A type of insulation that is molded or expanded to produce coarse, closed cells containing air. The rigid cellular structure provides thermal and acoustical insulation, strength with low weight, and coverage with few heat loss paths. Often used to insulat ...

The damping of interior temperature fluctuations by massive construction.

Those gases, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, tropospheric ozone, methane, and low level ozone that are transparent to solar radiation, but opaque to long wave radiation, and which contribute to the greenhouse effect.

A type of high intensity discharge light that has the most lumens per watt of any light source.

A solar power station investigated by NASA that entailed a satellite in geosynchronous orbit that would consist of a very large array of solar photovoltaic modules that would convert solar generated electricity to microwaves and beam them to a fixed point ...

A measure of light quality. The maximum CRI value of 100 is given to natural daylight and incandescent lighting. The closer a lamp's CRI rating is to 100, the better its ability to show true colors to the human eye.

The amount of energy produced as a percentage of the amount of energy consumed.

Energy that is capable or available for doing work; the time rate at which work is performed, measured in horsepower, Watts, or Btu per hour. Electric power is the product of electric current and electromotive force.

Strips of material used to separate multiple panes of glass within the windows.

That amount of cooling energy to be supplied (or heat and humidity removed) based on the sensible and latent loads.

A type of water heater in which heated water is stored within the tank. Hot water is released from the top of the tank when a hot water faucet is turned. This water is replaced with cold water that flows into the tank and down to just above the bottom pla ...

A chemical element, of atomic number 14, that is semi-metallic, and an excellent semiconductor material used in solar photovoltaic devices; commonly found in sand.

A fuel gas with a heating value between 90 and 200 Btu per cubic foot.

The weight of water vapor, per unit weight of dry air.

A device that converts high-pressure steam, produced in a boiler, into mechanical energy that can then be used to produce electricity by forcing blades in a cylinder to rotate and turn a generator shaft.

The mean distance a free electron or hole moves before recombining with another hole or electron.

The type of alternative current generated by alternating current generators, rotary inverters, and solid-state inverters.

A panel which covers the underside of an roof overhang, cantilever, or mansard.

The monochromatic irradiance of a surface per unit bandwidth at a particular wavelength, usually expressed in Watts per square meter-nanometer bandwidth.

A national trade association of solar energy equipment manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, installers, and consultants.