Conservation Feature Definitions

Variable Air-Volume (VAV) System: A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) conservation feature that supplies varying quantities of conditioned (heated or cooled) air to different parts of a building according to the heating and cooling needs of those specific areas.

Economizer Cycle: A HVAC conservation feature consisting of indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity sensors, dampers, motors, and motor controls for the ventilation system to reduce the air-conditioning load. Wherever the temperature and humidity of the outdoor air are more favorable (lower heat content) than the temperature and humidity of the return air, more outdoor air is brought into the building.

HVAC Maintenance:  A regularly scheduled preventive maintenance program for the heating and cooling system involving periodic inspections and routing servicing to keep everything running properly, regardless of whether or not there are any problems with the equipment.

EMCS (Energy Management and Control System): An energy management feature that uses mini/microcomputers, instrumentation, control equipment, and software to manage a building's use of energy for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, and/or business-related processes. These systems may also manage fire control, safety, and security. Not included as an EMCS are time-clock thermostats.

Specular Reflectors: A lighting conservation feature that is the mirror-like backing of a fluorescent lighting fixture designed specifically to reflect light into the room. The materials and shape of the reflector are designed to reduce absorption of light within the fixture, while delivering light in the desired angular pattern. The most common materials used are silver (highest reflectivity) and aluminum (lowest cost).

Energy-Efficient Ballasts: A lighting conservation feature that consists of an energy-efficient version of a conventional electromagnetic ballast. The ballast is the transformer for fluorescent and high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps and provides the necessary current, voltage, and wave-form conditions to operate the lamp. An energy-efficient ballast requires lower power input than a conventional ballast to operate HID and fluorescent lamps.

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Specific questions may be directed to:

Joelle Michaels
joelle.michaels@eia.doe.gov
CBECS Manager
Phone: (202) 586-8952
FAX: (202) 586-0018

Release date: July 24, 2002
Page last modified: January 16, 2003 12:09 PM
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