Building Envelope Assessment Flashcards
7 cards from real Certified Energy Auditor Certification practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Building Envelope Assessment flashcards as text
Which metric best describes the overall thermal resistance of a wall assembly including framing members?
Answer: Whole-wall R-value
Whole-wall R-value accounts for all thermal bridges including framing, corners, and interface details, giving a more realistic measure than center-of-cavity R-value.
A blower door test shows 8 ACH50 in a home. Which energy code category does this typically fall into?
Answer: Leaky — exceeds the 2021 IECC limit
The 2021 IECC requires ≤3 ACH50 for most climate zones, so 8 ACH50 indicates a significantly leaky building.
What is the primary concern with installing a vapor retarder on both sides of a wall cavity?
Answer: Moisture trapped inside cannot dry to either side
A double vapor retarder traps moisture within the cavity, preventing drying and promoting mold growth and structural decay.
In a thermographic survey, which color in a standard palette typically indicates the coolest surface temperature on an exterior wall scan in heating season?
Answer: Blue or purple
In a standard thermal palette, blue and purple represent the lowest temperatures, which on an exterior wall in heating season indicate areas of heat loss or insulation deficiency.
What does 'thermal mass' primarily contribute to in a building envelope?
Answer: Time-shifted peak heat gain or loss
Thermal mass stores heat energy and releases it slowly, shifting the timing of peak loads rather than directly increasing insulation resistance.
Which window specification parameter directly indicates how much solar heat enters through the glazing?
Answer: Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC)
SHGC measures the fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through a window, directly quantifying solar heat gain.
An auditor identifies significant frost forming on interior window surfaces in winter. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: Inadequate frame U-factor combined with high indoor humidity
Interior frost occurs when the window surface temperature drops below the dew point of the indoor air, typically due to a high (poor) frame U-factor and excessive indoor humidity.