BPI Air Sealing 2

Question 1

Which building diagnostic tool is primarily used to measure the airtightness of a building envelope?

Accepted Answer

Blower door

Answer

A blower door depressurizes or pressurizes a building to measure air leakage through the envelope.

Question 2

What does ACH50 measure in building performance testing?

Accepted Answer

Air changes per hour at 50 Pascals of pressure

Answer

ACH50 expresses the number of times a building's air volume is exchanged per hour when pressurized to 50 Pascals.

Question 3

What is the primary air sealing concern at the top plates of interior partition walls?

Accepted Answer

Air bypass into the attic through unsealed gaps

Answer

Unsealed top plates allow conditioned air to bypass insulation and escape into the attic, significantly increasing energy loss.

Question 4

Which material is best suited for air sealing large irregular gaps around pipes and wires penetrating a top plate?

Accepted Answer

Two-part spray polyurethane foam

Answer

Two-part spray polyurethane foam expands to fill irregular voids and adheres well to multiple substrates, making it ideal for large irregular gaps.

Question 5

In BPI building science, what is the 'thermal boundary' in relation to air sealing?

Accepted Answer

The plane where insulation and air barrier align to separate conditioned from unconditioned space

Answer

The thermal boundary is the continuous plane combining air barrier and insulation that separates conditioned from unconditioned space.

(BPI) Building Performance Institute Certified Practice Test