Publications Glossary
The Building Technologies Program offers publications on energy efficient building technologies and practices. On this page you'll find a glossary of the building types and topics used to classify these publications.
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- Appliances
- Refers to devices within a home such as the oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher; programs such as ENERGY STAR® set energy efficiency standards for appliances.
- Building Envelope
- The separation between the interior and the exterior environments of a building. The components of the envelope include the foundation, roof, walls, doors and windows. This is a major factor in the energy use of a building.
- Climate Zones
- Building technologies and energy efficiency recommendations vary based on climates. The zones used by the Building Technologies Program are: Cold and Very Cold; Hot and Humid; Hot-Dry and Mixed-Dry; Marine; and Mixed-Humid.
- Commercial Building Type
- Relating to offices, schools, retail buildings and multifamily housing.
- Commissioning
- Process of ensuring, in new construction, that all the subsystems for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire/life safety, and building security are operating as intended.
- Controls
- Sensors to control a building's climate, lighting, and all environmental systems.
- Energy Audits
- An inspection and analysis of energy flows in a building to understand the energy dynamics and reduce usage. Software tools are often utilized.
- Energy Performance Goals
- Targeted reduction of energy use by buildings. These goals are determined by the various Building Technologies Program initiatives.
- Financing
- Locating and obtaining money for building construction or remodeling. Also may include software tools to calculate financing needs and return on investment.
- Foundations
- The substructure that supports a building. It involves both underground and above ground construction elements. This is part of the building envelope.
- Geothermal
- Obtaining heat from underground hot water or, more commonly, employing a heat pump to warm or cool air by utilizing the constant temperature of the earth. This is a renewable technology.
- Government Building Type
- A building which contains city, county, state or federal government offices or facilities.
- Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
- Commonly referred to as HVAC; includes all of the methods of managing a building's climate.
- Insulation
- Material that reduces heat loss or gain of a building which decreases the energy demands of heating and cooling systems. This is a critical factor in energy efficiency.
- Lighting
- Refers to energy efficient artificial light and daylighting (the design of buildings to make the most of natural light).
- Multifamily Building Type
- A building or series of buildings that house more than one family (e.g., apartments, townhomes, and duplexes).
- Offices Building Type
- A building which contains spaces mainly designed to be used for non-governmental offices.
- Passive Solar
- Building design and technologies that utilize natural sunlight for heating, cooling, and lighting rather than using mechanical systems. This is a renewable technology.
- Photovoltaic
- A technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity through solar cells. This is a renewable technology.
- Program Areas and Initiatives
- The Buildings Technologies Program has many different areas of focus to improve energy efficiency in buildings. These initiatives include Appliances and Commercial Equipment Standards; Building America; EnergySmart Schools; High Performance Commercial Buildings; and Rebuild America.
- Residential Building Type
- Relating to single-family housing rather than offices, factories, or multifamily housing.
- Retail Building Type
- A building used for the sale of goods or merchandise.
- Roofs
- The structure covering the top of the building. This is part of the building envelope.
- Schools Building Type
- A building used for kindergarten through 12th grade education.
- Site Design
- Utilizing the benefits of the land in building design, such as orienting the building to maximize natural light. This is a critical factor in energy efficiency.
- Universities Building Type
- All of the buildings that comprise a university or college campus such as office buildings, restaurants, retail, and multifamily dwellings.
- Walls
- Vertical structures that make up the sides of a room or building. This is part of the building envelope.
- Water Heating
- Includes energy efficient water heaters, such as those with the ENERGY STAR® label, tankless and solar powered systems.
- Whole Building Design
- A method of building that considers all components and systems during the design phase so they work together, saving energy and reducing environmental impact.
- Windows/Fenestration
- Energy efficient technologies for window openings. This is part of the building envelope.