Environmental Final Exam
In an all-electric heating system (resistance heating element) which of the following are considered advantages of this system? (1) inexpensive first cost; (2) inexpensive to operate; (3) easy to zone
1 & 3
The height of the sun in the sky (altitude angle) depends on which of the following? (1) the season & day of the year (the tilt of the Earth) and time of day; (2) the location on the earth with respect to the Latitude only (3) the elevation of the observer (with respect to sea level)
1 and 2
Which of the following statements about evaporative cooling are true? I. evaporation extracts sensible heat from the environment II. the amount of overall energy is conserved (remains the same) III. evaporative (adiabatic) cooling is well-suited for humid climates IV. morning dew is a by-product of evaporation
1 and 2
Which of the following statements about evaporative cooling are true? I. evaporation reduces sensible heat II. the amount of total energy is conserved (remains the same) III. evaporative (adiabatic) cooling is well-suited for humid climates
1 and 2
The four environmental conditions that affect thermal comfort are air temperature, airspeed, ____________, and ____________.
1) metabolism and adaptation
The stack effect: 1. uses stratification to create air flow 2. can be enhanced by thermal chimneys 3. should be sized to work properly 4. works for both small- and large-scale buildings
123
Heat exchange from the body to its surrounding environment can occur via four heat flow means. These types of heat flow are
2. convection, conduction, radiation, evaporation
9. Which one of the following is not correct about traditional buildings in hot and dry climates?
3. Windows are usually large.
Which of the following is a typical strategy in cold climates
4. Maximize south-facing window
Under overcast sky conditions
A vertical window will generally receive around three times more illuminance than a horizontal skylight
In the design of a building where the primary concern in terms of climatic conditions is to provide heat or for the building to be in a "heating mode" for the majority of the year, you should first concern yourself with:
A. Heat Retention
In considering the design and placement of a light shelf in regard to daylighting a space, which is the best location from the following choices listed:
A. Light shelves are usually placed at the very top of a window with daylight window unit to prevent glare
With regard to heat flow through transparent/translucent elements (windows) and heat avoidance as the first tier in the three-tier cooling approach, perhaps the single most important energy-related component for passively cooled buildings is:
A. Orientation B. Sun Shading
Which one of the following is not correct about solar radiation?
B. A concrete floor slab used as thermal mass should not be covered with a thin dark colored carpet
In the diagram above what does the number 30 represent in terms of solar geometry:
B. The Azimuth of the sun's position relative to the earth
Which one of the following is not correct about thermal comfort?
B. When a sample of air is heated its RH also decreases
Solar altitude is a measure of the:
B. angle between the sun's position and the horizontal plane
Exterior shading devices are generally more effective than comparable interior shading devices:
B. because exterior devices can intercept solar radiation before it enters a building
A properly sized horizontal overhang that is exactly as wide as the south-facing window it shades will:
B. provide full window shading only at solar noon
Thermal mass is a critical aspect of passive solar heating systems because:
B. the mass provides heat storage that tempers potentially large fluctuations in space temperature
Balance point temperature is best described as:
B. the outdoor temperature at which a building requires heating below that temperature
Most municipal sewer systems are designed to deal with two forms of liquid waste from buildings. Identify the two forms? a) Black Water/Sanitary sewer b) Both Stormwater and Sanitary Sewer c) Rainwater/Stormwater
Black Water/Sanitary sewer
In the schematic of the psychrometric chart, what type of discomfort zone is represented by 4:
C. Cold and Humid
U-factor (the overall coefficient of thermal transmission) is calculated by which of the following equations:
C. U = 1 / Σ𝑅
After Olgyay (1963), the four major climatic zones of North America are:
C. hot-humid, hot-arid, temperate, and cold
Which of the following window configurations promotes the highest velocity cross ventilation?
C. windows in opposite walls
"Microclimate" is best described as:
D. Climate conditions in a relatively small area, such as directly surrounding a building
Which one of the following is not an advantage of using the horizontal louvers in a horizontal plane?
D. Less maintenance
In the schematic of the psychrometric chart below what could the outlined area indicated represent A. The comfort expanded by adding solar radiation from the sun B. The comfort zone expanded by adding an active heating system C. The comfort zone expanded by blocking the wind D. The comfort zone expanded with ventilation
D. The comfort zone expanded with ventilation
An office building has multiple floors, each with an area of 1000 ft2. The following building form is ideal from a daylighting standpoint:
D. an elongated, narrow plan that maximizes north and south exposure
In a properly designed passive thermal storage wall (Trombe Wall), what are the heating characteristics of the system and how do they impact the interior occupied space? A. slow to warm up by day, quick to cool by night, large temperature swings, most of the heat arrives at noon B. quick to warm up in the morning, tendency to overheat at midday, large temperature swings C. slow to warm up by day, slow to cool by night, overheats at midday, large temperature swings D. slow to warm up by day, slow to cool by night, small temperature swings, most of the heat arrives in evening
D. slow to warm up by day, slow to cool by night, small temperature swings, most of the heat arrives in evening
Which one of the following is not correct about traditional buildings in hot-arid climates? A. Exterior walls are usually of a light color. B. The buildings are often built very close together. C. Windows are usually small. D. Walls are usually made of massive materials. E. None of the above
E. None of the above
Which one of the following is not typical of traditional upper-class homes in the American Southeast? (like Charleston)
E. low ceilings
A horizontal overhang can be made from an unbroken device such as an awning or roof overhang, or it can be made of horizontal louvers in a horizontal plane. These alternatives are about equal in their ability to shade.
False
Based on Three-tier approach, Selection of mechanical HVAC Systems should be considered before addressing any passive systems in the design of a building:
False
Of the five sources of energy discussed for generating electrical energy, which are typically considered to be environmentally sustainable?
Geothermal, hydro, wind
The most appropriate & effective way to shade a south-facing window is with
Horizontal planes
The diagram shown below illustrates one of the more popular passive heating design strategies, which system is it?
None above
Which one of the following is not correct about solar radiation
Since the thermal year is asymmetrical about June 21, a fixed overhang can fully shade during the overheated period and also allow full access to the sun during the underheated period of the year.
Which one of the three main passive solar systems should be used if only heat and not light is desired?
Trombe Wall
The sun by definition traverses the sky between sunrise and sunset and in the northern hemisphere rises north of east in the summer, due east on the equinoxes, and south of east during the winter. A. True B. False
True
Which one of the following is not correct about Thermal Comfort?
When a sample of air is heated, its RH increases
Graywater is best described as-recycling water from the following uses:
a) Tubs and showers, laundry
A cistern is best described as:
a) a storage tank for rainwater
Factors most strongly influencing the thermal zoning of a building include:
a) exposure, occupancy type, occupancy schedule
Landscape watering is most efficiently achieved through:
a) in-ground irrigation and drip irrigation
What is the function of a cooling tower?
a) the cooling of supply air for interior spaces.
Integrated Day Light Design is an attempt to find and capitalize on synergies between which concerns? 1. Climate / Site 2. Use / Program 3. Design of the Site & Building 4. Design of Building System
all the above
Which central HVAC system generally requires the largest distribution tree?
all-air
The four primary classifications of cooling systems in smaller buildings are:
all-air, air and water, all-water, and direct refrigerant(DX)
that sun is lowest in the sky? A. 31 B. 77 C. 42 D. 90
b 77
14. The most appropriate and effective shading the west facing window:
b) Vertical Fins
Which one of the following is not correct?
b) a "split system" refers to an air conditioning system that is half air and half water
Every thermal zone MUST have:
b) a thermostat
water constantly circulates, powered by about one-fourth of the Earth's solar energy, is called the:
b) hydrologic cycle
Metal studs in an exterior wall assembly create ___________ that will ________ the overall heat loss when compared to a traditional wood frame wall.
b) thermal bridges; increase
A "geothermal" heat pump:
b) uses underground soil temperatures as a heat source or sink
"Hydronic" refers to a system that uses:
b) water for distribution of heat
Exterior shading devices are generally more effective than comparable interior shading devices
because exterior devices can intercept solar radiation before it enters a building
Solar azimuth is a measure of the:
between the sun's position and true south
with a window head height of 10 feet, how far can the room be effectively day lit?
c) 25 ft Or 2- and one-half times the height/head of the window
Which of the following is not correct about PV?
c) PV panels resting on a metal roof is an example of "building-integrated PV."
The primary purpose of a drainage system P-trap is to:
c) To keep sewer gasses from entering a building through a plumbing fixture
Shading by vegetation often proves more effective than shading by overhangs and fins:
c) because vegetation growth better matches seasonal needs for shading
All of the following for all-air system is correct, EXCEPT:
c) cannot include other functions such as ventilation, humidity control
An all-air HVAC system:
c) uses only air to deliver heating/cooling effect to conditioned spaces
"Heat pump" is a term used to describe equipment that
can provide either heating or cooling (heating-cooling)
In a "split system", the outdoor unit is called the .......?
compressor
Thermal break" stops the heat which transfers by _______.
conduction
Heat exchange from the body to its surrounding environment can occur via four means of heat flow. These types of heat flow are
convection, conduction, radiation, evaporation
Which one of the following statements is true?
d) Detention ponds are used to control the discharge of stormwater into the storm sewer
Which one of the following is not correct?
d) Fan--coil units can only be used to heat buildings.
The primary components of a refrigeration cycle include:
d) evaporator, condenser, compressor, expansion valve
"Hydronic" refers to a system that uses:
d) water for distribution of heat
Which passive solar heating system is the most efficient in terms of collecting and storing heat?
direct
Trombe walls passively heat a space by all the following means EXCEPT:
evaporation
Question 37 Is the following statement true or false? In reference to thermal properties of materials and composite thermal performance: U-factors are calculated for a particular element (roof, wall, etc.) by finding the resistance of each constituent part, including air films & air spaces, then adding these resistances to obtain a total resistance. The U-factor is the sum of these resistances.
false
Selection of active HVAC Systems should be considered before addressing any passive systems in the design of a building:
false
The higher/greater a U-factor of a wall or roof assembly, the better, in terms of minimizing heat transfer through a wall or roof assembly.
false
Water from kitchen sinks, and from dishwashers is referred to as:
graywater
Direct evaporative cooling should be used in which of the following climates?
hot and dry
Night flush cooling uses night ventilation to cool the mass of the building. The strategy is used in which climates?
hot and dry
The use of cooler air drawn through a building to exhaust heat stored during the day in thermal mass is called:
night flush ventilation
Based on the Bioclimatic Chart and skin-load dominated buildings for a warm & humid climate, like Charlotte, what is/are the primary concerns in addressing the issue of thermal comfort in July? (1) Temperature & humidity; (2) providing shade; (3) removing moisture from the conditioned air
only 1
The curved lines in the psychrometric chart denote:
relative humidity
What type of system is illustrated in the drawing? ) Double-duct, CAV systems b) Single-duct, VAV systems c) Single-duct, CAV
single duct vav
Solar heat gain to offset heating requirements is best met by glass facing....
south
The diagram at right denotes a _________ system.
sun space
In a skin-load dominated building, energy consumption is primarily dictated by:
the influence of the exterior climate on a building's envelope
A large difference between daily high and daily low temperatures indicates a need for
thermal mass
8. Two personal factors affecting thermal comfort are metabolic rate and insulation value of clothing
true
The definition of Conduction as related to Heat Flow is: Heat is exchanged between a fluid and a solid.
true
The acronym "VAV" stands for:
variable air volume
Which of the following window configurations promotes the highest velocity cross ventilation?
windows in opposite walls
13. Room illuminance values are typically measured:
work plane
