EMP Building Systems & HVAC Optimization Flashcards
6 cards from real EMP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 EMP Building Systems & HVAC Optimization flashcards as text
What is a Building Automation System (BAS) primarily used for?
Answer: Centralized monitoring and control of HVAC, lighting, and other building systems
A BAS integrates HVAC, lighting, fire safety, and other systems under centralized computer control for automated monitoring, scheduling, and optimization.
Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) systems differ from Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) systems in that ERVs:
Answer: Transfer both heat and moisture between incoming and outgoing airstreams
ERVs transfer both sensible heat and latent energy (moisture) between exhaust and intake airstreams, making them more effective in climates with significant humidity variation.
What is the 'stack effect' in buildings and why is it relevant to energy management?
Answer: The pressure-driven airflow caused by temperature differences between inside and outside, driving infiltration
The stack effect causes warm air to rise and escape through upper building openings while cold outside air infiltrates at lower levels, increasing heating energy loads significantly.
Which type of HVAC system delivers heated or cooled air at a constant volume but varies the temperature to meet zone loads?
Answer: Constant Air Volume (CAV) system
CAV systems maintain a fixed airflow rate and adjust supply air temperature to meet load requirements, while VAV systems maintain supply temperature and vary airflow.
What energy conservation measure is typically implemented during 'retro-commissioning' of an existing building?
Answer: Identifying and correcting control problems and operational inefficiencies in existing systems
Retro-commissioning (RCx) systematically investigates existing building systems to find and fix operational deficiencies—like control errors, sensor drift, or scheduling problems—without capital investment.
What is the primary energy advantage of a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC system?
Answer: It precisely modulates refrigerant flow to match actual zone loads, avoiding part-load inefficiency
VRF systems continuously adjust refrigerant flow to each zone via inverter-driven compressors, maintaining high efficiency at part load—which is how buildings operate most of the time.