Undersurface heat provided in the soil by electric cables or hot water pipes.
Bottom plate
Also called a sole plate, this is the board on which the bottoms of the wall framing studs stand.
Bottoming-cycle
A means to increase the thermal efficiency of a steam electric generating system by converting some waste heat from the condenser into electricity. The heat engine in a bottoming cycle would be a condensing turbine similar in principle to a steam turbine but operating with a different working fluid at a much lower temperature and pressure.
Bottomland
Land adjacent to a body of water that can also be part of a flood plain or land at the bottom of a valley or glen, which is usually fertile as top soil.
Boulder
Extremely large rock.
Boulevard
A tree lined street, sometimes constructed with a landscaped median.
Boundary
Dividing line between two adjacent properties.
Bow
The distortion of lumber in which there is a deviation, in a direction perpendicular to the flat face, from a straight line from end to end of the piece.
Bow compass
Device, which consists of two legs, joined together with a hinged joint that is used for drawing circles. The pointed leg is held in place and the leg, which holds a pencil, or pen is rotated around to draw a circle.
