MEP 2 VOCAB

Occupant Load Factor

The number of persons for which the means of egress of a building or portion thereof is designed.

occupant load

The number of persons for which the means of egress of a building or portion thereof is designed.

Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)

The organization, office, or individual responsible for approving the equipment and materials used for building automation installation.

F-Factor

The perimeter heat loss factor for slab on grade floors.

M&V (measurement and verification)

The process of using measurement to reliably determine actual savings created by an energy management change.

Ventilation

The process when outside air is brought into a building.

Heat Transfer Multiplier (HTM)

The product of the design temperature difference and the U-Factor for an assembly of building elements

flame spread

The propagation of flame over a surface.

Deadband

The range between two setpoints in which no control action takes place.

U-factor

The rate at which energy (heat) moves through a series of materials.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)

The ratio of the solar heat gain entering the space through the fenestration assembly to the incident solar radiation.

COP

The relationship between the power (kW) that is drawn out of a heat pump as cooling or heat, and the power (kW) that is supplied to the compressor

Static pressure

The resistance air encounters while traveling throughout a building's HVAC system.

Access Control (AC)

The selective restriction of access to a place or other resource.

Gross Square Footage

The sum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building, including basements, mezzanine and intermediate-floored tiers, and penthouses with headroom height of 7.5 ft (2.2 meters) or greater. Measurements must be taken from the exterior faces of exterior walls.

Dew Point

The temperature to which the air needs to cool down to in order to become completely saturated or reach 100 percent relative humidity.

Fire resistance rating

The time, in minutes or hours, that a material or assembly will resist fire exposure as determined by ASTM E119.

Design Temperature Difference

The variance between the desired indoor temperature and the outdoor temperature.

performance criteria building code

building requirements that are defined by an objective, functional statement, and fulfill a requirement

Bearing Wall Structure

A building or other structure in which vertical loads from floors and roofs are primarily supported by walls.

Alarm signal

An audible and/or visual signal indicating a fire emergency, generally requiring immediate building evacuation.

Explosion

An effect produced by the sudden violent expansion of gasses, which may be accompanied by a shock wave or disruption, or both, of enclosing materials or structures.

Relay

An electrical switch that is actuated by a separate electrical circuit.

Latent Energy

Heat that is present due to the amount of moisture in the air.

Conduction

Heat transferred directly from two materials being in direct contact with a temperature difference present.

fire partition

In the IBC, a fire-resistant wall intended to deter the spread of fire

fire area

In the IBC, an area within a building bounded by fire-resistant construction

International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)

In the United States, the establishment of minimum design and construction requirements for energy efficiency.

Volumetric Flow Rate

The amount of fluid (air) which passes per unit time.

Substrate

The base to which a coating, veneer, or finish material is applied

Control Device

A building automation device for monitoring or changing system variables, making control decisions, or interfacing with other types of systems.

Consulting-Specifying Engineer

A building automation professional that design the building automation system from the owner's list of desired features.

Passive House

A building that comprises a set of design principles used to attain a quantifiable and rigorous level of energy efficiency within a specific quantifiable comfort level.

ECM (energy conservation measure)

A change made to a building or a building system to reduce energy consumption.

Variable

A changing characteristic in a system.

Dampproofing

A coating intended to resist the passage of water, commonly applied to the outside face of basement walls or to the inner face of a cavity in a masonry cavity wall.

Bentonite clay

A colloidal clay that swells to several times its dry volume when saturated with water; the primary ingredient in bentonite waterproofing.

X10 Technology

A common residential control system that uses the powerlines as a medium for sharing control information between devices.

Means of Egress

A continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from any occupied portion of a building or structure to a public way. A means of egress consists of three separate and distinct parts: the exit access, the exit, and the exit discharge.

Accessible route

A continuous, unobstructed path

Pneumatic Control System

A control system in which compressed air is the medium for sharing control information and powering actuators.

Daylight response control

A device or system that provides automatic control of electric light levels based on the amount of daylight in a space.

Actuator

A device that accepts a control signal and causes a mechanical motion.

Controller

A device that makes decisions to change some aspect of a system based on sensor information and internal programming.

Sensor

A device that measure the value of a variable and transmits a signal that conveys this information.

DCV (demand control ventilation)

A device that provides the automatic reduction of outdoor air intake below design rates when the actual occupancy of spaces served by the system is less than design occupancy.

Manometer

A device to measure pressure.

Occupancy Sensor

A devices that detects when a space is unoccupied and responds by automatically turning lights off, on or dim; thereby saving energy.

K-Factor

A dimensionless numbers used to calculate the flow and pressure of water discharged from a sprinkler head.

Fire Barrier

A fire resistance related wall assembly of materials designed to restrict the spread of fire in which continuity is maintained.

fire door

A fire-resistant door, used in fire-resistance-rated partitions and walls

Combustible liquid

A fluid having a closed cup flash point at or above 100 dF. There are three categories: Class II, IIIA and IIIB.

Psychrometric Chart

A graphical representation of the physical and thermal properties of atmospheric air for a particular barometric pressure.

Captive Key Override

A lighting control that will not release the key that activates the override when the lighting is on.

Thread

A low-power wireless mesh network for device-to-device communications.

Vapor Retarter

A material intended to resist the diffusion of water vapor into a building assembly.

Cladding

A material used to cover the exterior of a building.

Air Changes per Hour

A measure of the air volume added to or removed from a space in one hour.

Weather barrier

A membrane used to resist the passage of liquid water or air through the exterior enclosure of a building.

Retrofit

A modification to an existing commercial building

International Fire Code (IFC)-

A non-profit agency that writes model codes that provides minimum requirements to safeguard life, property, and the environment from the impact of fire, explosion, and hazardous materials incidents.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

A non-profit organization that is dedicated to reducing loss of life and property damage caused by fire, electrical, and related hazards. They develop and publish codes and standards related to fire safety, electrical safety, and other hazards.

Infiltration

A process where outside air leaks into a building.

AFUE Rating

A rating that reflects how efficiently a gas furnace converts fuel to energy.

Climate Zone

A region defined by heating degree days, average temperatures, and precipitation.

Code

A regulation or a mandatory rule issued by a local, state, or the federal government.

Joint Sealant

A rubberlike, adhesive material, usually applied in liquid or tape form, used to seal a joint, gap, or crack against the passage of air and water.

Electromechanical Device

A sensor in which an electrical signal creates mechanical movement, or vice versa mechanical movement creates an electrical signal

Project Closeout Information

A set of documents produced by the control's contractor for the owner's use while operating the building.

Protocol

A set of rules and procedures for the exchange of information between two connected devices

Aerogel

A silicon-based foam with high thermal resistance, used in insulating blankets and insulated glazing units.

Dwelling Unit

A single unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation.

Sleeping Unit

A single unit that provides rooms or spaces for one or more persons, includes permanent provisions for sleeping and can include provisions for living, eating and either sanitation or kitchen facilities but not both.

Jockey Pump

A small apparatus designed to keep the pressure in the fire protection piping system elevated to a specific level when the system is not in use (meaning, to maintain pressure when there is no fire).

I/O Port

A socket on a controller that a cable is plugged into

Combustible material

A solid or liquid than can be easily ignited and burned.

protected combustible

A specific construction requirement where materials that installed to provide a certain level of fire resistance and protect the adjacent spaces from potential fires.

Public Way

A street, alley or other parcel of land open to the outside air leading to a street, that has been deeded, dedicated or otherwise permanently appropriated to the public for use and which has a clear width and height of not less than 10 feet.

Air-Sampling Detector

A system consisting of aspiration equipment and piping that draws air from a protected area to the detector, where analysis of the sampled air occurs.

Air-sampling detector

A system consisting of aspiration equipment and piping that draws air from a protected area to the detector, where analysis of the sampled air occurs.

Automatic system

A system in which an alarm-initiating device operates automatically to transmit or sound an alarm signal.

Asphalt

A tarry brown or black mixture of hydrocarbons; one type of bitumen

Urethane

A term that refers to at least three different substances: ethyl carbamate, carbamate or polyurethane.

Continuous insulation

A thermal resistant material that is uncompressed and continuous across all structural members without thermal bridges other than fasteners and service openings.

HDPE

A thermoplastic polymer made from petroleum.

Flashing

A thin, continuous sheet of metal, plastic, rubber, or waterproof paper used to prevent the passage of water through a joint in a wall, roof, or chimney.

Mil

A unit of length equal to 0.001 of an inch.

Perm Rating

A unit of vapor permeance, a measure of a material's permeability to the diffusion of water vapor.

Energy Star

A voluntary labeling program designed to promote energy efficient products; implemented by the EPA

Guideline

A voluntary recommendation used in an industry

fire wall

A wall extending from foundation to roof, required under a building code to separate buildings, or parts of buildings, as a deterrent to the spread of fire.

Circulating closed-loop system

A wet pipe looped sprinkler system in which the pipes have a second purpose - usually to carry heating or cooling water

LEED

An acronym for a green building rating system that awards points based on specific energy and environmental construction types and activities

IPMVP (International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol)

An agency that provides an overview of the best practice techniques available for verifying results of energy efficiency, water efficiency, and renewable efficiency projects

Area of Refuge

An area where persons unable to use stairs can remain temporarily to await instructions or assistance during emergency evacuation.

Conditioned Space

An area, room or space that is enclosed within the building thermal envelope and is directly heated or cooled.

Exterior Exit Stairway

An exit component that serves to meet one or more means of egress design requirements, such as required number of exits or exit access travel distance, and is open to yards, courts, or public ways.

Circulation Path

An exterior or interior way of passage from one place to another for pedestrians.

Energy Audit

An in-depth review of the energy use of a building

Microprocessor

An integrated circuit that contains all the functions of a central processing unit of a computer.

Human-Machine Interface (HMI)

An interface terminal that allows an individual to access and respond to building automation system information.

Building Survey

An inventory of the energy consuming equipment in a commercial building.

fire marshal

An official from fire department or other fire prevention agency responsible for inspecting buildings to ensure they comply with fire safety codes.

Egress

Another word for exit, the term used in the building code which means the path that somebody can take to exit a building

Fire door assembly

Any combination of a door, frame, hardware, and other accessories that together provide a specific degree of fire protection to the opening.

Glazing

Any material used an an infill panel, whether it is glass, plastic, or some other material, which is installed in an opening.

Polyurethane

Any of a large group of resins and synthetic rubber compounds used in sealants, varnishes, insulating foams, and roof membranes.

Zero Energy Building

Buildings that combine energy efficiency and renewable energy generation to consume only as much energy as can be produced onsite through renewable resources over a specified time period.

Sprayed fire-resistance materials (SFRM)

Cementitious or fibrous materials that are sprayed to provided fire-resistant protection of the substrates.

Green concrete

Concrete that has set but not appreciably hardened.

Clean agent

Electrically nonconducting, volatile or gaseous fir extinguishant that does not leave a residue upon vaporization.

Convection

Heat exchanged between a fluid (typically air) and a solid due to the motion of the fluid.

fire safing

Fire-resistant material inserted into a space between a curtain wall and a spandrel beam or column to retard the passage of fire from one floor to the next.

Waterproofing

Material acting as a barrier to the flow of water and capable of withstanding hydrostatic pressure.

firestopping

Materials installed in an opening through a fire-rated wall or floor-ceiling assembly to retard the passage of smoke and fire.

Manual system

One in which the alarm-initiating device is operated by direct human action to transmit or sound an alarm signal.

VOC

Organic (carbon-based) chemical compound that evaporates readily, is a significant air pollutant, a potential irritant to building occupants, and, in some cases, a greenhouse gas.

International Fire Code

Regulations to safeguard life and property from fires and explosion hazards.

Near Field Communication (NFC)

Short range communication between compatible devices that requires at least one transmitting device, and another to receive the signal.

Analog Signal

Signal that has a continuous range of values between two points

Fenestration

Skylights, roof windows, vertical windows, opaque doors, glazed doors, glazed block, and includes products with glass.

ComCheck

Software created by the U.S. Department of Energy that ensures a commercial building meets the requirements of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE 90.1, as well as state-specific codes.

ResCheck

Software created by the US Energy Department that performs calculated to ensure that a house is compliant with current energy standards. The software generates a report for code officials.

Exit

That portion of a means of egress system between the exit access and the exit discharge or public way. Exit components include exterior exit doors at the level of exit discharge, interior exit stairways and ramps, exit passageways, exterior exit stairways and ramps and horizontal exits

Exit Discharge

That portion of a means of egress system between the termination of an exit and a public way.

Exit Access

That portion of a means of egress system that leads from any occupied portion of a building or structure to an exit.

Output rating

The actual heat output produced by a heater in BTU/hr after losses from draft

Net Square Footage

The actual occupied are not including unoccupied accessory areas such as corridors, stairway, toilet rooms, mechanical room, and closets.

Net Floor Area

The actual occupied area not including unoccupied accessory areas such as corridors, stairways, toilet rooms, mechanical rooms and closets.

Dry Bulb Temperature

The ambient air temperature that is indicated by a thermometer and is not affected by the moisture of the air.

Building Load

The amount of energy needed to heat or cool a building.

Enthalpy

The amount of energy or heat content embodied in a system.

Building Thermal Envelope

The basement wall, exterior walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, and any other element assemblies that enclose conditioned spaces or provide a boundary between conditioned space and unconditioned space.

Condensation

The change of the physical state of matter from the gas phase into the liquid phase, and is the reverse of vaporization.The change of the physical state of matter from the gas phase into the liquid phase, and is the reverse of vaporization.

Building Automation

The control of the energy- and resource-using devices in a building for optimization of building system operations.

Friction Loss

The decrease in air pressure due to the friction of the air moving through a duct.

Setpoint

The desired value to be maintained by a system

Offset

The difference between the value of a control point and it corresponding setpoint

Radiation

The emission of energy as electromagnetic waves.

Heat Loss

The energy that is flowing from the inside of a building to the outside of a building.

Heat Gain

The energy that is flowing from the outside of a building to the inside of a building.

ASTM E 119

The guiding document for the standard test methods for fire tests of building construction, building materials and structural materials used in building construction.

Solar gain

The heat gain caused by radiant energy from the sun that strikes opaque objects.

Input Rating

The heat produced in BTU/hr per unit of fuel burned.

Sensible Energy

The kind of heat that increases in terms of temperature and can be measured by the dry bulb temperature (thermometer).

R-Value

The material's resistance to heat transfer.

EER Rating

The measure of how efficiently a cooling system will operate when the outdoor temperature is at a specific level (95 degrees F)

SEER Rating

The measure of the total cooling of a central air conditioner or heat pump (in Btu) during the normal cooling season compared to the total electric energy input (in watt-hours) consumed during the same period.

Flash Point

The minimum temperature in degrees Fahrenheit at which a liquid will give off sufficient vapors to form a ignitable mixture with but will not sustain combustion.

Blower Door Test

Used on buildings to quantify the amount of air leakage through its enclosure.

Exterior Wall

Walls including both above grade wall and basement walls.

Metering

a collection of energy data over time at a facility using measurement devices

Direct Digital Control System

a control system in which electrical signals are used to measure and control system parameters

Solenoid

a device that converts electrical energy into a linear mechanical force

Electric Motor

a device that converts electrical energy into rotating mechanical energy

VFD (variable frequency drive)

a device to control AC (alternating current) motor speed and torque by varying motor input frequency and voltage

Calibration

a documented comparison of a measurement device against a traceable reference device

CT (current transducer)

a donut shaped device installed around an electric wire that reads the wire's amperage

manual call point

a fire alarm signal that is initiated by a person

ASHRAE

a global society advancing human wellbeing through sustainable technology for the built environment

break glass call point

a manual fire alarm signal that is initiated by pulling a level, and in doing so, damages glass associated with the alarm

Response Time Index (RTI)

a rating for how quickly an automatic sprinkler will be activated based on absorbing heat from its surroundings

Efficiency

a ratio of system output to system input when both values are presented in consistent units; it is expressed as a decimal value or percentage

BPD (building performance simulation)

a replication of aspects of building performance using a computer based, mathematical model created based on fundamental physical principles and sound engineering practice

refuge area

a safe place for disabled to await assistance for their evacuation, where the waiting area is fire resisting construction

Digital Signal

a signal that only has two possible states

addressable detector

a smoke or fire device that communicates an alarm condition along with an individual identification, thereby establishing the alarm's location

Fire

a special kind of oxidation known as combustion

curtain boards

a structure mounted to the ceiling that is used to prevent fire from spreading throughout the building by forcing heat and smoke in the direction of nearby vents

intumescent

a substance that swells with heat exposure, and as a result, protects a material in the event of a fire.

Control Point

a variable in a control system

Data Logger

an electronic device that records information over time or in relation to with a built-in instrument or sensor or via external instruments and sensors

carbon monoxide

an oderless, colorless gas that is deadly upon combustion

Baseline

any number that serves as a reasonable and defined starting point for comparison purposes

prescriptive building code

construction techniques that demonstrate compliance with safety and performance standards which requires each building element has a minimum acceptable standard (or value)

Sustainability

meeting the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Commissioning

the process of balancing and adjusting a mechanical or electrical system for maximum efficiency

Preventive Maintenance

the scheduled work required to keep equipment in peak operating conditions

deluge valve

used in conditions that call for the quick application of large volumes of water and, for that reason, are often integral components in fire protection systems