CDT 2024 Flashcards
CDT Exam prep
What are the four project teams
Owner (principal stakeholder), Design (A/E), Contractor, Supplier
What are the stages of the facility life cycle?
Project Conception > Design > Construction Documents > Procurement > Construction > Facility Management
What are the written formats used for construction information?
OmniClass; MasterFormat; UniFormat; SectionFormat; PageFormat; PPDFormat
Describe OmniClass.
A giant filing system useful to all who work to sustain the build environment through the entire life cycle of a facility.
A taxonomical format that classifies information applicable to the entire built environment. It organizes information in 15 tables, with “work results” in table 22; MasterFormat. Tables can be used together or individually.
Describe UniFormat.
Organizes construction information based on physical parts of a facility called functional elements, systems, or assemblies. Characterized by their function rather than identifying the products that compose them. Best suited for preliminary project descriptions and cost information, and to convey the Owner’s requirements for projects using the D-B method.
Describe MasterFormat.
A classification system that addresses a variety of subject areas necessary for construction, operation, and maintenance of a facility based on work results. All different types of construction are addressed equally.
Describe SectionFormat.
A compositional format that organizes the content within a single specification section. The established structure consists of three parts: Part 1 - General; Part 2 - Products; Part 3 - Execution.
Describe PageFormat.
A compositional format that standardizes the information written within a Section. Provides an orderly and uniform arrangement of text of each page. It has three objectives: to present text clearly and at a density best suited for easy/rapid reading; to provide a standard suited for the entire industry; to provide a flexible format compatible with current techniques and software. Addresses margins, headers/footers, Articles/Paragraphs, indentions and justifications, tables and graphics, fonts, etcs.
Describe PPDFormat.
A compositional format based on UniFormat. Used for developing preliminary project descriptions (PPDs). This allows information to be organized by a projects basic systems and assemblies before materials and methods have been chosen.
What are the four components of the US National CAD Standard?
AIA CAD Layer Guidelines; CSI Uniform Drawing System (UDS); BIM Implementation; Plotting Guidelines.
Describe the US National CAD Standard (NCS).
Intentions are to streamline and simplify the exchange of building design and construction data throughout the entire life cycle of a facility. Allows for streamlined communication among the owner and other project groups.
Describe the Spearin Doctrine and its outcome.
A contractor is entitled to rely on the construction documents provided by the Owner (prepared by the A/E) to be sufficient for their intended purpose. It protects the contractor. This is referred to as an implied warranty.
A material action or activity required under an agreement, or a voluntary effort that has been demonstrated or performed consistently in a way that it becomes binding can be called…
A detrimental reliance. For example, an architect states that they review submittals in 5 days, and they persistently do so until one complicated submittal required 15 days; the contractor can make a claim for delay on their work on the grounds of detrimental reliance.
How does the EPA describe/define “green building?”
A green building is defined as one that develops healthier methods of construction, operation, and demo of building while also using resources more efficiently. It will improve the health of occupants and the ecosystem surrounding it.
A failure to act or delay in acting can be deemed acceptance of a breach and may be considered…
a Waiver of the breached provision.
What are the four C’s of effective communication?
Correct, Complete, Concise, and Clear.
Describe: Interpretation of CD’s by the Courts: Autonomy to Contract
Contract law is founded on the principle that two parties are mutually free to determine the terms of an agreement.
Describe: Interpretation of CD’s by the Courts: Entire Agreement:
All documents are examined when there is a dispute. The court will search for meaning within the documents, and will interpret the documents to establish the parties’ intentions.
Describe: Interpretation of CD’s by the Courts: Specific takes precedence over general:
Specific information is given priority over anything general, and the courts will interpret it as intentional.
Describe: Interpretation of CD’s by the Courts: Trade Customs:
Also known as industry standards. If the CD’s do not establish the intentions of the provisions, the court can and may rely on industry standards and practices.
Describe: Interpretation of CD’s by the Courts: Practical Interpretation.
Ambiguity will be addressed and interpreted by the practical meanings placed on them.
Describe: Interpretation of CD’s by the Courts: Construction against the Drafter:
Drafters are to have superior knowledge of the details and subject matter they draft, and ambiguous provisions will be interpreted against the party drafting the provision.
What are the four considerations that should be identified during the facility programming?
Form, Function, Economy, and Time.
Which type of study provides information on the subsurface of a site?
Geotechnical investigation report.
What costs are included in the project budget?
Programming, design, procurement, construction, and occupancy. These can be divided into: soft and hard costs.
Describe soft costs:
Due diligence costs, like geotech and surveys; professional fees for A/E and consultants; AHJ fees (reviews, permits).; legal fees; utility connection fees (but not the cost to extend them).
Anything non-tangible is a soft cost.
Describe hard costs:
Utility extension to the site; demo costs; construction costs of materials, labor, equipment, and the contractors contingency and overhead; permanent fixtures.
What type of insurance policy covers risk of damage or loss due to collapse, windstorms, fire, vandalism/theft?
Builders Risk, or All-Risk. The Owner must obtain this, but they can require the Contractor to do so under the construction contract.
What are the two approaches to scheduling?
Critical Path Method, where dependent activities are correlated with one another to the date of completion; and Methods technique, where the completion date is the most crucial factor and activities scheduled by working backwards from this date.
What is the purpose of zoning regulations, and what restrictions may they include?
Zoning defines the permitted and conditional uses of land by regulating the type and size of facilities built, their uses, functions, and the density of improvements.
What are the three times of Cx?
General; Building Environment; Systems and Equipment
What document is used as the basis for revising estimates of probably construction cost, schedules, and value analysis studies, and what classification standard is used to organize this document?
Outline specs, organized by MasterFormat. Outline specs control the decision-making process, and can aid the Owner in understanding the building elements, products, and standards.
What regulations directly influence the design of a project?
Buildings codes, energy codes, land dev regulations (zoning), accessibility, FEMA
What are the four types of cost estimating methods, their descriptions, and their accuracies, and when are they used?
Unit Price, Order of Magnitude, Unit of Measure, Assemblies/Systems
Define Order of Magnitude (Cost Estimation)
Price according to per unit of occupancy (ex.: per bed, per room, etc.). This is used during programming or SD.
Define Unit of Measure: (Cost Estimation)
Per unit of area or volume. Ex: Price per square foot. Used during SD.
Define Cost Estimation through Assemblies/Systems:
Cost per unit of assembled construction, broken down by price per unit then added together to create the sum of the whole assembly. Requires more detailed information about the building, and is used during DD.
Define Unit Price: (Cost Estimation)
A detailed list of project materials, components, and other cost items for an entire project. Usually reflects a price within 3-5% of the actual cost. Used during CD.
Define life cycle costs:
Based on the total cost of ownership, from design fees, to construction costs, to maintenance costs, to renovations and alterations.
Define Value Analysis:
Also called value-enhanced design, or value engineering, is the process of evaluating the design to identify alternative methods that will benefit the project by enhancing the life cycle value.
What are the three methods used to control project variables and when should they be used?
Allowances and cash allowances, unit prices, and alternates. Allowances should be used when the quantity of work is unknown but necessary, and will correlate with a unit price. Cash Allowances are used for products needed. Alternates are used to maximize available funds.
Define Quality Assurance:
The practice of setting standards that guard against defective work, and deficiencies BEFORE (and during) the execution of work. This could include reviewing the Owners programming, reviewing the construction documents to ensure they meet code, obtaining data for performance, using project checklists.
Define Quality Control:
The procedure for evaluating completed work. May include peer review, AHJ reviews, cost estimates to verify the project is in budget.
What are some of the tools and documents that can be used to document the decision-making process?
Checklists, meeting minutes, BIM, project management applications.
What are the five types of products?
Materials, commodities, equipment, fabrications, standard and custom products (manufactured, self-contained units).
What factors influence product selection?
Project program, budget, schedule, and regulatory requirements (building codes and statutes)
What are the basic standards that drawings should follow?
No descriptions, use generic notes. Information on the Drawings are complementary to the specs and should not duplicate information in the specs. Do not cross reference between Drawings and specs with “Refer to Specs” notes.
What elements should the Drawings show for each material, assembly, component, equipment, and accessory?
Quantitative Drawings show location, identification, dimension and size, details and diagrams of connections, shape and form.
Define Performance spec:
A statement of required results with criteria for verifying compliance but without limitations on how to achieve the required results. Desired end results must be specified.
Define Descriptive spec:
Proprietary names of products and manufacturers are not used. A detailed description of the required properties of a product, material, or piece of equipment and the workmanship required for its installation.
Define Proprietary spec:
A closed spec with BOD’s listed using the manufacturer, the product name, the model number, or other unique identifying characteristics. Competition for products is eliminated with this type of spec.
Define Reference Standard:
A document established by a consensus providing rules and guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results.
What is the difference between an open and closed proprietary spec?
Closed proprietary specs can list one product or name several options, though substitutions or deviations are not allowed. Open may allow for substitutions by request, and allows requirements to be met by similar products not listed in specs.
What are the two groups of MasterFormat?
Procurement and Contracting Requirements (DIV 00), and the Specs Group (all remaining Divisions).
What are MasterFormat Divisions?
Related construction practices are arranged into a series called divisions, such as Division 04 Masonry.
What are MasterFormat Sections?
A part of the specs covering one portion of the project’s requirements.
What are the three parts of a spec?
Part 1 - General: Administrative requirements, like submittals and quality assurance; Part 2 - Products: fabrication and supplied products, operation; Part 3 - Execution: installers, examination, field quality control
What is the technique used in specs that places the subject first which provides keywords for quick reference?
Streamlining. For example:
Adhesive: Spread with notched trowel.
What docs are included in the procurement requirements of Division 00?
Solicitation; Instructions for procurement; available information; procurement forms and supplements
What project forms are included in the Contracting Requirements of Division 00?
Contracting Forms (Agreement); Payment Forms (Performance Bond, Payment Bond, Certificates [like insurance, and certification of compliance with local regulations]); Conditions of the Contract (General and Supplemental); Revisions, Modifications, and Clarifications (PreContract Revisions, Clarifications and Proposals, and Contract Mods).
What is the purpose of the general conditions and the supplementary conditions?
General conditions have wide applicability to many projects and are available as standardized forms. Supplemental conditions are modifications to the general conditions that are necessary and specific to the project.
What information is included in Div 01 - General Requirements?
Admin and procedural requirements; temp. facility and controls; performance requirements for facilities and systems; life cycle activities.
How does DIV 01 - General Requirements relate to the procurement requirements, contracting requirements, and specs?
Procurement Requirements - cross reference to Sections in DIV 01.
Contracting Requirements - Expand upon the requirements in the general conditions.
Specs - DIV 01 is broad enough to apply to all sections in all divisions.
What are the division in MasterFormat Facility Construction Group?
DIV 02 - Existing Conditions.
DIV 03 - Concrete
DIV 04 - Masonry
DIV 05 - Metals
DIV 06 - Wood, Plastics, and Composites
DIV 07 - Thermal and Moisture Protection
DIV 08 - Openings
DIV 09 - Finishes
DIV 10 - Specialties
DIV 11 - Equipment
DIV 12 - Furnishings
DIV 13 - Special Construction
DIV 14 - Conveying Equipment
What are the divisions in MasterFormat Facility Services Subgroup? (DIV 20-29)
DIV 21 - Fire Suppression
DIV 22 - Plumbing
DIV 23 - Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning
DIV 25 - Integrated Automation
DIV 26 - Electrical
DIV 27 - Communications
DIV 28 - Electronic Safety and Security
What is the hierarchy of governance between the General Conditions, DIV 01 - Gen. Requirements, and Part 1 General of each spec?
General Conditions govern DIV 01, and the DIV 01 General Requirements govern Part 1 General of each section.
Define warranty and guaranty. What are the differences between the two?
Guaranty - a separate contact by a third party who assumes responsibility in case the principal fails to perform.
Warranty - an assurance by the principal that it will assume stipulated responsibility for completed portions of the work.
Thus, the manufacturer warrants their material, and the contractor provides a guaranty for the material, and a warranty for the workmanship in installing.
What are the basic types of warranties in the industry?
Extended and purchase warranties.
Define Extended warranty, and what is the purpose of these?
Cover products and workmanship. These are required to protect the Owner against faults and defects in spite of technical compliance by the installer, to provide remedy to the Owner for nonconformance with the contract, to provide the Owner recourse with those who are not a part of the contract, to extend the manufacturer’s responsibility to beyond the correction period, to allow remedy beyond the normal statute of limitations.
Define Purchase Warranty.
Covers products only. Warranties that are affected by the sales transaction and governed by the Uniform Commercial Code and other state laws. A written warranty is called an express warranty; an implied warranty is derived from the sales transaction.
What are possible limitations and exclusions of extended warranties?
Language making the warranty an exclusive remedy; clauses limited the scope of coverage; clauses limiting the assignability of the warranty; signing by Owner requirements; deductibles; clauses that exclude installation of the replacement product.
What are the three components of project design coordination?
Organization (selecting team members, establishing management and procedures), Execution (project design and production of construction documents), and Quality Assurance (meetings, checklists, communication, and checking and cross checking construction documents).
What is the difference between the instructions to bidders and instruction to proposers?
Instructions to Bidders - inform the bidders how to obtain procurement documents; how to submit requests for clarifications; interpretations, and substitutions; how addenda will be transmitted; and how to submit the bid.
Instructions to Proposers - Establish ground rules and proper methods of obtaining clarifications or interpretations and define documents such as addenda.
What is the purpose of addenda, and when are they issued?
Addenda modify the procurement docs, and are issued after the bidding period starts and before the bids are submitted to the Owner.
What is bid shopping?
The UNETHICAL practice of revealing the price of one sub to obtain a lower price from another sub during procurement/bidding/negotiations.
What are the four procurement options?
Low Bid - Owner selects contractor with lowest bid.
Best Value: Total Cost - Owner selects contractor based on total cost.
Best Value: Fees - Owner selects contractor on which fees, rather than total construction cost, are considered.
Qualifications-based - Owner selects contractor based contractors qualifications.
What are the six methods used as basis of payment for construction?
Stipulated Sum; GMP; Cost-Plus with GMP; Cost-Plus without GMP; Target Price; Unit Price.
What is open book contracting?
All cost information forming the basis of payment of the agreement, including bid estimates, bids from contractors, subs, and suppliers, invoices, etc.
What is closed book contracting?
No costs are shared with the Owner from the Contractor.
Define Stipulated Sum:
A closed book contracting basis-of-payment. It is the simplest way of stating the basis, and is sometimes called “lump sum.” The amount is established very early in the contract, and it covers all costs to construct the project. It is commonly used with the DBB project delivery method, as well as between subs and the contractor.
Define GMP:
An open book basis of payment, this is when the Owner places a limit on the amount they will pay the contractor, regardless of the actual cost of the project. Typically negotiated in DD. This method, because of fixed pricing, often encourages the contractor to find ways to reduce construction costs.
What is the purpose of a design contingency?
To accommodate for unknowns or unexpected costs in incomplete construction docs that may arise during construction.
Define Cost-Plus with GMP:
An open book basis of payment, typically used with negotiated contracts where the contractor is compensated for actual costs plus the GMP. Design or Owner changes are not part of the costs, meaning a contingency amount should be included for inevitable changes.
Deing Cost-Plus without a GMP:
An open-book basis of payment, often used with negotiated contracts. The contract calls for reimbursement of actual costs, along with a fee for overhead but there is no ceiling amount which leaves the Owner at risk of assuming more cost in the end.
Define Target Price:
An open-book basis of payment, under this agreement, the Owner agrees to pay 100% of the direct cost of work. The teams profit may or may not be guaranteed.
Define Unit Price:
A closed-book form of basis of payment, payment is made at a stipulated rate multiplied by the quantity of units completed. Unit Prices are used when the exact extent of or quantity of work cannot be calculated accurately before performing the work.
What are some of the reasons to have a contingency in a construction bid?
Incomplete docs; unverified costs; errors in pricing; costs related to dispute resolution, claims, and legal fees; costs for penalties related to weather and other circumstances; default by a subcontractor or supplier.
What is a contingency?
An estimated amount included in the bid to account for the risk of performing the work arising from incomplete docs, unverified costs, errors in pricing, etc.
What information should be made available to bidders, proposers, and contractors?
Available information includes: preliminary schedules; project budget information; existing condition information; survey information; environmental information; existing material information; existing hazardous material information; geophysical data; geotech data; permit application.
What are the elements of an agreement?
Offer and Acceptance: To accept the offer means there is an agreement to perform the work.
Mutual Consent;
Capacity: Agreement signifies both parties are competent, and the signatories have the ability to execute their respective obligations.
Scope of Work: A description of the work.
Consideration: The exchange of money that adequately reflects preforming the work.
Legality: Agreements will not violate public policy within the jurisdiction the work is performed.
Remedy for breach of agreement: Breached agreements will result in a remedy to the party damaged.
Written: Agreements should be a formal document.
Signatures: of the parties in agreement, a binding act.
What documents make up the contract documents?
(Tower of Power) DIV 00 - Contracting Req’s; Specs; Contract Drawings; Precontract Revisions; Clarifications and Proposals; Contract Modifications.
What preconstruction submittals may the contractor be requirements to submit?
Certificates of Insurance; Performance Bond; Payment Bond; Schedule of Values; Proposed subs and product lists; construction progress schedule; building permit; proposed use of site logistics; stormwater protection and pollution prevention plan; traffic control plan.
What type of permits may be required prior to the start of construction?
Overall building permit and specialty permits, such as utilities, temp. erosion control, surface water management, environmental mitigation work, traffic control, electrical work, mechanical work, fire alarm system work.
What is the purpose of a precon meeting?
It is the unofficial start of construction and is a time when the stakeholders and participants meet to disclose and discuss procedures.
What are the three types of schedules in construction, and what are they used for?
Gantt Chart: Simplest form of schedule that uses a bar chart with tasks listed vertically.
CPM: A sophisticated way to schedule; it establishes the shortest path through all actvities.
Location-based Scheduling (LBS): The most sophisticated method, it emphasizes physical locations to plan, analyze, and control workflow.
Who is responsible for construction means and methods, according to standardized general conditions?
The contractor is responsible, except for during Design-Build PD, in which the design-builder is responsible.
What meetings are typically conducted during construction, and where are the requirements for these meetings located?
Meetings are spec’d in DIV 01, and can include progress meetings, contractor/sub meetings, preinstall meeting, closeout meetings, Owner closeout meetings.
What is the purpose of submittals?
For review by A/E that materials and products meet the requirements of the contract. Submittals demonstrate the contractor intention on conforming to the information given and the design concept expressed.
What is the process for preparing, reviewing, and processing submittals?
Prepared by the manufacturers, suppliers, fabricators, and subs > reviewed and approved by contractor > final review by A/E.
What is the difference between “observe” and “inspect?”
Observe is to provide a less-focused view of what is being looked at and implies that noticing or seeing is enough.
Inspect is to critically evaluate, and implies a more careful observation.
Define Schedule of values:
An itemization of the costs of the work apportioned across various divisions of work.
What are the two types of contract modifications?
Those that require a change order, or those that require a change to the sum or time of the contract; those that do not require such changes, like a minor change (or ASI)
What is a claim, and what is an unresolved claim?
A claim is an assertion of a right under the contract. An unresolved claim is called a dispute.
Define Substantial Completion:
The date by which majority of the work is complete, when the project or a portion of it is complete enough to permit the owner to use it for its intended purpose.
What is the purpose of project closeout?
To provide an orderly transfer of the completed project from the contractor to the Owner.
Define Facility Management:
A profession that encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure the functionality of the built environment by integrating people, place, process, and technology.
What is the purpose of record docs?
They may be used to report square footage and usage to state entities, and as a basis for any future projects that would add on, alter, or repurpose the facility.
What are the purposes for conducting a post-occupancy eval?
Offers insight of any concerns the A/E may have about the quality of the work; can address the Owner concerns, to identify problems, and suggest solutions.
Define decommissioning:
The process of deactivation or shutting down of a facility from active service.
The Invitation to Bid will include:
Bid opening date and time; right to reject bids and governing laws and regulations; multiple prime contracts.
