PHIUS Building Assemblies

Which of the following SHGCs is appropriate and practical for a window in a wall that is designed to collect solar energy?

.05

Selecting windows with a SHGC of blank would be near optimal and also practical for a project in a hot sunny climate.

0.25

A typical WRB will be in the range of Choose...

10‑100

is the best approach to prevent attic overheating.

A cool roof

This photo shows Choose.. a technique used to improve the thermal performance of a roof.

A raised heel truss.

Which of the following is the best definition of a "hot roof"?

A roof with no air movement next to the sheathing.

Choose...stops rainwater from wetting the structural sheathing of a wood-frame building.

A water‑resistive barrier

What type of insulation is installed underneath the roof deck in this photo? (Image of trusses with yellow foam)

Air impermeable insulation

What is the most likely cause of high relative humidity in an attic or roof cavity?

Air leaks.

Where do you start the installation of waterproofing materials in order to lap them in the correct way?

At the bottom of the assembly.

What primary charateristic of cool roofs reduces cooling energy demand?

Blockage of solar heat gain.

How does advanced framing save energy?

By minimizing the wood content of a framed wall, inreasing effective R-value.

What building component prevents water from rising out of the ground and into the building?

Capillary barrier.

What type of moisture barrier prevents water from rising through concrete?

Capillary barrier.

What does the ISO 13788 Low Thermal Inertia Elements calculator evaluate with reference to windows?

Condensation resistance.

Which of these would be the least desirable foundation approach for an energy efficient building?

Conditioned crawl space with insulated foundation.

Which of the following provides the most common thermal break to a standard framed wall?

Continuous exterior foam board.

What do you call a gap between the exterior wall siding and the WRB?

Drainage plane.

Which of these is the most vapor permeable?

Drywall

Why are broad trees more effective than tall trees at blocking solar radiation coming from the east and west?

East and west solar radiation comes from lower in the sky.

How should this roof be ventilated according to best practices?

Either under or over the structural sheathing.

Which of the following are effective shading strategies for south-facing windows? (Select all that apply)

Exterior louvered shutters., Solar screens., Horizontal awnings above the window.

Which of the following would eliminate the need for exterior window trim?

Exterior window jamb extensions.

What type of insulation is this insulator installing? (image of guy in hazmat suit with pink insulation boards)

Fiberglass

Which of these will provide the least expensive roof insulation?

Fibrous insulation

Which of these materials is a class I vapor retarder?

Foundation waterproofing.

What type of material is required on crawl space floors and under concrete slabs?

Ground moisture barrier.

What type of wall system contains the most thermal mass?

ICFs

identify the roof detail shown in this image.

Insulated attic and ventilated roof.

What is the best way to build an insulated foundation wall?

Insulated concrete forms.

What is usually the biggest challenge of retrofitting an existing building to meet PHIUS+ standards?

Insulating the foundation.

What moisture protection element is common with European windows but uncommon with North American windows?

Integral exterior sill.

How does a solar screen reduce window solar gain?

It absorbs solar radiation before it reaches the glass.

With a crawl space, why is insulating the ceiling of the crawlspace better than insulating the foundation walls?

It established the thermal envelope at the boundary of the occupied space.

What is the one advantage of ventilating the roof above the roof deck?

Less summer heat transmission than ventilating below the roof deck.

Which of these building materials provides the most reliable and durable continuous air barrier for a roof?

OSB

Which element can help reduce thermal bridging through an installed window unit?

Over insulation.

What type of roof structure is shown in this image? (Image of open trusses with green insulation)

Parallel chord truss.

Most ground moisture barriers are made of

Polyethylene.

Which foundation type would be the best choice for a flood prone region?

Posts or pilings.

The primary purpose of a WRB is to Choose...

Prevent rain from wetting the exterior sheathing.

The OSB is attached to the truss bottom chord with a space and then drywall below it to _______.

Provide an air barrier & and a utility space.

Which of the following factors are used to determine the overall thermal resistance of a window unit?

Psi-value of the spacer., U-factor of the frame., U-factor of the glass.

What type of wall is a sandwich of OSB sheating (outside) and foam board insulation (inside)?

SIPs

What type of roof is shown here?

Shed roof.

What is the purpose of the asphalt felt or other roof underlayment material installed under the shingles?

Shed water that gets through the shingles.

You can prevent wind-driven rain and snow from entering an attic or roof cavity by using Choose...

Sheltered roof vents.

Which of the following foundations would likely be the least expensive?

Slab on grade.

Which 3 of the following are reasons to install structural sheating vertically?

Support every inch of sheathing joints by framing., Optimize the strength of the framed wall., Create an effective air barrier.

Which of the following is an advantage of an ICF roof versus a conventional roof?

Thermal mass & disaster resistance.

Where is the ventilation space located in this roof assembly?

This assembly has no ventilation.

What was the major purpose for raising the example retrofit house above its existing foundation?

To Insulate the slab

The primary purpose of attic or roof ventilation is Choose...

To keep the roof deck dry.

What is the main benefit of a "cold roof" in a snowy climate?

To prevent roof snow on the roof from melting unevenly.

What is the name of the space between the WRB and the cladding?

Vented-cavity rain screen.

What type of moisture barrier is required for basement foundation walls?

Waterproofing

What type of moisture barrier should be used on the outside of a basement foundation?

Waterproofing.

A whole-window U-factor of blank (BTU/ft2.hr.F) would be both practical and sufficient for most cold North American climates.

[0.15] (BTU/ft2.hr.F)

A window installed in the Choose...of the wall usually gives a window the lowest installed U-factor.

middle

A Choose...allows water out of a stucco wall assembly?

weep screed