Certified Energy Auditor Practice Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Fenestration refers to the design, configuration, and types of openings in a building’s envelope, most commonly windows and doors. This includes not just the elements themselves, but how they are placed within the building's structure. The term is crucial in energy auditing and building design because fenestration has a significant influence on energy efficiency, natural lighting, ventilation, and overall comfort within the building.

When evaluating or auditing a building, understanding fenestration is vital since it affects heat gains and losses, which are critical factors in HVAC performance and energy consumption. Appropriate fenestration choices can optimize energy efficiency through strategic placement and selection of windows and other openings to facilitate passive heating, cooling, and ventilation.

While window cleaning techniques, heating and cooling systems, and insulation types are all important in the context of building performance and energy efficiency, they are not what fenestration specifically pertains to. Fenestration primarily deals with the elements that create openings in a structure and their impact on energy performance.