Glossary of Building Rating Terms
Click a term to see its definition.
Implementing public authority means a body governed by public law which is responsible for the carrying out or monitoring of energy or carbon taxation, financial schemes and instruments, fiscal incentives, standards and norms, energy labelling schemes, training or education. [Source: EU Directive 2012/27/EU on Energy Efficiency]
The improvement of energy performance levels in existing buildings by a variety of means. [Source: GBPN]
The Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), is a nonprofit organization that promotes energy efficiency, green building, and environmental protection in the United States and abroad. The prevailing focus of IMT’s work is energy efficiency in buildings. Since 2011, IMT has served as the U.S. hub of the Global Buildings Performance Network.
An industrial building is a building used for industrial purposes. [Source: Wikipedia]
Benefits from industrial firms from improvements in energy efficiency improvements include reductions in resource use and pollution, improved production and capacity utilisation, and less operation and maintenance, which leads to improved productivity and competitiveness. [Source: IEA Report, Spreading the Net, 2012]
The industrialists and distributors manufacture and/or deliver building products and fittings. [Source: IEA Annex 31 Glossary]
Information failure occurs when actors tend not to know or understand the advantages of energy efficiency technologies, reflecting a lack of training and know‐how. [Source: IEA (2010) Money Matters]
A person who's job it is to put equipment and machinery into position and to make it ready for use.
A material or substance used to prevent or slow down the passage of heat, electricity, or sound.[Source: IEA Glossary]
The insurers insure the whole building, including during its use phase (ten-year guarantee in particular). [Source: IEA Annex 31 Glossary]
The process of reducing a building's energy consumption through designing the interaction of all building components and systems including passive use of renewable energy and other natural sources. Integrated design requires more emphasis first on energy sufficiency measures then energy efficiency measures in the early planning phase than traditional design. The most advanced building codes are based on integrated building design. [Source: IEA Glossary]
An integrated design approach requires that the primary stakeholders of a building are involved in the entire design process and continue to provide input through construction so that all of the objectives are met. [Source: WGBC]
Organizations constituted of governments. Examples include the World Bank, the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and other UN and regional organizations. The Climate Convention allows accreditation of these IGOs to attend negotiating sessions. [Source: IPCC - Annex 1 Glossary]
Heat provided within the building by occupants (sensible metabolic heat) and by appliances such as domestic appliances, office equipment, etc., other than energy intentionally provided for heating, cooling or hot water preparation. [Source: International ISO Standard 13790- Energy performance of buildings- Calculation of energy use for space heating and cooling (2008).]
A rate at which the accounting value of a security is equal to the present value of the future cash flow. [Source: European Central Bank]
The IEA is an autonomous organisation which works to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for its 28 member countries and beyond. The IEA's four main areas of focus are: energy security, economic development, environmental awareness, and engagement worldwide.[Source: IEA Website]
The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is a building code created by the International Code Council in 2000. It is a model code adopted by many state and municipal governments in the United States for the establishment of minimum design and construction requirements for energy efficiency. [Source: Wikipedia]