Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 187-3-1-.02 - Definitions

Unless a different meaning is required by the context, the following terms as used in these rules shall have the definitions set forth below:

(a) "Active Solar Space Heating System" means an arrangement of solar energy components designed to provide space heating which is thermally isolated from the conditioned space it is designed to heat. Active solar space heating systems may use water, air, or other liquid or gas to transfer heat. Systems commonly known as air collectors, solar wall heaters and thermosiphon air panels are included in this definition;

(b) "ASHRAE" means the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers;

(c) "Batch Solar Water Heater" means a solar water heating system which uses the same water container for absorbing solar energy and storing the solar heated water;

(d) "Collector Area" means the part of a solar system designed to receive and transmit incident solar radiation and retard the loss of absorbed long wave heat radiation. Examples of collector area include the array of cells in a photovoltaic system, the glazing area in a passive solar space heating system, and the glazing on a collector in an active water heating system;

(e) "Conditioned Space" means space within a structure which is thermally conditioned for human comfort, or for agricultural, commercial or industrial uses, and which is used on a regular basis;

(f) "Conventional Equipment" means that part of a heating, water heating, electrical or industrial/agricultural process system which would be required to supply heat, hot water or electricity if there were no solar equipment involved, or which supplies a back-up capability should no solar energy be available;

(g) "Direct Gain System" means a passive solar space heating system in which solar radiation passes through south-facing glazing, enters directly into the conditioned space and is collected and stored by thermal mass which is located within the insulated shell of the building;

(h) "Glazing" means the transparent or translucent material which covers the collector area in active solar space heating systems, passive solar space heating systems, solar water heating systems, and some industrial and agricultural process heat systems;

(i) "Industrial and Agricultural Process Heat" means the thermal energy needed to operate industrial and agricultural processes in a non-residential setting; examples include heat for crop drying and steam generation for equipment operation;

(j) "Moveable Insulation" means specifically designed removeable covers for glazed areas in a passive solar space heating system, which reduce heat loss from the conditioned space during periods of low solar gain. Such glazing covers must have an R-value of 1.8 or greater and, when in place, create a reasonably airtight seal between the moveable insulation and the glazing framing;

(k) "Passive Solar Space Heating System" means a solar space heating system which uses the architectural and structural components of the structure as the collection area, storage medium and distribution system. Passive solar space heating systems must be designed to provide a net energy gain to the structure, and must include (1) solar collection area, (2) absorber, (3) storage, unless the system is intended for daytime use only, (4) a method of heat distribution, and (5) a heat regulation device. Direct gain systems, thermal mass wall systems and sunspaces are passive solar space heating systems;

(l) "Photovoltaic System" means a solar energy system which generates electricity directly from the sun's rays using semiconductor materials;

(m) "Recognized Organization" means the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation, the American Refrigeration Institute, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Florida Solar Energy Center;

(n) "Refrigerant Compression Solar Energy System" means a solar water heating system or active solar space heating system which uses a compressor to circulate a refrigerant, and which relies on the refrigeration cycle to transfer energy;

(o) "Site-built" means a solar energy system whose collector is assembled on or near the site of permanent installation, rather than in a remote manufacturing facility;

(p) "Solar Water Heating System" means equipment which directly collects solar radiation, converts it to thermal energy and uses the thermal energy to heat potable water for general residential use or nonprocess use in industrial, commercial or agricultural applications. The solar systems used to heat swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, whirlpools and saunas are included in this definition;

(q) "Thermal Mass Wall System" means a passive solar space heating system in which solar radiation passes through south-facing glazing and is collected and stored by a thermal mass wall which is positioned between the glazing and the conditioned space. This term includes systems commonly known as Trombe walls, water walls and drum walls;

(r) "Sunspace" means a passive solar space heating system in which a permanently attached useful space, physically separated from the conditioned space, permits solar radiation to pass through glazing where it is collected and stored by thermal mass, and from which heat is delivered into the conditioned space by controlled natural and/or forced convection; and

(s) "Thermal Mass" means structural and nonstructural elements of a building, including materials such as masonry, concrete, water, brick, tile, rocks, and phase change materials, which store the thermal energy in a solar energy system.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 187-3-1-.02

O.C.G.A. 48-7-29.2; Ga. L. 1984, pp. 715, 716, 717.

Original Rule entitled "Definition," was filed on August 16, 1984; effective September 5, 1984. Amended: Filed March 11, 1986; effective March 31, 1986.