Certified Energy Auditor Certification FREE Certified Energy Auditor Certification Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a blower door test in an energy audit?
- To measure air infiltration rates in the building envelope (Correct answer)
- To test the efficiency of the HVAC blower motor
- To determine indoor air quality levels
- To calibrate ventilation ductwork pressure
Correct answer: To measure air infiltration rates in the building envelope
A blower door test depressurizes or pressurizes a building to measure the total air leakage through the building envelope.
Question 2: Which metric represents the total annual energy consumption of a building normalized by its floor area?
- Energy Use Intensity (EUI) (Correct answer)
- Building Performance Index (BPI)
- Thermal Conductance Ratio (TCR)
- Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE)
Correct answer: Energy Use Intensity (EUI)
Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is expressed in kBtu per square foot per year and allows comparison of energy performance across different-sized buildings.
Question 3: During an energy audit, what does a combustion efficiency test on a natural gas furnace primarily measure?
- The percentage of fuel energy converted to useful heat (Correct answer)
- The carbon monoxide output of the burner assembly
- The temperature of the supply air plenum
- The gas pressure at the manifold
Correct answer: The percentage of fuel energy converted to useful heat
Combustion efficiency testing determines how effectively the furnace converts the chemical energy in natural gas into usable heat output.
Question 4: Which insulation property indicates its resistance to heat flow per inch of thickness?
- R-value per inch (Correct answer)
- U-factor
- Thermal mass rating
- K-factor
Correct answer: R-value per inch
R-value per inch measures the thermal resistance of an insulation material for each inch of installed thickness.
Question 5: What is the recommended action when an energy auditor discovers knob-and-tube wiring in an attic before adding insulation?
- Have a licensed electrician evaluate and potentially replace the wiring before insulating (Correct answer)
- Insulate around the wiring using loose-fill cellulose only
- Cover the wiring with fiberglass batts leaving small air gaps
- Proceed with insulation since modern materials are non-combustible
Correct answer: Have a licensed electrician evaluate and potentially replace the wiring before insulating
Knob-and-tube wiring relies on air circulation for cooling, so covering it with insulation creates a serious fire hazard that must be addressed by a licensed electrician first.
Question 6: In a Level II ASHRAE energy audit, which additional analysis is required beyond a Level I walkthrough?
- Detailed energy calculations and financial analysis of recommended measures (Correct answer)
- Only a review of utility bills for the past 12 months
- A basic visual inspection of major building systems
- Continuous monitoring of all building systems for one year
Correct answer: Detailed energy calculations and financial analysis of recommended measures
A Level II ASHRAE audit requires detailed energy use breakdowns, engineering calculations, and cost-benefit analysis for each recommended energy conservation measure.
What is the primary purpose of a blower door test in an energy audit?