2,400+ Definitions
HVAC GLOSSARY
Every HVAC term, acronym, and industry phrase — defined in plain English.
Breadbox Solar Heater
A breadbox solar heater is a simplified passive water heating…
Breathing Zone
The breathing zone is the specific volume of air immediately…
BREEAM
BREEAM, or the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, is…
Brine System
A brine system uses a salt-water or glycol solution as…
BTU
A BTU (British Thermal Unit) is the standard unit of…
Buffer Tank
A Buffer Tank is a large volume water storage vessel…
Building Automation System
A Building Automation System (BAS) is an integrated network of…
Building Electrification
Building electrification is the process of replacing fossil fuel-based heating,…
Building Energy Model
A Building Energy Model (BEM) is a detailed computational simulation…
Building Envelope
The building envelope is the complete physical boundary separating conditioned…
Building Integrated Photovoltaics
Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) are solar energy systems seamlessly incorporated…
Building Load Profile
A building load profile represents the hourly or time-interval energy…
Building Management System
A Building Management System (BMS) is an advanced software platform…
Building Material Emissions
Building material emissions are the release of chemical compounds from…
Building Science
Building science is the systematic study of how buildings function…
Bulk Sampling
Bulk sampling involves collecting actual contaminated building materials for laboratory…
Butterfly Valve
A Butterfly Valve is a quarter-turn shutoff valve with a…
Bypass Damper
A bypass damper is an automatic control damper that diverts…
C Wire Installation
C wire installation adds a continuous 24-volt return path to…
Cabinet Unit Heater
A cabinet unit heater is a self-contained heating appliance that…
California Energy Code
The California Energy Code, formally known as Title 24 Part…
California Title 20
California Title 20 refers to the appliance efficiency regulations established…
California Title 24
California Title 24 is the state’s energy code that establishes…
California Title 24 2022
California Title 24-2022 represents the state’s latest building energy efficiency…
Capacitor
A capacitor is an electrical component that stores electrical charge…
Capacitor Bank
A capacitor bank is an assembly of multiple capacitors electrically…
Capacitor Failure
Capacitor failure occurs when the electrical storage component loses its…
Capacitor Test
A capacitor test measures the microfarad (µF) rating and electrical…
Capillary Tube
A capillary tube is a fixed-length, narrow-bore tube used as…
Carbon Accounting
Carbon Accounting is the systematic process of quantifying, tracking, and…
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a colorless, odorless gas naturally present…
Carbon Emissions
Carbon Emissions represent the volume of carbon dioxide (CO2) and…
Carbon Free Energy
Carbon Free Energy is electricity generated without producing carbon dioxide…
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic, odorless, colorless gas produced…
Carbon Monoxide Sensor
A carbon monoxide sensor detects dangerous levels of carbon monoxide…
Carbon Monoxide Testing
Carbon monoxide (CO) testing detects this colorless, odorless toxic gas…
Carbon Neutral
Carbon neutral refers to operating an HVAC system or facility…
Carbon Offset
A Carbon Offset is a tradable credit representing one metric…
Carnot COP
Carnot COP is the theoretical maximum coefficient of performance for…
Carnot Cycle
The Carnot Cycle is an idealized thermodynamic cycle consisting of…
Carpet Emissions
Carpet emissions include volatile organic compounds from fibers, backing materials,…
Carrier HAP
Carrier HAP (Hourly Analysis Program) is Carrier Corporation’s proprietary building…
Cartridge Filter
Cartridge filters are cylindrical filter elements with pleated media that…
Cascade Refrigeration
Cascade refrigeration uses two or more separate refrigeration cycles operating…
Cavity Insulation
Cavity insulation is thermal material installed within the hollow spaces…
CEE Qualified
CEE Qualified designation indicates that an HVAC product meets the…
CEE Tier
CEE Tier is a classification system developed by the Consortium…
CEER
CEER, or Combined Energy Efficiency Ratio, is a metric used…