BPI BSP case studies
BPI BSP · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The BPI Building Science Principles (BSP) certificate is an entry-level credential from the Building Performance Institute, a non-profit that advances the home performance industry by developing industry standards and credentials in collaboration with leading experts. BPI lists Building Science Principles among its certificates, distinct from its professional certifications such as Building Analyst Technician, Energy Auditor, and Quality Control Inspector. The BPI BSP case studies are 5 cases and about 4,785 words.
1The Tight House That Started Setting Off the CO Alarm
A 1,600 ft² single-story ranch built in 1974. A 40-gallon natural-draft gas water heater sits in a closet opening directly onto the central hallway.
859 words, about 4 min2Frost at the Ridge, Ice at the Eave, Poly on the Warm Side
A 1.5-story Cape Cod with a 2008 cathedral-ceiling addition: 2x10 rafters at 16 in. on center, R-30 fiberglass batts, a 1-inch vent channel from soffit to ridge, ridge and soffit vents, 6-mil poly on the warm side, and painted drywall.
969 words, about 5 min3The Bonus Room That Is Always Eight Degrees Cold
A 1998 colonial with a 420 ft² bonus room over a three-car garage. The side kneewalls are 2x4 with R-13 kraft-faced batts, with the insulation and drywall on the kneewall plane; the sloped roof behind those kneewalls is uninsulated, so 25°F attic air touches the back of the kneewall drywall.
1,053 words, about 5 min4Second Floor at 76, First Floor at 66, One Filter Grille
A 2,400 ft² two-story built in 1995. The 80% AFUE furnace is in the attic; every supply and return is flex duct in the attic, R-4 at best, and visibly compressed at three elbows.
965 words, about 5 min5Musty Basement, Two Kids With Asthma, and a Question About Mold Testing
The finished basement has a den and a bedroom, carpet laid directly on the slab with no vapor retarder, and a full bath whose 50 CFM exhaust fan the owner disconnected because it made the room cold. Behind the fiberglass batts on the north rim joist the wood is dark and smells musty.
939 words, about 5 min