| Air Infiltration |
Air that leaks into a building through cracks or gaps. |
| Approved Contractor |
A contractor approved by the organization offering the incentive. |
| Attic Cards |
Attic
cards (supplied by manufacturers of blown-in insulation) show the type
and R-value of the insulation, the thickness as well as the installer's
name and company address. They should be placed near the attic opening. |
| Attic Rulers |
When blown insulation is used, NAIMA
recommends that attic rulers should be installed, one for every 300
square feet of attic area. The installed thickness of blown
insulation should not be less than the minimum settled thickness on the
attic card. The Federal trade Commission does not require attic
cards, but it is typical practice and helpful to the current and future
homeowner. Consult CABO/MEC Guidelines on attic cards & rulers.
|
| Baffles |
Device
to maintain a ventilation space between the insulation and roof deck,
assuring air flow from the eave/soffit vents to ridge vent or other
roof vents provided in attics and cathedral ceilings. |
| Batts |
Pre-cut
pieces of insulation in standard sizes; batts may have a facing of
kraft paper, aluminum foil or poly (plastic) or no facing at all. |
| Blankets |
Rolls of Insulation; may have facing of kraft paper or aluminum foil backed paper. |
| Blow-In-Blanket® Systems (BIBS) |
A
patented application process that combines loose-fill and mineral wool
fiber glass insulation with a fine adhesive mist, then blows it into a
home's cavities behind netting. |
| Builders/Developers |
Those who build or develop houses, housing units or commercial structures. |
| Building Envelope |
The exterior assembly that encloses the interior space of a building. It serves as the outer shell to protect the indoor environment as well as to facilitate its climate control. Building envelope design is an application area that draws from all areas of building engineering, especially building science and indoor climate control. Building envelope design includes four major performance objectives: Structural integrity, Moisture control, Temperature control, Control of air pressure boundaries (this includes air movement into and out of the interior space and through the components of the building envelope-interstitial)). The physical components of the envelope include the foundation, roof, and walls, along with the insulation encompassed in these components, as well as the doors and windows. |
| Cavity |
The empty space between studs or joists typically filled with insulation. |
| Commercial |
Pertaining to incentives available to owners of businesses that may be housed in buildings or structures other than homes. |
| Condensation |
The
liquid water that results when water vapor from the air changes to
liquid form. This commonly occurs when warm moist air comes in contact
with cold surfaces. |
| Conduction |
The
direct transfer of heat through building elements such as walls,
ceilings, floors, and windows. This is a major area of home heat loss. |
| Convection |
The
transfer of heat energy by air or fluid movement. This motion is a
spontaneous circulation due to the combined actions of gravity and
changes in air or fluid density. In space heating, the operation of a
baseboard heater is a good example of convection. |
| Crawlspace Vents |
An
opening to allow the passage of air through the unfinished area under a
first floor. Ideally there should be at least two vents per crawlspace.
Refer to your local building code for requirements in your area. |
| Density |
The mass of a substance per unit of volume of that substance. |
| Eligibility |
The types of structures eligible for the incentive. |
| Energy Code |
Local
requirement that outlines the minimum level of insulation and other
energy-efficiency measures for new construction. Energy Codes are
updated on an ongoing basis, and minimum levels of insulation are set
by considering the cost of energy and what level provides a reasonable
payback. |
| Energy Efficient Mortgage |
A
mortgage that offers favorable terms to homeowners and/or business
owners in order to finance the purchase of energy efficient buildings
or make energy efficient upgrades. |
| Existing Buildings |
Homes or commercial structures currently standing. |
| Face Staple |
Stapling facing flange to the front side of a stud or rafter, along the 1-1/2" dimension. |
| Faced Insulation |
Insulation with a facing already attached. Kraft paper or foil-backed paper are common facings. |
| Fiber Glass Insulation |
An effective resistor of heat flow that is made from molten sand and recycled glass which is spun into fibers. |
| Fiber Glass or Glass Fibers |
Glass in a strand form. |
| FSK |
Foil
Skrim Kraft (FSK) is a reflective facing that is laminated to fiber
glass insulation. When exposed (where codes permit), the reflective
surface helps maximize lighting efficiency and may reduce lighting
requirements. It also serves as a excellent vapor retarder. |
| Grant |
A sum of money given for a specific purpose. |
| Heat Flow |
The
rate at which heat moves from an area of higher temperature to an area
of lower temperature. Btu/hr (W/hr). Heat flow is generally used to
quantify the rate of total heat gain or heat loss of a system. |
| Home Audit or Energy Audit |
An
assessment performed by an energy specialist in order to identify how a
structure's energy efficiency can be improved. Many incentives or
rebates require an audit be conducted before and after the improvements
in order to verify savings. |
| HVAC |
Acronym for Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning systems. |
| Incentive Type |
The
form of financial assistance offered by utilities, states, and/or local
organizations to encourage homeowners and/or businesses to increase
energy efficiency. Examples include loans, rebates, grants, tax
incentives, and free services. |
| Industrial |
Pertaining
to incentives available to owners of businesses in the manufacturing
environment where incentives are given for improving the energy
efficiency of a manufacturing process. |
| Inset Staple |
Stapling to the inside portion of the stud or rafter. |
| Insulation Density |
Denser insulation products have more fibers per square inch and generally have greater insulating power through higher R-values. |
| Insulation Type |
The type of insulation eligible for the incentive (wall, ceiling, pipe, etc.). |
| Joist |
Horizontal framing member to support the floor or ceiling. |
| Knee Walls |
Walls of varying length. Used to provide additional support to roof rafters with a wide span or to finish off an attic. |
| Kraft-Faced Vapor Retarder |
Created
by coating kraft paper with a thin layer of asphalt adhesive. The
coated side of the kraft paper is then applied to the unfaced
insulation material. The asphalt adhesive bonds the kraft paper and the
insulation together, which acts as a vapor retarder. Kraft-faced vapor
retarders are combustible and should never be left exposed in a
building. See Vapor Retarder |
| Loan |
A sum of money lent at interest. |
| Loose-Fill Insulation |
Small
pieces of insulation, made from fiber glass, mineral wool that is blown
into a home using a machine that houses a blowing machine. Loose-fill
insulation is typically installed by a professional. Loose-fill is used
for general purposes and is especially effective at filling small and
irregularly-shaped spaces. |
| Low-Income |
A
household with a combined income that qualifies them for certain
incentive programs. The definition of low-income can vary from
organization to organization and is expressed in relation to the
Federal poverty level Contact the organization offering the incentive
for more information. |
| Manufactured Home |
A house that is put together in standardized sections that are built off-site in a factory. |
| Mineral Wool |
A
broad term used typically to refer to rock wool and slag wool. In some
countries, this term is also used to refer to fiber glass. |
| Mortgage Rate Reduction |
A
favorable mortgage rate granted to homeowners and/or businesses to
finance the purchase of energy efficient buildings or make energy
efficient upgrades. |
| Multi-Family |
A structure housing more than one family. |
| NAIMA |
North
American Insulation Manufacturers Association, a trade organization
representing manufacturers of fiber glass and rock and slag wool
insulation products in North America. |
| Non-Combustible |
This
is a technical term used in the building industry to refer to products
that are not capable of combustion. The glass fibers in fiber glass
insulation and the rock and slag wool in mineral wool insulation have a
natural fire resistance and are considered non-combustible when tested
in accordance to ASTM E136.
|
| Personal Tax Incentive |
A
deduction or tax credit on an individual income tax return for the
purchase (and in some cases, installation) of energy efficiency
products. |
| Post-Project Inspection/Rating |
An assessment performed after energy efficiency improvements are made. |
| Radiation |
The
transfer of heat by direct rays traveling through space to a solid
substance, but without heating the air (similar to light rays). An
example is the sun warming the earth. Radiant heat can also be
reflected (via a mirror) or absorbed (through dark clothing). |
| Rebate |
A deduction from an amount charged or a return of a price paid. |
| Requirements |
The
criteria an applicant or project must meet in order to receive an
incentive, or steps that must be taken in order to receive the
incentive, such as having a home energy audit performed or using an
approved contractor. |
| Residential |
Pertaining to a home or homes. |
| Rock Wool Insulation |
Man-made material comprised of natural minerals like basalt or diabase which are spun into a fibrous form. |
| R-Value |
The
measure of resistance to heat flow. Insulation materials have tiny
pockets of trapped air. These pockets resist the transfer of heat
through material. The ability of insulation to slow the transfer of
heat is measured in R-values. The higher the R-value, the better the
insulation material's ability to resist the flow of heat through it.
The Federal Trade Commission prohibits expressing R-value in terms of
inches, because R-value is not a linear measurement.
|
| Sales Tax Incentive |
A reduced sales tax rate or an exemption from paying sales tax on energy efficiency products. |
| Single Family House |
A structure housing no more than one family. |
| Slag Wool Insulation |
Man-made material made primarily from iron ore blast furnace slag which is spun into a fibrous form. |
| Sound Transmission Class (STC) |
A numerical rating of the sound control performance of a wall or ceiling; the higher the number, the better the sound control. |
| Stapling Flange |
A protruding edge on faced insulation used to staple the insulation to the framing. |
| Stud |
An upright metal or wood post in the framework of a wall for supporting an approved interior material such as gypsum wallboard. |
| Unfaced Insulation |
Insulation with no attached vapor retarder. |
| Vapor Retarder |
A
material which retards the transmission of water vapor. It is rated in
perms ("permeance"). The lower the perm rating, the better the water
vapor permeance. A vapor retarder should have a perm rating no greater
than 1.0. |
| Ventilation |
Creates a positive flow of air that allows the house to “breathe” and helps prevent moisture build-up year round. |
| Warm-in-Winter Side |
Refers
to the living area of a house in climates where it is colder outside in
the winter than it is inside. This is useful information for
determining the proper placement of a vapor retarder. |
| Weatherization |
Free
services or grants available to low-income households for improvements
to the thermal efficiency of dwellings (typically insulation, caulking,
and weatherstripping). |
