Bulgarian Energy Efficiency Consultant Exam key terms

A market-based policy requiring energy suppliers or distributors to achieve a set quantity of energy savings among final consumers, often by funding measures in buildings or tradable white certificates.

The legally mandated content and quality rules an audit must satisfy, such as baseline data, measured consumption, cost-benefit analysis of measures, and reporting format, before it is accepted for compliance purposes.

A building whose very high energy performance is achieved largely through on-site or nearby renewable energy, with the exact numerical threshold set nationally for new and majorly renovated buildings.

The energy performance threshold that yields the lowest total cost over a defined calculation period, balancing investment, maintenance, and energy costs against national reference buildings.

A document stating a building's calculated or measured energy performance, usually with a letter class, reference values, and recommended improvement measures, valid for a limited period.

An energy performance rating based on standardised assumptions about occupancy, climate, and use, allowing comparison between buildings regardless of how occupants actually behave.

An energy performance rating derived from actual metered consumption and real building use, reflecting how the building is operated rather than only its design characteristics.

A multiplier converting delivered energy at the building boundary into primary energy consumed upstream, accounting for generation, conversion, and distribution losses in the national energy system.

The steady-state heat flow through one square metre of a building element per kelvin of temperature difference across it, expressed in watts per square metre-kelvin and denoted U.

A localised part of the building envelope where heat flow is higher than in adjacent areas, typically at junctions, corners, balconies, and window reveals, penalising overall performance.

A coefficient describing heat loss per metre of a thermal bridge per kelvin of temperature difference, used with junction lengths to add bridge losses to envelope calculations.

The measured leakage of air through the building envelope per unit of envelope area at a specified pressure difference, usually determined by a blower-door test.

A diagnostic method that pressurises or depressurises a building with a calibrated fan to measure air leakage and locate draughts, leaks, and envelope discontinuities.

Unintended outdoor air entering a building through cracks, joints, and penetrations, adding heating and cooling load that mechanical ventilation does not deliberately control.

A mechanical ventilation system that transfers heat from extracted stale air to incoming fresh air, reducing the energy penalty of controlled ventilation in airtight buildings.

The electrical power consumed by a fan or ventilation system per unit of air volume flow, used to compare the efficiency of ventilation designs and to check compliance limits.

The ratio of useful heating or cooling delivered over a season to the total energy input over that season, capturing part-load behaviour and climate effects better than a nominal efficiency value.

The ratio of useful heat or cooling output to the energy input of a heat pump at a given operating condition, falling as the source-to-delivery temperature difference increases.

A device that moves thermal energy from a cooler source to a warmer sink using a refrigeration cycle, delivering more heat than the electrical or thermal energy it consumes.

The installed lighting wattage per unit of floor area in a space or building, used to benchmark and cap lighting energy demand in design and compliance checks.

The amount of visible light produced per unit of electrical power consumed by a lamp or luminaire, expressed in lumens per watt and central to lighting upgrade economics.

The percentage of horizontal illuminance at an indoor point relative to simultaneous unobstructed outdoor illuminance under an overcast sky, indicating daylight availability.

The fraction of incident solar radiation that passes through a glazing system as heat, combining directly transmitted and inwardly re-emitted radiation and driving cooling loads and overheating risk.

The likelihood that indoor temperatures exceed comfort thresholds during warm periods, assessed by dynamic simulation or simplified criteria and mitigated by shading, glazing, and ventilation choices.

The capacity of building fabric to store and later release heat, which damps temperature swings and can shift peak cooling loads when combined with night ventilation.

A climate index summing the daily difference between a reference base temperature and the outdoor mean temperature, used to normalise heating or cooling energy use across periods and locations.

The reference energy use for a defined period and set of conditions against which savings from efficiency measures are later measured, adjusted for drivers such as weather and occupancy.

Statistical adjustment of measured energy consumption to remove the effect of weather variation, allowing fair comparison of performance between periods or against a baseline.

A documented method specifying the boundary, metrics, data sources, calculation approach, and responsibilities for quantifying savings from an energy efficiency project.

A contractual arrangement in which a provider guarantees a level of energy savings or performance, with remuneration or risk tied to the measured outcome.

An economic method comparing options by summing initial investment, operating, maintenance, replacement, and disposal costs over a defined period, usually discounted to present value.

The time needed for annual savings from a measure to recover its initial investment, ignoring discounting and later cost changes, useful as a screening indicator only.

The discount rate at which the net present value of a project's cash flows equals zero, allowing comparison of investments against a required hurdle rate.

A tradable certificate evidencing a verified quantity of energy savings from an efficiency measure, issued under an obligation scheme and usable for compliance.

The modification of an existing building or system to improve energy performance, ranging from component replacement to deep whole-building renovation.

The structured deliverable of an audit, presenting the building description, consumption analysis, identified measures, savings estimates, costs, and prioritised recommendations.

Annual energy consumption per unit of floor area, used to benchmark a building against similar buildings and to track performance over time.

A situation where a consultant's financial, personal, or commercial interests could improperly influence audit findings, certificate ratings, or recommended measures, requiring disclosure and management.

The professional requirement that an auditor or certifier reaches conclusions free from pressure by building owners, installers, or financiers with a stake in the outcome.