A furnace/combustion chamber in which finely ground fuel is blown in spirals in the combustion chamber to maximize combustion efficiency.

The structural elements (walls, roof, floor, foundation) of a building that encloses conditioned space; the building shell.

A device that captures the heat from the exhaust air from a building and transfers it to the supply/fresh fresh air entering the building to preheat the air and increase overall heating efficiency.

The wheeling of electric power in amounts and at prices that generally have been negotiated in longterm contracts between the generator and a distributor or very large consumer of power.

The amount of heat produced from the complete combustion of a unit of fuel. The higher (or gross) heating value is that when all products of combustion are cooled to the pre-combustion temperature, water vapor formed during combustion is condensed, and ne ...

The amount of useful energy produced by a system less the amount of energy required to produce the fuel.

The quantity of heat produced to change a unit weight of a liquid to vapor with no change in temperature.

A space heating device that burns pellets; are more efficient, clean burning, and easier to operate relative to conventional cord wood burning appliances.

The rate of flow of the wind undisturbed by obstacles.

The arithmetic wind speed over a specified time period and height above the ground (the majority of U.S. National Weather Service anemometers are at 20 feet (6.1 meters).

The amount of solar radiation striking a surface per unit of time and area.

A description of how well people in a lighted space can see to do visual tasks and how visually comfortable they feel in that space.

The total diffuse and direct insolation on a horizontal surface, averaged over a specified period of time.

A motor in which a three phase (or any multiphase) alternating current (i.e. the working current) is supplied to iron-cored coils (or windings) within the stator. As a result, a rotating magnetic field is set up, which induces a magnetizing current in the ...

A building design that uses structural elements of a building to heat and cool a building, without the use of mechanical equipment, which requires careful consideration of the local climate and solar energy resource, building orientation, and landscape fe ...

The ratio of the radiant energy (heat) leaving (being emitted by) a surface to that of a black body at the same temperature and with the same area; expressed as a number between 0 and 1.

The process of managing the consumption of energy, generally to optimize available and planned generation resources.

A heating system where heat is supplied (radiated) into a room by means of heated surfaces, such as electric resistance elements, hot water (hydronic) radiators, etc.

Both a noun and a verb to describe the exterior surface of building elements (walls, floors, ceilings, etc.) and furniture, and the process of applying it.

The amount of heat introduced to a space from all heat producing sources, such as building occupants, lights, appliances, and from the environment, mainly solar energy.