Compression Strength

The maximum compressive stress a material can withstand without failure.

Concrete

A solid, hard material produced by combining Portland cement, aggregates, sand, water and sometimes additional mixtures.

Design Temperature Differential

The difference between the indoor temperature in winter and the outdoor design temperature in winter. The design temperature differential or design range is used in calculating the space heating requirements of a dwelling unit under the engineering-based methodology.

Fascia

The finish board covering the edges of rafters and eaves.

Footing

The lowest, widest part of the foundation that distributes the load over a broad area of the soil.

Foundation

The lower part of a building, which transfers structural loads from the building to the soil.

Heat Loss

The energy needed to warm outside air leaking into a building through cracks around doors, windows, and other areas.

Radiant Heat

Energy radiated or transmitted as rays or waves, in the form of particles.

Rafter

Member of a roof structural frame that supports the sheathing and other roof loads.

Rebar

Steel bar used to reinforce concrete.

R-Value

The numerical value used to indicate the resistance to the flow of heat.

Sole Plate

The plate placed at the bottom of a wall.

Square (Quantity of Shingles)

In roofing, 100 square feet of roofing material.

Tensile Strength

The maximum stress a material subjected to a stretching load can withstand without tearing.

Thermal Conduction

The process of heat transfer through a solid by transmitting kinetic energy from one molecule to the next.

Thermal Convection

Heat transmission by the circulation of a liquid or a heated gas or air.

U-Factor

A measure of the heat transmission through a building part (as a wall or window) or a given thickness of a material (as insulation) with lower numbers indicating better insulating properties.