED
Green Building Rating System, a system focused on the construction of high-performance and environmentally responsible structures
U-factors
expressions of the steady-state rate at which heat flows through architectural envelope assemblies
thermal capacity
the ability of a material to store heat
sustainability
"sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" UN World Commission of Environment and Development
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