Certified Energy Auditor Building Envelope and Lighting Questions and Answers

Question 1

An energy auditor inspects the attic of a home in a cold climate and observes dark, dirty-looking patches on the fiberglass batt insulation directly above the interior ceiling joists.
What is the most likely cause of this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

Air leakage through ceiling penetrations carrying dust and moisture, which is then filtered by the insulation.

Answer

Radiant heat transfer discoloring the insulation.

Answer

Compression of the insulation, reducing its R-value and causing dust to settle differently.

Answer

Natural degradation of the insulation material due to age.

Question 2

Which of the following window performance metrics is most crucial for an energy auditor to consider when trying to reduce cooling loads in a hot, sunny climate?

Accepted Answer

Low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)

Answer

High Visible Transmittance (VT)

Answer

Low U-factor

Answer

A high Condensation Resistance (CR) rating

Question 3

A lighting retrofit project involves replacing 400-watt metal halide lamps in a warehouse with 150-watt LED fixtures. Which metric best describes the energy efficiency of these light sources in terms of light output per unit of power consumed?

Accepted Answer

Luminous Efficacy (lumens/watt)

Answer

Color Rendering Index (CRI)

Answer

Correlated Color Temperature (CCT)

Answer

Luminous Flux (lumens)

Question 4

An energy audit of a commercial office building reveals that the perimeter offices, which have large windows, have their lights on at full brightness even on sunny days. Which lighting control strategy would provide the greatest energy savings for this specific situation?

Accepted Answer

Daylight harvesting with photosensors

Answer

Ultrasonic occupancy sensors

Answer

Astronomical time clocks

Answer

Manual dimmers for each office

Question 5

When calculating the overall heat transfer of a wall assembly, an auditor must account for the wood or metal studs that interrupt the insulation. This phenomenon, where heat flows more readily through the framing members than through the insulated cavities, is known as:

Accepted Answer

Thermal bridging

Answer

Convective looping

Answer

Air stratification

Answer

Radiant coupling

Question 6

What is the primary function of a low-emissivity (Low-E) coating on a window pane in a heating-dominated climate?

Accepted Answer

To reflect long-wave infrared heat back into the conditioned space, reducing heat loss.

Answer

To block the transmission of visible light to reduce glare.

Answer

To increase the solar heat gain during winter months.

Answer

To increase the structural integrity of the insulated glass unit (IGU).

An energy auditor inspects the attic of a home in a cold climate and observes dark, dirty-looking patches on the fiberglass batt insulation directly above the interior ceiling joists.What is the most likely cause of this phenomenon?

An energy auditor inspects the attic of a home in a cold climate and observes dark, dirty-looking patches on the fiberglass batt insulation directly above the interior ceiling joists.
What is the most likely cause of this phenomenon?