Energy Losses in Buildings

Lesson 1: Heat Flow Principles

Topics:

Methods of Heat Transfer; Heat Flow in Structures; Detecting Heat Loss; Defining Heat Flow Terms; History of Insulation; Early Forms of Insulation; Industrial Insulation; The Building Envelope; Effect of Insulation; Environmental Considerations; Windbreaks, Foundation Plantings; Building Orientation

Objectives:

• Distinguish between heat transfer by conduction, convection, and radiation.
• Explain the importance of infiltration in a building's heat loss/gain.
• Define thermal conductance, overall coefficient of heat transmission, and thermal resistance and how they relate to each other.
• Explain the concept of the building envelope
• Tell how environmental factors can affect the loss of gain of heat in a building.

Lesson 2: Heat Loss/Gain Through Roofs

Topics:

Roof Construction; Insulating Characteristics of Roofs; Vapor Barriers; Ventilation; Types of Insulation and Applications; Checking Heat Leaks; Infrared Scanner; Payback Periods; Sample Calculations

Objectives:

• Demonstrate how to arrive at the R value of a roof section.
• List the principal types of roof and ceiling insulation and the applications for which each is best suited.
• Name the two most effective precautions to take against moisture damage and give examples of their proper installation.
• Explain how and under what circumstances heat leaks can be detected in roof structures.
• Identify the facts needed for payback calculations and tell how to use them to determine payback periods.

Lesson 3: Minimizing Heat Flow Through Walls

Topics:

Wall Construction; Totaling R Values; Construction Considerations for Insulating Materials; Eliminating Condensation; Vapor Barriers; Cold-Side Venting; Convective Looping; Insulating Foundations; Metal Walls; Insulating Metal Walls; U Values; Payback; Sample Calculation

Objectives:

• Evaluate the merits of the common forms of insulation as applied to wall construction.
• Identify at least two types of vapor barrier and tell when each would be used.
• Explain convective looping and how to prevent it.
• Tell why metal buildings have special insulation needs and describe the techniques developed for them.
• Use payback calculations to determine which of two alternatives conservation measures is the more profitable.

Lesson 4: Heat Loss/Gain Through Windows and Doors

Topics:

Infiltration; Window Heat Loss by Conduction; Corrective Measures; Caulking; Weatherstripping; Air Locks; Reducing Conductive Heat; Loss/ Gain Through Windows; Hermetically Sealed Windows; Removable Storm Windows; Draperies; Solar Heat Gain; Preventing Heat Gain; Shading; Payback Calculations

Objectives:

• Identify two forms of infiltration.
• Explain the valves of an air lock and describe a typical installation.
• Name at least three means of reducing conductive heat loss through windows.
• Tell why the angle of the sun is important in efforts to increase or minimize solar heat gain.
• State the reason for the lengthy payback period on most window retrofits.

Lesson 5: Controlling Losses Through Floors

Topics:

Above-Grade Floors; Vapor Barrier for Above-Grade Floors; Ground Cover; Crawl Space Flooding; Crawl Space Ventilation; Below-Grade Floors; On-Grade Floors; Correct Surface Drainage; Effects of Floor Covering; Pipes and Duct Work; Payback Calculations; Slab-Foundation Retrofit; Wooden Overlay Retrofit

Objectives:

• Describe the principal methods of insulating existing above-ground floors.
• Tell how to test for capillary rise in a crawl space.
• Point out the value of a ground-cover vapor barrier.
• List two ways to insulate on-grade or below-grade floors.
• Explain the special problems involved in calculating heat losses and payback periods for on-grade and below-grade floors.