ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role that key physical factors have on housing performance, which must be taken into account in BPE. Building science is the foundation for evaluating the performance of housing and homes. Without a basic understanding of the key physical principles involved, any BPE evaluator is likely to either misinterpret their physical monitoring data or overlook vital causes in relation to the outcomes. The two most important foundational physical principies to understand in relation to BPE are the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Radiation is one of the least-understood building physics principles in relation to housing BPE studies. BPE evaluators need to understand how convection works in homes in order to establish causes of good and poor performance related to moisture movement, heating, cooling and ventilation. The key for BPE is to consider how to reduce the energy demand in the home before considering how energy is supplied to it.
