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2007 Survey of Household Energy Use (SHEU-2007) – Detailed Statistical Report

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Appendix B – Glossary

Air conditioner: Device used to cool air within a dwelling.

Air leak: Unintended exchange of interior and exterior air around a window or door.

Apartment building: A building originally designed to contain multiple dwelling units (apartments) within it. Duplexes (two dwellings one above the other, not attached to any other structure) are not included in this definition.

Attic: The top storey of a dwelling, below the roof, used more often for storage purposes than for living purposes.

Bag of firewood: Equivalent to a stack of wood that measures 1 foot (ft.) long by 1 ft. wide by 2 ft. high (0.3 metres [m] by 0.3 m wide by 0.6 m high).

Basement: A usable part of a building that is located partially or completely beneath the outside ground level.

Boiler (space heating): A space heating system with a pump that distributes heated water through a network of pipes to radiators in various rooms in the dwelling. The radiators are heat-emitting.

Boiler (water heating): A large hot water tank that is typically used in apartment buildings.

British Thermal Unit (BTU): The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by 1°F.

Built-in oven: A domestic appliance placed in a closed compartment, used for cooking food. In contrast to the regular stove/range, a built-in oven cannot be moved and is not equipped with surface heating elements (burners).

Caulking: Material used to make an air-tight seal by filling in cracks, such as those around windows and doors.

Central air conditioner: An air conditioner that typically uses ventilation ducts to distribute cooled and/or dehumidified air to more than one room.

Clothes dryer: An appliance used to dry clothing by evaporation accelerated by applying heat and rapid air movement. The air is usually heated by electricity or natural gas.

Clothesline: A cord on which wet clothes are hung after washing to enable them to dry.

Clothes washer (washing machine): An appliance for washing laundry that has a washtub, an agitator (top loading machines) and a system for draining used water. An opening at the top or front of the appliance provides access to the washtub.

Combination boiler (typically a wall-hung unit): Typically, a small boiler used for domestic hot water in addition to space heating.

Compact fluorescent lamp: A general term for small-diameter fluorescent lights. They are also known as corkscrew or spiral light bulbs. The lamp is similar to and can replace most incandescent bulbs.

Compact stereo: A one-component stereo system that cannot be carried or moved easily because of its size or design (no built-in handles or carrying straps).

Component stereo: A stereo system with two or more separate components. Each component has its own electrical plug. The components and speakers operate together to produce sound. Components may include an amplifier, audio-video receiver, CD player, tape player, record player and radio tuner.

Computer monitor: An electrical device used to provide a visual display of images generated from the video output of a computer. Laptop computers do not require an external computer monitor because a video display is built in to the laptop casing.

Computer printer: A peripheral device that produces a hard copy (usually on paper) of a graphic display relayed from a computer.

Concrete slab: A concrete surface supported directly by the ground beneath.

Condensation: Physical reaction in which water vapour molecules join together to form water droplets that attach themselves to the surface of a window.

Condominium: A dwelling unit in a multidwelling structure (an apartment building) or on land owned in common (a townhouse complex) that is owned by an individual.

Condominium corporation: A corporation that administers the operation, maintenance and repair of the common elements and assets of a condominium.

Cooktop: A domestic appliance that is a surface-mounted set of heating elements (burners) not attached to an oven, used for cooking food. In contrast to the regular stove/range that is a single-unit appliance containing an oven and a cooktop, this cooktop cannot be moved.

Crawl space: A narrow space between the bottom of the floor of the lowest building storey and the ground. The space may have an earth, gravel or paved floor. In houses that do not have basements, the space between the first floor and the surface of the ground is made large enough for a person to crawl through to access utilities.

Desktop computer: A personal computer in a form intended for regular use at a single location.

Dimmers: A device that controls a gradual increase or decrease of illumination.

Dishwasher: An appliance designed to wash dishes automatically. Water is sprayed over dishes either by fixed jets aimed at a rotating basket or by rotating jets.
-Compact dishwasher: categorized as a dishwasher that has a capacity less than eight place settings and six serving pieces
-Standard dishwasher: categorized as a dishwasher that has a capacity equal to or greater than eight place settings and six serving pieces

Double/Row house: A house connected to at least one other dwelling, which together form a building. For SHEU-2007, duplexes (two dwellings one above the other, not attached to any other structure) are included in this category.

Drafts: Unintended exchange of interior and exterior air around windows or doors.

Drying rack: A frame (usually wooden, metal or plastic) on which wet clothes are hung after washing to enable them to dry.

DVD player: A stand-alone device that plays DVDs (digital video disks). It contains a DVD drive and the electronics to decode the digital video. DVD players are cabled directly to a TV or indirectly to a TV through a home theatre system for audio and video display.

Dwelling: Any set of living quarters that is structurally separate from the living quarters of other dwellings and has a private entrance outside the building or a private entrance from a common hall or stairway inside the building. The private entrance must be one that can be used without passing through the living quarters of another dwelling.

Electric baseboard: An electric heat-emitting device located only at the baseboard level. It can be controlled at the unit itself or with a wall control.

Electric radiant heating: Radiant heat sources warm objects within their range without necessarily having to heat up the surrounding space.Two types of electric radiant heating are portable infrared heaters and electric radiant heating cables installed in a floor or ceiling.

Electricity: Electric energy measured by a meter, distributed by a public utility company to a dwelling through overhead or underground power lines. This definition does not include electricity generated by non-public utility sources.

Energy consumption: For SHEU-2007, a sum of household electricity, natural gas, heating oil, propane and wood consumption in terms of energy (gigajoules) during 2007. Household energy consumption excludes energy consumed for transportation and gas-powered equipment requirements.

Energy source(s): Type(s) of energy used by a household. For SHEU-2007, energy sources include electricity, natural gas, heating oil, propane, wood and other sources, such as solar and wind.

ENERGY STAR® qualified product: The ENERGY STAR mark helps consumers identify which energy-consuming products are the most energy-efficient in their class. The ENERGY STAR symbol is used to identify products that offer premium performance levels in energy efficiency. The ENERGY STAR symbol is displayed on product packaging, literature and advertising and on the products themselves.

Face or stove cord: Equivalent to a stack of wood that measures 8 ft. long by 16 inches wide (one log) by 4 ft. high (2.4 m by 0.4 m wide by 1.2 m high).

Fireplace: A partially enclosed space for a contained fire within a dwelling. The energy source for a fireplace is typically wood, natural gas, propane or electricity. An electric fireplace does not house an actual fire within its enclosure. However, it does produce heat and a visual rendering of a fire when in use.

Fluorescent tube: A low-pressure electric-discharge lamp consisting of an elongated tube with one or more photoluminescent (phosphor) coatings on the inside that transforms ultraviolet light into visible light.

Foundation: A structure that supports and immobilizes houses and buildings. It is designed to distribute all loads that are transmitted to it toward or under the ground.

Freezer: A stand-alone appliance that freezes food. It is built as either a vertical model (with a door that opens outward) or a chest model (with a lid). For SHEU-2007, a freezer compartment within a refrigerator is not included in the definition.

Full or brush cord: Equivalent to a stack of wood that measures 8 ft. long by 4 ft. wide by 4 ft. high (2.4 m by 1.2 m wide by 1.2 m high). It is also equivalent to 3 face cords or 64 bags of wood.

Furnace: A heating system that distributes heat by using a motor-driven fan to circulate heated air through the duct system of a dwelling.The heated air is delivered to different rooms through air vents.

Furnace efficiency rating: A measurement of the amount of heat delivered to the dwelling compared to the amount of fuel supplied to the furnace.The efficiency rating is referred to as the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). A high-efficiency furnace has a higher AFUE than a low-efficiency furnace.

Furnace filter: A filter that protects the furnace and furnace fans from debris in the air entering the furnace through the heating duct system. A furnace works most efficiently with a clean filter.

Garage: A space primarily designed to shelter personal vehicles that is usually enclosed or covered.

Gigajoule: A unit of measure for energy consumption equal to 1 billion joules.

Halogen light bulbs: An incandescent lamp with a tungsten filament that contains halogen gases that carry the tungsten particles back to the filament as they evaporate, thus preventing them from accumulating on the glass wall. The bulbs provide an intense white light and become very hot in use.

Hardwood: A wood of higher density and hardness than softwood. It also produces more heat when burned than a softwood.

Heat pump: An electrical device that can be used to heat and cool a dwelling. It is typically located outdoors if it is an air source heat pump and indoors if it is a ground source (earth or water) heat pump.

Heated area: All space within the exterior walls of a dwelling that is heated, excluding heated garages and basements.

Heating oil: A low-viscosity, flammable liquid petroleum product used to fuel furnaces or boilers.

Heating season: A general term for the time of the year when heating equipment is used to heat the interior of a dwelling.

Heating stove: An enclosed heating unit in which material such as wood, pellets and corn are burned.

High-rise apartment: A dwelling unit contained in an apartment building with five or more storeys.

Home theatre system: For SHEU-2007, a home theatre system is a surround sound audio system typically used in conjunction with TV viewing.

Hot water heater: An apparatus in which water is heated to be used specifically as domestic hot water. Boilers used only for space heating are not included in this definition.

Hot water tank: A thermally insulated tank with automatic controls designed to produce and hold domestic hot water.

Household: A person or group of people who occupy a dwelling. The number of households, therefore, is equal to the number of dwellings occupied.

Household income: Total income of all members of the household from all sources, before taxes and other deductions.

Improvements: For SHEU-2007, improvements are any enhancements to a dwelling that reduce energy consumption. They are commonly referred to as a retrofit.

Incandescent light bulb: A light bulb containing a tungsten filament that gives off light when an electric current flows through it. It is commonly referred to as an ordinary or regular light bulb.

Insulation: Material that reduces unwanted heat loss or gain and can decrease the energy demands of heating and cooling systems.

Insulation around hot water pipes: Add-on insulation placed around hot water pipes to conserve energy (keep heat in). The add-on insulation is not necessary for the normal operation of the pipes and includes such things as snap-on insulation.

Landlord: The owner of a dwelling that rents that dwelling as housing to tenants.

Laptop computer: A personal computer designed for mobile use. A laptop computer is also referred to as a notebook computer.

LED holiday lights: Generally, a string of decorative indoor or outdoor light-emitting diode (LED) lamps that are used as decoration. The lights are not used for practical lighting purposes.

Light sensor-lighting timer control: A device that turns connected lights on and off automatically according to detected light levels.

Low-emissivity (Low-E) coating: A coating that is highly reflective and transparent, applied to window panes to slow heat loss.

Low-flow showerhead: A showerhead that can reduce hot water use without reducing the water pressure provided while taking a shower using a standard showerhead.

Low-rise apartment: A dwelling unit contained in an apartment building with fewer than five storeys.

Microwave oven: An appliance that emits electromagnetic waves capable of agitating water molecules contained in food. The repeated friction of these molecules raises the temperature, enabling the food to cook rapidly.

Mobile home: A mobile dwelling built to be transported by road on its own frame to a location where it may be placed on a temporary foundation, such as concrete blocks, pillars or some other specifically designed structure. It must be able to be moved again to another location, as required.

Moisture detector: An automatic sensor in a clothes dryer that detects the amount of moisture in the clothes and automatically stops the dryer when the clothes are at a predetermined level of dryness. It is not a timed function.

Motion detector-lighting timer control: A device that automatically turns lights on when motion is detected in close proximity to a sensor and off after a period of no motion.

Natural gas: An energy source consisting of a gaseous mixture of saturated hydrocarbons that is found in underground deposits either alone or with petroleum. It is delivered directly to houses and buildings by pipelines.

Outside walls/exterior walls: Walls that are in contact with the outside of the house or building. This excludes walls that are shared between double/row houses or apartments.

Personal computer: Any general-purpose computer whose size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated directly by a user, with no intervening computer operator. Personal computers include desktop and laptop computers.

Pillars: Wood, concrete or sometimes metal columns that are driven into the ground to support a house or building and prevent it from sinking into the ground.

Pilot light: A small flame within a gas-burning or oil-burning unit that is allowed to burn continually to ensure automatic ignition of the unit.

Plastic film on windows: Plastic film installed over window frames that reduces drafts and heat loss due to gaps in insulation. Typically the film is temporary because it is installed during the heating season and removed after the season is over.

Portable electric heater: A space heating unit that can be easily transported.The source of heat is electrical resistance.

Portable stereo: A stereo system that is capable of being easily carried or moved (using built-in handles or carrying straps). Walkmans and MP3 players are not considered to be portable stereos.

Programmable lighting timer control: A device that automatically turns lights on and off according to its programmed time-of-day specifications.

Programmable thermostat: A thermostat that can be set to change the temperature at different times during the day. For example, at night you might set it a lower temperature while you are sleeping and set it to come on automatically at a higher daytime temperature an hour before you get up.

Propane: An energy source that is a saturated, aliphatic, linear-chain hydrocarbon found in natural gas and petroleum.

Property manager: Handles the day-to-day running of a condominium or rental property.

Radiant floor heating: Embedded tubing or electrical wiring located in the floor that carries either hot water or electricity for space heating.

Refrigerator: A movable chest in which the temperature can be controlled for the preservation of perishable food. Most refrigerators are equipped with a second compartment for freezing food.

Regular stove/range: A single-unit appliance used to cook food, containing an oven and a cooktop.

Rural area: The area to which mail delivery service is provided from a non-letter carrier post office that includes rural mail delivery. Classification as a rural area is based on a dwelling’s forward sortation area (the first three characters [letter-number-letter] of a postal code, which represent a geographic area).

Single detached house: A house containing a single dwelling unit entirely separate from any other building or structure, generally known as a single family house.

Softwood: A wood of lower density and hardness than hardwood. It also produces less heat when burned than hardwood.

Solar power: Electricity generated from solar radiation.

Split-level: A dwelling that usually has the floor level of one part about half a storey above or below the floor level of an adjacent part.

Standby mode: A state of an electronic device that is perceived to be turned off but is consuming energy. Equipment in standby mode can consume energy to power built-in clocks, sensors that are awaiting remote control commands and other functions.

Storey: Space contained between two consecutive floors or between a floor and a roof.

Supplementary furnace: A furnace that is used in addition to the main heating system.

Supplementary heating: A heating system that can be used in addition to a main heating system, as required, and that is flexible enough to respond to rapid variations in heating needs.

Tankless (instantaneous) water heater: A system in which the water is heated as it passes an instant heater on the way to the faucet. The system does not have a tank to store heated water.The heated water is supplied only as it is required.

Telephone: For SHEU-2007, a telephone is a phone that requires an electrical outlet and a phone jack. This does not include cellular telephones.

Television: An electronic device that displays audio/video signals from television broadcasts and other audio/video equipment such as DVD players and VCRs.
-Direct light projection (DLP) television: A television that uses DLP technology to display video signals. DLP televisions can display a high definition (HD) video signal.
-High definition (HD) television: A television that can display an HD video signal, which provides a higher resolution picture than traditional televisions.
-Liquid crystal display (LCD) television: A television that uses LCD technology to display video signals. LCD televisions can display an HD video signal.
-Plasma television: A television that uses plasma technology to display video signals. Plasma televisions can display a HD video signal.
-Projection television: A television that uses two separate devices (an image projector and a screen) to display video signals.
-Regular (tube) television: A television that uses cathode-ray tube (CRT) technology to display video signals. The CRT was the original technology used in televisions.

Television analog/digital receiver box: A device that converts a cable or satellite television signal for audio/visual display on an attached television. It is commonly referred to as a TV set-top box or cable box.
-Digital cable or satellite television receiver box: A television receiver box that converts a digital television signal from a cable or satellite television provider.
-HD television receiver box: A television receiver box that converts an HD television signal from a cable or satellite television provider.
-Personal video recorder (PVR) television receiver box: A television receiver box that can record a television program digitally for viewing later, pause and rewind live programs, and record one or several programs while the user is watching another live or recorded program.
-Regular (analog) cable or satellite television receiver box: A television receiver box that is only capable of converting an analog television signal from a cable or satellite television provider.

Thermostat: A device that controls indoor dwelling temperature; controls the operation of space heating and cooling devices by turning the device on or off when a specified temperature is reached.

Urban area: The area to which mail delivery service is provided from any letter carrier post office, including any letter carrier, rural route or other route serving an urban forward sortation area (the first three characters [letter-number-letter] of a dwelling’s postal code, which represent a geographic area).

VCR (video cassette recorder): An analog tape recording device that can record and play videocassettes through a television.

Video game console: A dedicated electronic device that plays video games on a television.

Water cooler: A device that cools and dispenses drinking water from large bottles that generally are delivered by or picked up from vendors.

Wattage: Standard measure of electrical power.

Weatherstripping: A felt or foam band, usually self-adhesive, placed at the joints of doors and windows to seal against air leaks and reduce heat loss.

Window: A construction unit set into a space within a wall or inclined roof to allow light, and possibly air, to enter.The space is typically closed by a transparent material such as a pane of glass.
-Sealed window unit: A multiple-pane window that has the space between the panes sealed so that the panes can only be moved in unison.
-Gas-filled window: A multiple-pane window that contains argon gas between the panes.
-Storm window: A window that fits into, or over, a primary window and is used to minimize drafts due to air leakage. Storm windows can be installed on the inside or the outside of the building, and they can be permanent, seasonal or temporary.

Window/room air conditioner: An air conditioner that typically distributes cooled and/or dehumidified air to a single room.
-Minisplit air conditioner: A quiet, compact air conditioner consisting of an outdoor compressor and up to three indoor diffusers installed high on the walls so as to ensure a uniform distribution of air. Unlike a heat pump, it can only be used for cooling.
-Free-standing portable air conditioner: An air conditioner that is designed to be easily moved from location to location. Typically the unit has wheels.
-Through the wall-mounted (non-louvred) air conditioner: An air conditioner that is installed in an exterior wall opening and has non-louvred sides.
-Wall-mounted heat pump/air conditioner: A compact heat pump consisting of an outdoor compressor and up to three indoor diffusers installed high on the walls to ensure a uniform distribution of air. It can be used for space heating as well as air conditioning.
-Window-mounted unit (louvred unit) air conditioner: An air conditioner that has an accordion pleat stretching from the air conditioner unit to the edge of the window frame. Louvred sides (accordion pleat) are used with window air conditioners to prevent drafts.

Wind power: Electricity derived from the wind by using windmills or wind turbines.

Wood pellets: A type of wood fuel generally made from compacted sawdust. Wood pellets are small and extremely dense.

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