Ballast - Chapter 09 - Site Analysis

Question 1

G [Slope of Land] in %

Answer 1

G=d/L
G=
d [vertical distance between contours, ft.] / ————————————————————————————————————L [horizontal distance between points of a slope, ft.]

Question 2

SOLAR ORIENTATION

Solar Orientation influences three aspects of site planning…

Answer 2

1. The Orientation of the Building to Control Solar Heat Gain and Heat Loss
2. The Location of Outdoor Spaces and Activities
3. The Location of Building Entries

Question 3

PASSIVE SOLAR COOLING

Answer 3

Utilizes the concepts of shading, natural ventilation, radiative cooling, evaporative cooling, and grouped coupling.

Question 4

RADIATIVE COOLING

Answer 4

Uses thermal mass to store heat during the day and release heat to the outside at night.

Question 5

GROUND COUPLING

Answer 5

Uses the stable coolness of the earth to cool a building, typically by using a ground source heat pump.

Question 6

Facade-Integrated Photovoltaics or

Building-Integrated Photovoltaics

Answer 6

Photovoltaics can be integrated with other building materials such as glass and roofing shingles.

Question 7

1 Acre

Answer 7

43,560 ft2

Question 8

1 HECTARE

Answer 8

10,000 M2

Question 9

WATER TABLE

Answer 9

Is the underground level below which the soil is saturated with water.

Question 10

RUNOFF COEFFICIENT

Answer 10

The fraction of total precipitation that is not absorbed into the ground.

Question 11

NONCONFORMING USES

Answer 11

Uses that do not comply with current zoning regulations, but that were permitted by the zoning ordinances in effect when the structure was built.

Question 12

CONDITIONAL USE

Answer 12

Is a use that is permitted by a zoning authority with certain restrictions attached, when the proposed use is not normally permitted in that location. Granted if it is found to be in the public interest. A school,

Question 13

VARIANCE

Answer 13

Is granted only where exact and literal application of the ordinance would cause undue hardship or practical difficulties.

Question 14

SPOT ZONING

Answer 14

Change in zoning for the entire zoning district, if that was applied for, or it might result in a change of zoning for a specific parcel, if that was applied for.

Question 15

P.U.D. - PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT

Answer 15

Allows for a mixture of uses, not otherwise achievable in conventional zoning.

Question 16

VARIANCE

Answer 16

Is a special authorization which grants an owner permission to deviate from the zoning requirements applicable to a land parcel.

Question 17

F.A.R. - FLOOR AREA RATIO

Answer 17

Floor Area to Lot Area

Question 18

E.I.S. - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

Answer 18

The responsible official must prepare a “DETAILED STATEMENT” discussing the environmental impact of the proposed action.

Question 19

E.I.A. - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Answer 19

An Evaluation based on comparative study of the proposed project in relation to the resource inventory of the site and region. The Assessment determines the potential “FIT” of the proposed project to its environment, identifies environmental and socioeconomic conflicts, and compares projects requirements with available resources.

Question 20

EASEMENT

Answer 20

Is the legal right of a government or a landowner to make USE of the property of ANOTHER landowner for a particular purpose.

Question 21

Right-of-Way

Answer 21

The right to traverse a neighbors land to gain access to ones own.

Question 22

DEED RESTRICTIONS

Answer 22

Any clause in a DEED which restricts the future use of a parcel of land by the buyer of the land

Question 23

COVENANT

Answer 23

Is a LEGAL AGREEMENT used to protect or uphold a condition of use in a parcel of land.

Question 24

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

Answer 24

Are those that legally commit a buyer to perform certain duties in the future, such as maintaining a fence or roadway.

Question 25

CONDITIONAL COVENANT OR CONDITION

Answer 25

Is a clause that imposes a restriction on a buyer and specifies that if the restriction is violated, the title to the land will revert to the original grantor or his heirs.

Question 26

AIR RIGHT

Answer 26

Is the right to use the open space above land or above an existing structure.

Question 27

Party Wall

Answer 27

Is a wall located on an interior lot line that forms part of two adjacent buildings. Also a fire wall.

Question 28

PRESCRIPTIVE CODE

Answer 28

Is SIMPLE to administer but discourages innovation. It Specifies construction techniques, methods, and materials in detail.

Question 29

PERFORMANCE CODE

Answer 29

Promotes INNOVATION in building design, but it may be difficult to administer. Establishes the functional requirements that a structure must satisfy under specific conditions.

Question 30

RIDGE

Answer 30

When contour lines represent a RIDGE, they Point in the direction of the DOWNSLOPE.

Question 31

VALLEY or “SWALE”

Answer 31

When contour lines represent a valley or swale they Point in the direction of the UPSLOPE.

Question 32

Uniform Slope

Answer 32

Equally spaced contour lines

Question 33

CONCAVE SLOPES

Answer 33

Have more closely spaced Contour Lines near the top of the slope.

Question 34

CONVEX SLOPES

Answer 34

Have more closely spaced contour lines at the bottom of the slope.

Question 35

SILT FENCE

Answer 35

Is a temporary fence designed to allow water to pass through while filtering out sediment and allowing the sediment to settle.

Question 36

SOIL

Answer 36

Is the pulverized upper layer of the earth, formed by the erosion of rocks and plant remains and modified by living plants and organisms.

Question 37

TOPSOIL

Answer 37

The visible upper layer, a mixture of mineral and organic material.

Question 38

BEDROCK

Answer 38

Crust of the Earth, strongest material for foundation of a building.

Question 39

GRAVEL

Answer 39

PARTICLES over 2mm in diameter. Gravels and sands are excellent for construction loads, drainage, and sewage drain fields, but they are unsuitable for landscaping.

Question 40

Sand

Answer 40

Particles from .05mm to 2mm in diameter; the finest grains visible to the eye

Question 41

Silt

Answer 41

Particles from .002mm to 0.05mm in diameter, the grains are invisible but can be felt as smooth. Silt is stable when dry or damp but unstable when wet. It swells and heaves when frozen and compresses under load. Generally, building foundations and road bases must extend below it or must be elastic enough to avoid damage. Some non plastic silts are usable for lighter loads.

Question 42

Clay

Answer 42

Particles under.002mm in diameter, smooth and floury when dry, plastic and sticky when wet. Cohesive. CLAY expands when wet and is subject to slippage. It is poor for foundations unless it can be kept dry. It is also poor for landscaping and unsuitable for sewage drain fields or other types of drainage because it retains water and drains slowly.

Question 43

CORE (The Image of the City, Kevin Lynch)

Answer 43

Is the focus of a district that may be perceived as a symbol of that part of the city. The core is often located at the junction of primary paths, or it could be an element or feature that influences the rest of the area. For example, a core might be a large open air market, a baseball stadium, or a street with lots of shops and restaurants. A core attracts people to the area, is served by the major transportation paths, and is the first image that most people associate with that part of the city.

Question 44

RECESS LINE

Answer 44

To maintain the continuity of the public space enclosure defined by the other buildings, an architect should be most sensitive to the recess line. In urban site planning, the recess line is the top of the full-width plane of a building facade, which effectively defines the enclosure of public space relative to the distance between it and an opposite facade. If there is any portion of the building above the recess line, it is set back to provide daylighting or views, so it does not affect the sense of enclosure of the public space.