ASHP - Air source heat pump.
BCO - Building control officer.
CDD - Cooling degree days. Measurement that reflects the demand for energy to cool a building. (See HDD)
COP - Coefficient of Performance.
CPC - Compound parabolic concentrator. Increases heat absorption in a solar thermal array.
CRI - Colour rendering index. A quantitative measure of the ability of a light source to reproduce the colours of various objects faithfully in comparison with an ideal or natural light source.
CSH / CfSH - Code for Sustainable Homes (slightly duff government sustainability measure...)
DEA - Domestic Energy Assessment - SAP or EPC etc.
DECC - Department for Energy and Climate Change.
DHW - Domestic hot water.
DPC - Damp proof course
DPM - Damp proof membrane
DPS - Dedicated Pressure Systems - very good thermal store company. Died, then taken over.
EPC - Energy performance certificate, very duff energy calc.
EPS - Expanded polystyrene.
ET - Evacuated tube. Type of solar thermal panel technology. (See also FP).
EWI - External wall insulation.
FIT / FiT - Feed in Tariff. Incentive scheme for renewable and low carbon local power generation.
FiWiHRV - Fine wire heat recovery ventilation. Very efficient HRV system.
FP - Flate plate. Type of solar thermal panel technology. (See also ET).
GSHP - Ground source heat pump.
GBP - Green Building Press.
HA - Housing association.
HDD - Heating Degree Days. Measurement that reflects the demand for energy to heat a building. (See CDD)
HP - Heat pump. (See GSHP, WSHP, ASHP). All use compressor technology (as in refrigerators) to move heat from one place to another.
HRV - Heat recovery ventilation. Used in very airtight buildings. (See FiWiHRV)
IBC - Intermediate bulk container (oft' used for DIY rainwater harvesting, or RH).
kW - kiloWatt = 1000 Joules per second.
kWh - kiloWatt hour = self evidently silly unit (see above).
LA - Local Authority.
LED - Light emitting diode.
LPA - Local Planning Authority.
MVHR - Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. (As used in Passiv House). Also abbreviated as MHRV.
NHBC - National House Building Council.
OSB - Oriented strand board / sterling board.
PHPP - Passiv haus planning package (ultra low energy energy calc).
PIR - Polyisocyanurate. A rigid foam insulation material. e.g. 'Celotex'.
PV - Photovoltaic.
PVGIS - Photovoltaic Geographical Information System. (http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/about_pvgis/about_pvgis.htm)
RH - Rainwater harvesting.
RHI - Renewable Heat Incentive, like it says, pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for biomass etc.
ROC - Renewables obligation certificate.
SAP - UK Building regs energy calc.
ST Solar Thermal.
TF - Timber frame (I saw it used as an acronym once...)
UFH - Underfloor heating.
U value - Measurement of thermal conductance of a material. (More strictly thermal transmittance - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_transmittance).
W - Watts; Joules per second; rate of energy.
VCL - Vapour control layer.
WBS - Woodburning stove.
WSHP - Water source heat pump.
WWHRS - Waste water heat recovery system.

Here's one I just had to look up:

CRI - Colour rendering index.

But it doesn't help unless you add:

A quantitative measure of the ability of a light source to reproduce the colours of various objects faithfully in comparison with an ideal or natural light source.

So, how about you decide whether the translation of the TLA is sufficient explanation or not for a newbie to know what the hell everyone else is talking about

You do realise what you have let yourself in for don't you.....

Posted By: GotanewlifeYou do realise what you have let yourself in for don't you....." alt="" src="http:///forum114/extensions/Vanillacons/smilies/standard/wink.gif" >

Not sure I do. Let's see how it goes!

I think that you should add plain "HP" for heat-pump in all its forms, and WSHP for water-source heap-pump.

Rgds

Damon

''U value - measurement of thermal resistance of a material. Expressed in watts per square metre per degree Centigrade (W/m^2/oC). The lower the figure, the fewer watts are escaping through the material. ''

Mmm. I know what was meant, of course, but U is a measure of thermal conductivity, which leads to the 2nd sentence of the explanation. The R value (m2.K/W) (which is the reciprocal of U) is the measure of thermal resistance.


And while we're about it - Lambda (or k) Value: The thermal conductivity of a material assuming a 'standard' cubic metre of the material under test conditions, expressed as W/mK. There's no thickness in the Lambda value, so you have to convert to an R value (thickness/lambda), ten 1/R (or composite R) is U.

I agree, but it was in the original list. I wonder if 'a list of acronyms, abbreviations and useful terms I may not have heard of' could be the revised title!

Posted By: JoinerErrr. U-value isn't an acronym or abbreviation. If the measurement was given in terms of OHTC (overall heat transfer coefficient) it would qualify for this thread.

Posted By: Nick ParsonsI agree, but it was in the original list. I wonder if 'a list of acronyms, abbreviations and useful terms I may not have heard of' could be the revised title!

Yes I agree too. How can I revise the title of the thread?

"Definitions of common terms together with glossary of abbreviations and acronyms."

Doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it!?

Just "Glossary" would actually do the trick, Nick.

And advise people to 'bookmark' the thread for easy reference later.

ST Solar Thermal
HDD Heating Degree Days?
COP Coefficient of Performance

FFS?

LOL!

Posted By: JoinerBS? FFS? RTFA?

Brain Storm. Fried Fish Supper. Renault Trafic Fell Apart.

Yes?

Yes, HDD Heating Degree Days and CDD Cooling Degree Days.

Rgds

Damon