BPM Answer Key: Test #3

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BPM Criterion-Referenced Test #3 Answer Key

Explain how the 3 main systems (building envelope, HVAC and lighting) work together to provide comfortable, productive spaces.

Students do not need to include descriptions of the three systems, however, they are provided for your benefit. The answer should include something similar to the paragraph following the System 3 description below.

System 1: The Building Envelope is a main system that includes floor, wall, window and ceiling/roof and door (sub)systems. It is the main barrier that separates building space from outside and protects us from the elements.

System 2: The Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning or HVAC system is a main system that includes the space heating, mechanical ventilation, air duct and space cooling components. The HVAC system increases comfort and productivity in a building by further controlling/modifying the temperature, humidity level and air quality.

System 3: Lighting is a main system that includes lighting types such as the ones we used in this unit: incandescent, fluorescent, and natural light (daylighting). Lighting helps us to be comfortable and productive by allowing natural light (daylighting) into a building, or by providing light produced by lamps where there is no natural light, or during time times when natural light is unavailable or insufficient.

The building envelope system is the main barrier that protects us from the elements and allows us to control our surroundings. Since building envelopes will in many cases not be able to sufficiently control building spaces’ temperature and moisture levels alone, we use heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to cool or heat and add or remove moisture to help make the spaces more comfortable and productive. Lighting systems are also used to further increase buildings’ usefulness by allowing natural daylight into building spaces, providing light to areas of buildings that don’t receive daylight and allowing the building to be used on cloudy days and/or at night.
Compare and contrast the typical building systems we learned about in this unit with those that might be seen at a campsite where campers are living in a tent.

While obviously made of different materials than typical buildings, a tent has an envelope including a floor, a roof and/or sides, and at least one door that together provide some protection from the elements. While traditional HVAC equipment is not used camping, tents sometimes have “window openings” and/or we can open the door to provide ventilation. We also make fires at a campsite and use sleeping bags to further control our surroundings. A campfire will also provide light, and/or we will often use battery powered or propane lanterns as lighting systems.

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