Alternative Building Construction System

Question 1

What building materials use non-recycled products that cause harm to the environment

Answer 1

Conventional building materials

Question 2

What building materials uses recycled products, hence they are environmentally preferable

Answer 2

Alternative building materials

Question 3

is the combination of materials used to build the roof, walls and floor of your home

Answer 3

Construction system

Question 4

Generally suit cold and temperate climates

Answer 4

High-mass systems and good passive design

Question 5

Generally suit hot humid climates

Answer 5

Low-mass systems

Question 6

Types of construction systems

Answer 6

• On-site construction
• modular construction systems

Question 7

traditional method of constructing new homes

Answer 7

On-site built home

Question 8

Most of the work is compl off site in a factory environment

Answer 8

Modular construction systems

Question 9

Two different approaches to modular construction

Answer 9

•Flat pack or component modular construction
• Big Box or volumetric modular construction

Question 10

large component of the house are prefabricated to varying stages of completeness in a factory, and stacked for transport on a truck.

Answer 10

Flat pack or component modular construction

Question 11

whole and complete components are taken to site by a truck, and joined up to make the whole building.

Answer 11

Big box or volumetric modular construction

Question 12

This is the most common system and demands the least amount of time on site.

Answer 12

Big box or volumetric modular construction

Question 13

Prefabricated homes can be constructed using a

Answer 13

-folding panel system
-precast concrete
-structural insulated panels
-steel or timber framed modular

Question 14

One of the key differences between various construction systems is their

Answer 14

Mass content

Question 15

contribute differently to thermal performance depending on the climate zone they are used in and how they are designed to interact with or moderate the climate

Answer 15

High and low mass materials

Question 16

In temperate and cold climates, high mass construction can contribute to thermal comfort by

Answer 16

Absorbing solar heat during the day and releasing it at night

Question 17

must be used to ensure mass is exposed internally and insulated externally

Answer 17

Passive design principles

Question 18

In hot and humid climates, low mass construction works better to encourage

Answer 18

Passive cooling

Question 19

can reduce heating and cooling energy use

Answer 19

High mass systems

Question 20

are most appropriate in climates with high diurnal (day-night) temperature ranges

Answer 20

High-mass systems

Question 21

can be liability in tropical climates where energy is used only for cooling

Answer 21

High mass systems

Question 22

Generally have higher embodied energy

Answer 22

High-mass systems

Question 23

Requires more substantial footing systems and cause greater site impact and disturbance

Answer 23

High mass systems

Question 24

Are often quarried and processed with high environmental impact

Answer 24

High mass systems

Question 25

require careful cost-benefit analysis on remote sites where transport needs are significant

Answer 25

High-mass systems

Question 26

respond rapidly to external temperature changes or heating and cooling input

Answer 26

Lightweight systems

Question 27

Can provide significant benefits in temperature and hot climates by cooling rapidly at night

Answer 27

Lightweight systems

Question 28

May require more heating and cooling energy in high diurnal range climates

Answer 28

Lightweight systems

Question 29

Generally have lower embodied energy

Answer 29

Lightweight systems

Question 30

Are often preferable on remote sites with high materials transport cost

Answer 30

Lightweight systems

Question 31

Can have thermal mass added through inclusion of water-filled containers or phase-change materials

Answer 31

Lightweight systems

Question 32

Can have lower production impact if sustainably sourced

Answer 32

Lightweight systems

Question 33

in temperate climates, the best overall outcome is most simply achieved with

Answer 33

Concrete slab-on-ground and lightweight walls

Question 34

are base of your home

Answer 34

Footings

Question 35

They are the structures that transfer the weight of the home to the foundation material, most commonly soil.

Answer 35

Footings

Question 36

Must be designed to suit the site’s soil conditions and provide adequate tie-down for the building structure under the site’s wind classification.

Answer 36

Footing systems

Question 37

Footing systems options include:

Answer 37

• lightweight framed systems • concrete slab integrated footings • waffle pod slabs • detached strip footings • engineered steel pile systems

Question 38

These have the lowest site impact and embodied energy

Answer 38

Lightweight framed systems

Question 39

These require substantial excavation on all but level sites, increasing impact.

Answer 39

Concrete slab integrated footings

Question 40

They can reduce construction cost where the slope is low.

Answer 40

Concrete slab integrated footings

Question 41

They can be an effective part of passive design where the climate allows for earth coupling.

Answer 41

Concrete slab integrated footings

Question 42

These can be cost-effective solution on flat sites and they don’t require major excavation

Answer 42

Waffle pod slabs

Question 43

They can reduce wastage and have lower embodied energy than a typical concrete slab

Answer 43

Waffle pod slabs

Question 44

These, combined with load bearing brickwork to floor level, can reduce excavation.

Answer 44

Detached strip footings

Question 45

These can support masonry walls, reduce excavation and site impact, and make for faster construction.

Answer 45

Engineered steel pile systems

Question 46

Cost varies with application but these systems are generally more expensive than strip footings.

Answer 46

Engineered steel pile systems