Chapter 3 HW Questions HVAC

R-values for common glazing materials range from _____ to _____, but some highly energy-efficient exceptions also exist.

0.9, 3.0

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies of human exposure to air pollutants suggest that pollutants in indoor air may be 2 to 5 times greater, and occasionally ______ times higher, than outdoor levels.

100

CO2 concentrations should be maintained at levels below __________ ppm (parts per million).

1000

According to the International Mechanical Code, what is the required minimum ventilation rate in CFM per person in a post secondary education classroom

15

Sufficient attic ventilation is usually defined as having a net free ventilating area equal to 1/ ___ of the attic floor area.

150

SBS is the condition of a building in which more than ____% of the occupants are suffering from adverse health effects, but with no clinically diagnosable disease present

20

For the Pittsburg, Kansas region, what is the recommended total R-value for a floor?

25

The EPA has classified ETS as a known human carcinogen and estimates that it is responsible for approximately _________ lung cancer deaths every year in the United States.

3000

For the Pittsburg, Kansas region, what is the recommended total R-value for an attic?

49

How many inches of loose-fill insulation is required to achieve an R-value of 19?

6 1/2

What ASHRAE standard outlines ventilation requirements for acceptable indoor air quality?

62

Insulation

A material such as fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool, foam, or fiberboard that is installed in the building envelope to significantly reduce heat loss or heat gain

_____________ are translucent or transparent materials (i.e., glass and some plastics that allow light to pass through the building envelope.

Glazings

Which type of construction has a higher embodied energy. (Heavyweight or Lightweight)?

Heavyweight

IAQ stands for _____

Indoor Air Quality

________________ is airflow through unintentional openings in the building envelope that is caused by wind and stack pressure differences between indoor and outdoor air.

Infiltration

________________ glazings trap air or an inert gas such as argon or krypton between two or more panes (layers) of glass, creating a glazing product with improved resistance to heat transmission.

Insulated

_______________ have most of their energy consumption associated with large internal heat gains (e.g. from occupants, lighting, equipment); that is, heating and cooling loads are largely generated within the building itself.

Internal-load-dominated buildings

________ type insulation is made from a blend of virgin and recycled waste materials (e.g. fiberglass, rock wool, or cellulose) cut into shreds, granules, or nodules.

Loose-fill/spray applied

_______________ coatings are microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited directly on one or more surfaces of glass or on plastic films between two or more glazings to suppress radiative heat flow and reduce the U-factor.

Low-e

Legionella bacteria can only be found in cooling towers.

False

Proper ventilation is the most effective strategy for maintaining clean indoor air.

False

The cause of SBS is frequently tied to loose construction allowing a large amount of infiltration into the building.

False

Thermographic scans can only be done on the inside of the building.

False

Window frame and sash assemblies comprise only 10 to 25% of the window area, and only account for less than a quarter of the window heat loss.

False

According to the EPA, _______________ is the third leading cause of death that claims an estimated 335,000 lives/year.

Poor quality of indoor air

______________ is a naturally occurring gas produced by radioactive decay of radium. The U.S. Surgeon General has warned that it is the second leading cause of cancer.

Radon

IAQ

Refers to the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of air in the interior spaces of a building or facility

______________ is typically made with foam, including molded expanded polystyrene (EPS or bead board), extruded expanded polystyrene (XPS), polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, or other related chemical mixtures.

Rigid

In general, south-facing windows in buildings designed for passive solar heating should have windows with a high _________ to allow in beneficial solar heat gain in the winter. East and West windows that receive undesirable direct sunlight in mornings and afternoons should have a lower one.

SHGC

_________________ is the fraction of solar heat that is transmitted through the glazing and ultimately comes heat. This includes both directly transmitted and absorbed solar radiation.

SHGC - Solar Heat Gain Coefficient

SBS

Sick building syndrome Situation in with reported symptoms among a population of building occupants can be temporarily associated with their presence in that building

____________ glazings are a single layer (pane) of glazing. The transmit about 88% of the solar light that strikes them

Single

The ____________ is the buildings foundation system

Substructure

_____________ in buildings is the use of vast amounts of insulation, coupled with airtight construction, and controlled ventilation without sacrificing comfort, health, or aesthetics.

Super insulation

___________ is that part of the building structure that is above the top of the foundation walls.

Superstructure

Liquid Flow

The movement of water under the influence of a driving force (such as gravity, or suction caused by air pressure difference

Moisture-laden air movement

The movement of water vapor in air resulting from airflow through spaces and materials

Thermography or infrared scanning uses specially designed infrared video or still cameras to produce images called ______________, which show surface temperature variations.

Thermograms

Several indoor air contaminants exist in buildings that fall into roughly three categories. Those categories are biological, gasses, and fine particulate matter.

True

Suspended Particulate matter (SPM) includes airborne particles from smoke and dust.

True

Typical office building, heat from solar gains, occupants, lights, and equipment affect the cooling load much more and transmission and ventilation/infiltration affect the cooling loads much less. As a result, the performance of the building envelop is less of a concern in office buildings in contrast to residential buildings.

True

________________ are gasses that are emitted from certain solids or liquids, including building materials, fabric furnishings, carpet, adhesives, fresh paint, new paneling, pesticides, solvents, and cleaning agents. They are consistently found at higher levels indoors than outdoors.

VOCs

______________ is the process that results in the supply and removal of air from inside a building.

Ventilation

__________ are tiny microscopic capsules that contain genetic material. They can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or ingested and need a suitable host to reproduce.

Viruses

VOC

Volatile organic compounds Emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids including building materials, fabrics, and furnishings, carpet, adhesives, fresh paint, new paneling, pesticides... etc.

Radon

a naturally occurring gas produced by radioactive decay of radium

Tinted glazing

heat-absorbing glass block solar transmission by absorbing heat in the glass itself.

Capillary Flow

is the movement of liquid water in porous materials resulting from surface tension forces. It can also occur in small space created between two materials

Diffusion

is the movement of water vapor resulting from a vapor pressure difference

What is the best type of insulation per unit of thickness?

layered reflective films w/air voids

Carbon dioxide

naturally occurring gas that is produced by combustion and is a by-product of the natural metabolism of living organisms

Natural ventilation

occurs when the air in a space is change with outdoor air without the mechanical systems, such as a fan

Reflective glazing

semitransparent metallic coating applied to the surface of clear or tinted glass.

Visible transmittance

the % of visible light that is transmitted through the glazing

Permeability

the ability of a material to permit the passage of water vapor, the rate of water vapor transmission between two surfaces of a homogeneous material under a specified vapor pressure difference

Water vapor pressure

the contribution of water vapor to the total pressure exerted by a gas

Mechanical ventilation

the intentional movement of air from outside a building to the inside

Permeance

the rate at which water vapor passes through a material with parallel surfaces when induced by a vapor pressure difference, per unit thickness

Moisture problems factors

water intrusion airborne water vapor infiltration, & water vapor diffusion

______________ is a material that has been used in older buildings as pipe, duct, furnace and boiler insulation, linings, gaskets or wrappings. It is a name of a group of naturally occurring materials that separate into strong, very strong fibers.

Asbestos

Biological contaminants

Bacteria Viruses Mold Allergens

A __________________ is a large assembly with a powerful fan that is placed in an exterior door of an existing building to measure infiltration and determine the location of air leaks in the building envelope.

Blower door

The ________________ or shell includes the elements that enclose the conditioned (heated or cooled) space and interface the indoor spaces with the outdoor environment. It includes the wall, roof, and opening assemblies, insulation, air barriers, vapor retarders, weather stripping, and caulking.

Building Envelope

_____________ is the study of building dynamics and the functional relationships between a building's components, equipment, and systems, and the effects associated with occupancy and operation, and the outdoor environment to understand and prevent problems related to building design, construction and operation.

Building Science

BRI

Building related illness general term for a medically diagnosable illness, which is caused by or related to occupancy of a building

List three combustion pollutants.

Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen dioxide, Sulfur dioxide

ASHRAE Standard 62

Deals with IAQ Outlines the ventilation requirements for acceptable indoor air quality that has existed for three decades

Environmental tobacco smoke

ETS Commonly termed as second head smoking or passive smoking is one of the major sources of indoor air pollution

List the 4 categories to improving IAQ.

Eliminating the Source, Ventilation, Design, Operation and Maintenance

_______________ is the sum of all energy used to extract, process, refine, fabricate, transport, and install a product or material.

Embodied Energy

Excessive water vapor levels in air must be removed by ventilation of indoor air. In restrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, laundries, indoor swimming pools, and other moisture-producing areas, exhaust vents are normally necessary and called for by most building codes. All vents must terminate and discharge to

Exteriors

___________ have the largest part of their energy consumption associated with the thermal characteristics of the building envelope; that is heating and cooling loads are tied mainly to characteristics like thermal insulation and glazing type, orientation and area.

External-load dominated buildings

________ are microscopic fungi

Molds

What organization is a non-profit, public/private organization created by the window, door and skylight industry and provides consistent ratings on window, door, and skylight products.

NFRC - National Fenestration Rating Council

Clogged condensate drain pans and drain lines in HVAC systems allow water to accumulate, which can lead to microbial contamination and BRI.

True

Heating and cooling loads account for the largest fraction of energy consumed in most homes.

True

If mechanical systems are not properly maintained, the IAQ decreases.

True

Legionnaires disease was coined in 1976 after a respiratory disease affected many delegates attending a convention in Philadelphia held by the American Legion of Pennsylvania

True