A comprehensive legislative package that mandates and encourages energy efficiency standards, alternative fuel use, and the development of renewable energy technologies. Public Law 102-486, October 24th, 1992. Also authorized the Federal Energy Regulatory ...

The interior space of a building that is heated or cooled.

The inner coil in a heat pump that, during the cooling mode, absorbs heat from the inside air and boils the liquid refrigerant to a vapor, which cools the house.

A device built into or installed above a combustion appliance to assure the escape of combustion byproducts, to prevent backdrafting of the appliance, or to neutralize the effects of the stack action of the chimney or vent on the operation of the applianc ...

An air conditioning system that comes in two to five pieces: one piece contains the compressor, condenser, and a fan; the others have an evaporator and a fan. The condenser, installed outside the house, connects to several evaporators, one in each room to ...

A unit of work done by the force of one dyne acting through a distance of one centimeter.

A device used to protect the user of any electrical system or appliance from shock.

The use of two or more different fuels (e.g. wood and coal) simultaneously in the same combustion chamber of a power plant.

The torque at the bottom of a speed (rpm) versus torque curve. The torque developed by the motor is a percentage of the full-load or rated torque. At this torque the speed, the rotational speed of the motor as a percentage of synchronous speed is zero. Th ...

An instrument for measuring relative humidity by means of wet and dry-bulb temperatures.

A measure of the relative flame spread, and smoke development, from a material being tested. The flame spread rating is a single number comparing the flame spread of a material with red oak, arbitrarily given the number 100 and asbestos cement board with ...

The duct(s) of a forced air heating/cooling system through which heated or cooled air is supplied to rooms by the action of the fan of the central heating or cooling unit.

A type of solar thermal collector that has tubes (pipes) that the heat transfer fluid flows through that are connected to a flat absorber plate.

A term used to describe heat energy lost from a water heater tank.

The U.S. Government's 12-month financial year, from October to September, of the following calender year; e.g.: FY 1998 extends from Oct. 1, 1997 to Sept. 30, 1988.

A heat exchanger that transfers the heat contained in a liquid heat transfer fluid to air.

The process by which a power plant, apparatus, or building is approved for operation based on observed or measured operation that meets design specifications.

The measure of overall efficiency for a variety of appliances. For water heaters, the energy factor is based on three factors: 1) the recovery efficiency, or how efficiently the heat from the energy source is transferred to the water; 2) standby losses, o ...

The physical measure of the subjective sensation of brightness; measured in lumens.

A condition that can occur in a solar collector if the working fluid does not circulate when sun is shining on the collector.