As – Solar Absorbance
The fraction of solar energy absorbed by the fabric. A low value means that the material absorbs little solar energy.
Direct Energy Transmission – DET
The percentage of solar energy transmitted directly through the glass with spectral distribution between 300nm and 2150nm.
Fc – Shading Factor
The ratio of solar factor of the combined glazing and solar shade (gtot) to that of the glazing alone (g).
g-value
The measure of the total energy passing through the glazing when exposed to solar radiation.
gtot
The measure of the total energy transmittance of the glazing in combination with the blind or other shading when exposed to solar radiation. Also known as the Solar Factor.
Lx – Lux
The measure of illuminance on a surface (1 lux = 1 lumen/m2).
Openness Coefficient Co
The ratio between the area of openings in the fabric/material and its total area.
Secondary Heat Transfer Factor – Qi
This results from heat transfer by convection and longwave infra-red radiation of that part of the incident solar radiation which has been absorbed by the glazing. It is the absorbed heat that will not go back through the glass.
Shading Coefficient – SC
Ratio of solar gain passing through a window unit (gtot) to the solar energy which passes 3mm float glass (0.87). Expressed as a value between 0 and 1. The lower the value the more efficient the fabric is at reducing heat flow.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient – SHGC
This is the North American term for g-value.
Solar Reflectance – Rs
The measure of the fraction of solar energy reflected by the fabric. A high value means that the fabric performs well at reflecting solar energy.
Solar Transmittance – Ts
The measure of the fraction of the solar energy transmitted through the fabric. A low value means that the fabric performs well at reducing solar energy transmission.
U-value
A measure of thermal conductance which is the ability of a material to transfer heat. The lower the value the better the material is as an insulator.
Visible Light Transmittance – Tv
The proportion of visible light transmitted through the shading material. Also shown as Tvis
Air permeability
The unintended leakage of air through gaps and cracks in the external envelope of a building.
Azimuth
The horizontal angular distance between the vertical plane containing the sun and the vertical plane containing true south.
Biophilic Design
A sustainable design strategy that incorporates reconnecting people with the natural environment through elements such as views to the outside, natural ventilation and use of plants.
Conduction
The transfer of heat between substances that are in direct contact with each other.
Convection
The transfer of the heat in fluid or air, caused by the movement of the heated air or fluid itself. In a building warm air rises and cold air settles to create a convection loop and is termed free convection.
Colour Rendering Index – CRI
This describes how closely a light source renders colours compared to “standard” sunlight observed by a “standard” human eye. Expressed as a value between 0-100, with the higher the figure the truer the colour rendition. Poor colour rendition has been linked to sick building syndrome.
Day Light Factor
The ratio of illumination on a horizontal work plane indoors to the horizontal illumination outdoors, expressed as a percentage. Direct solar beam is excluded.
Diffuse Light
Light that does not come from a particular direction.
Discomfort/disability glare
Condition caused when illuminance causes unacceptable contrasts by exceeding the comfort level of the human eye, under the aperture setting of the eye which has been adjusted according to other illuminance levels in the area.
Energy Balance
The balance between solar energy that enters a building and the heat loss that escapes through the fabric of the building.
Glare
The condition of vision in which there is discomfort or a reduction in the ability to see significant objects, due to an unsuitable distribution of or range of luminance.
Indoor Air Quality
The air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants.
Internal Gain
Heat produced in the interior of a building from the operation of lights, appliances etc.
Illuminance
The amount of light energy reaching a given point on a defined surface area, namely the luminous flux (i.e. lumens) per square metre.
Light Shelf
A horizontal shelf (overhang) positioned above head height to reflect daylight onto the ceiling and to shield direct flare from the sky.
Luminance
The intensity of light emitted from a surface per unit area in a given direction.
Moiré effect
Moiré effect is a visual perception that occurs when viewing a set of lines or dots that is superimposed on another set of lines or dots, where the sets differ in relative size, angle, or spacing. The moiré effect can be seen when looking through ordinary window screens at another screen or background.
Nanometers (nm)
A unit of one billionth of a metre, which is used to measure the wavelength of the light emitted by the sun.
Natural Ventilation
The supply of adequate fresh air to space within a building through windows, trickle vents etc. Removal of air may take place by natural or mechanical means.
Radiation
The emission or transfer of energy in the form of electromagnetic waves or particles transferring energy from a warm body to a cold body without heating the air in between.
Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP)
A software that calculates the energy performance of dwellings. It has been developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) for the Department of Energy and Climate Chance (DECC). SAP assess the cost per year to provide a home with heating, lighting and hot water and presents the cost per square metre of floor area.
Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM)
A software that calculates the energy performance of buildings that are not dwellings. It was developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) for the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG). SBEM estimates the amount of CO2 emissions produced by the building per square metre of floor rather than the cost.
Passive Solar Gain
The solar radiation that enters the building through glazing hits objects and is converted to heat. This reduces the need to artificially heat the space.
Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE)
The process of evaluating whether a building has met the intended performance criteria when the building has been occupied. This is usually achieved by qualitative and quantitative feedback.
Soft Landings
A strategy to ensure the transition from deign through to build and then occupation of a building is smooth and the operational performance of the building is optimised.
Solar Shading
Also referred to as ‘solar control’ or ‘solar protection’ is the term used to identify a number of systems to control the amount of heat and light from the sun admitted to a building.
Sun Angle
The angle of incidence of direct solar beam in relation to the building or glazing.
Temperature – Air
Air temperature is a measure of how hot or cold the air is. It is the most commonly measured weather parameter.
Temperature – Mean Radiant
The mean radiant temperature (MRT) is defined as the uniform temperature of an imaginary enclosure in which the radiant heat transfer from the human body is equal to the radiant heat transfer in the actual non-uniform enclosure.
Temperature – Operative Temperature
A simplified measure of human thermal comfort derived from air temperature, mean radiant temperature and air speed.
Temperature – Radiant
Radiant temperature is a measure of hot or cold air radiated from humans, objects or appliances.
Temperature – Surface
Surface temperature is a measure of how hot or cold the surface of any given object is. Surface temperatures can vary from the air temperatures around them.
Urban Heat Island (UHI)
An Urban Heat Island is an urban area such as a town or city which is a lot warmer than the rural areas which surround it. This is caused by concentrated human activity in an urban area including transport, air conditioning outlets and the thermal mass of buildings roads and the like which absorb the sun’s energy and then re-radiate that as heat. See more here.
Ventilative Cooling
The use of natural or mechanical ventilation strategies to cool indoor spaces. This effective use of outside air reduces the energy consumption of cooling systems while maintaining thermal comfort. The most common technique is the use of increased ventilation airflow rates and night ventilation.
ACA
The Association of Consultant Architects
AECB
Association for Environment Conscious Building
ASBP
The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products
BBSA
British Blind and Shutter Association
BCO
British Council for Offices
BEEF
British Energy Efficiency Federation
BEIS
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy
BESA
Building Engineering Services Association
BIFM
British Institute of Facilities Management
BIM
Building Information Modelling
BLAST
The Building Loads Analysis and System Thermodynamics
BMS
Building Management System
BRE
Building Research Establishment
BPE
Building Performance Evaluation
BPF
The British Property Federation
BREEAM
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
BRI
Building Related Illness
CAB
Council for Aluminium In Building
CABE
Chartered Association of Building Engineers
https://www.cbuilde.com/the-cabe/
CBA
Cost benefit analysis
CCC
Committee on Climate Change
CIAT
Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists
CIBSE
Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers
CIC
The Construction Industry Council
CIOB
The Chartered Institute of Building
CIRIA
The Construction Industry Research and Information Association
CITB
Construction Industry Training Board
CLC
The Construction Leadership Council
https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/construction-leadership-council
CRI
Colour Rendering Index
DSF
Double Skin Façade
DSM
Dynamic Simulation Modelling
EERE
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
https://www.energy.gov/eere/office-energy-efficiency-renewable-energy
EMA
Energy Managers Association
EPBD
Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
EPI
Energy Performance Indicator
ESBO
Early Stage Building Optimisation
http://www.es-so.com/tools/esbo
ES-SDA
European Solar Shading Database
ES-SO
European Solar Shading Organisation
EST
Energy saving Trust
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
FMB
Federation of Master Builders
GGF
Glass and Glazing Federation
GHA
Good Homes Alliance
GHG
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
GreenSpec
Green Buildings Design, Products and Materials
HBF
Home Builders Federation
HVAC
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
IAQ
Indoor Air Quality
IEQ
Indoor Environmental Quality
LBNL
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
LON
Local Operating Network
NBS
National Building Specification
NCEUB
Network for Comfort and Energy Use in Buildings
NEF
National Energy Foundation
NFB
National Federation of Builders
https://www.builders.org.uk/home/
NHBC
National House Building Council
nZEB
net Zero Energy Buildings
PCDB
Product Characteristics Database
REHVA
Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations
RIBA
Royal Institute of British Architects
https://www.architecture.com/Explore/Home.aspx
RICS
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
SAP
Standard Assessment Procedure
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/standard-assessment-procedure
SBEM
Simplified Building Energy Model
SBS
Sick Building Syndrome
SEC
The Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group
SFE
Society of Facade Engineering
https://www.cibse.org/Society-of-Facade-Engineering-SFE
UKGBC
UK Green Building Council
