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BPI Written Exam - Section 2 Buildings and Their Systems

1. 4. Understand Importance of Air Leakage Control and Remediation Procedures

Air leakage is typically the most cost effective upgrade for older homes with balloon framing. It is possible to make a home TOO tight though which creates sick building syndrome and can accelerate mold and mildew growth from poor ventilation.  How do you know if a home is too tight? The answer is in the Blower Door Section.  There you can find how to measure the home's MVR (Minimum Ventilation Requirements).  Remember, we want to "build homes tight, then ventilate them right." 

Remediation

There are several ventilation strategies to bring outside, fresh air in.

1. Spot ventilation.  Spot ventilation includes exhaust fans and range fans to quickly remove pollutants at their source. We can go a step further than just turning on an exhaust fan (which acts like a mini-blower door exhausting house air outside, and bringing in outside air through air leaks) and install a motion sensor activated exhaust fan, or a timer onto the exhaust fan to help take human error (or human lack-of-use) out of the equation.  Exhaust fans are rated with a CFM flow rate.
   
2. Whole home exhaust fan.  This is the same idea as an exhaust fan or a blower door, where we depressurize a home and air is forced to enter in through air leakage points.  In the case of a whole house exhaust fan though, homeowners should open their windows to let fresh outside air in while the fan is running.  These can be used as a home cooling system as well in climates that have temperate weather or seasons.  Whole home exhaust fans are rated with a CFM flow rate.
   
3. Fresh air duct with dampener on the return plenum.  This is a low end option that works well and qualifies a home for Energy Star Certification.  Every time the AHU kicks on, a small 4" duct brings in fresh outside air on the return side.  The down side is that this air is not conditioned or heated at all, so energy costs go slightly up because the AHU has to work harder.
   
4. Energy recovery ventilator (ERV) or heat recovery ventilator (HRV). ERV's and HRV's bring in fresh outside air from a dedicated duct, but the beauty of it is that this unconditioned outside air is precooled or heated by transferring it's line with a dedicated exhaust line from the inside out of the house, which IS conditioned or heated already.  It's like the first shampoo, when washing your hair twice.  These systems are designed to run 24-7 and only add $95 a year to operate and to the heating and cooling costs.  These products are the best way to deliver fresh air ventilation at the lowest possible cost. Use HRV in cold climates with a large number of occupants.  If the home does not have a lot of occupants but is in a cold climate, then use an ERV.  If you are in a hot, humid climate, an ERV is the preferred choice of ventilation.  In mixed climates, either the HRV or ERV will work.
   

Next Section

2a. Building Components

1. Identify basic duct configurations and components
   
2. Identify basic hydronic distribution configurations and components
3. Identify basic structural components of residential construction 
   
4. Thermal boundaries and insulation applications 
   
5. Basic electrical components and safety considerations 
   
6. Basic fuel delivery systems and safety considerations
   
7. Basic bulk water management components (drainage plumbing gutters sumps etc) 
   
8. Vapor barriers/retarders 
   
9. Radiant barrier principles and installations 
   
10. Understand fenestration types and efficiencies 
    
11. Understand issues involved with basements, crawlspaces, slabs, attics, attached garages, interstitial cavities, and bypasses 
12. Understand issues involved with ventilation equipment 
13. Understand basic heating / cooling equipment components controls and operation 
    
14. Understand basic DHW equipment components controls and operation 
    
15. Identify common mechanical safety controls 
    
16. Identify insulation types and R-Values 
    
17. Understand various mechanical ventilation equipment and strategies: spot, ERV, HRV 
    

2b. Conservation Strategies

1. Appropriate insulation applications and installation based on existing conditions 
   
2. Opportunity for ENERGY STAR lighting and appliances 
   
3. Identify duct sealing opportunities and applications 
   
4. Understand importance of air leakage control and remediation procedures 
   
5. Blower door-guided air sealing techniques 
   
6. Water conservation devices and strategies 
   
7. Domestic Hot Water (DHW) conservation strategies 
   
8. Heating & cooling efficiency applications 
   
9. Proper use of modeling to determine heating and cooling equipment sizing and appropriate energy use
   
10. Understand the use of utility history analysis in conservation strategies 
    
11. Appropriate applications for sealed crawlspaces basements and attics 
    
12. Identify/understand high density cellulose 
    
13. Appropriate applications for fenestration upgrades including modification or replacement 
    

2c. Comprehensive Building Assessment Process

1. Determine areas of customer complaints/concerns in interview
   
2. Understand / recognize need for conducting appropriate diagnostic procedures including when to refer to a specialist for further investigation
   
3. Interaction between mechanical systems, envelope systems and occupant behavior
   

2d. Design considerations

1. Appropriate insulation applications based on existing conditions
2. Understand fire codes as necessary to apply home performance in a code-approved manner.
3. Understand/recognize building locations where opportunities for retrofit materials and processes are needed to correct problems and/or enhance performance
   
4. Understand climate specific concerns
   
5. Understand indoor environment considerations for the environmentally sensitive
   
6. Understand impact of building orientation, landscape drainage, and grading
   
7. Opportunity potential renewable energy applications: geothermal , photovoltaic, wind
   
8. Understand impact of shading on heating / cooling loads
   
9. Awareness for solar gain reduction in cooling climate/solar gain opportunities in heating climates
   
10. Understand need for modeling various options for heating, cooling and DHW applications, as well as other efficiency upgrades