Chapter 1 - Notes

Question 1

What are the major building constraints under which the designers of a building must work?

Answer 1

Regulations intended to protect public safety and welfare, such as

Question 2

What percentage of the world’s energy use and associated greenhouse gasses are attributed to buildings?

Answer 2

30-40%

Question 3

What percentage of US electricity is consumed by buildings?

Answer 3

65%

Question 4

Buildings account for what percentage of US energy use?

Answer 4

35%

Question 5

Buildings account for what percentage of US greenhouse gas emissions?

Answer 5

About 40%

Question 6

What is sustainability?

Answer 6

Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Question 7

What is Green Building?

Answer 7

Green building is practice of sustainable design and construction that is healthful for building occupants, protects resources, promotes environmental quality, and provides the broadest social benefit.

Question 8

What does “LEED” stand for?

Answer 8

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

Question 9

What is LEED?

Answer 9

The most widely applied system for evaluating building sustainability. Created and run by the US Green Building Council.

Question 10

What eight categories make up LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations, LEED-NC?

Answer 10

Sustainable sites, Water efficiency, Energy and atmosphere, Materials and resources, Indoor environmental quality, Innovation and design process, Regional priority credits

Question 11

What is a zoning ordinance?

Answer 11

A legal restriction on land usage.

Question 12

What subjects are covered by zoning ordinances?

Answer 12

Types of allowed activities, how much land may be covered by a building, distance from buildings to property lines, parking requirements, building height and area, special fire district requirements, etc.

Question 13

What’s a building code?

Answer 13

Regulations that protect public health and safety by setting minimum standards for construction quality, structural integrity, durability, livability, accessibility, and fire safety.

Question 14

What is the IBC?

Answer 14

The first unified model building code in the US. It is the basis for most US building codes enacted at the state, county, and municipal levels.

Question 15

What is an occupancy group?

Answer 15

The IBC categorizes buildings into 10 occupancies: Assembly, Business, Educational, Factory Industrial, High Hazard, Institutional, Mercantile, Residential, Storage, and Utility and Misc.

Question 16

What is the IRC?

Answer 16

International Residential Code. A condensed section of IBC that applies to one and two-family homes and townhouses with 3 stories max height.

Question 17

What is a construction type?

Answer 17

Construction types define buildings constructed to varying degrees of resistance to fire. Type I is most resistant - Type 5 is least resistant.

Question 18

What is a fire resistance rating?

Answer 18

The duration for which a passive fire protection system can withstand a standard fire resistance test. Measured in hours.

Question 19

What is a bearing wall?

Answer 19

A wall that serves to carry floors or roofs above.

Question 20

What is a nonbearing wall or partition?

Answer 20

A wall or partition that carries no load from above.

Question 21

What does OSHA do?

Answer 21

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration controls the design of workplaces to minimize hazards to the health and safety of workers.

Question 22

What is ASTM International?

Answer 22

A private organization that establishes specifications for materials and methods of construction accepted as standards throughout the US.

Question 23

What is the Construction Specifications Institute of the US?

Answer 23

An organization that keeps and changes the standardization of construction language as it pertains to building specifications. Created MasterFormat.

Question 24

What is MasterFormat?

Answer 24

An indexing system for organizing information about construction materials and systems for the vast majority of large construction projects in the US and Canada. Used to organize construction cost data. It is made up of 50 primary divisions intended to cover as many possible construction materials and building systems.

Question 25

What is Design/Bid/Build and what are its advantages and disadvantages?

Answer 25

The conventional construction project delivery method. The design team is hired first and then general contractors place bids to construct the building.
Adv: Separate teams provide useful checks and balances
Disadv: Difficult to integrate construction expertise into design

Question 26

What is Design/Build and what are its advantages and disadvantages?

Answer 26

A construction project delivery method where one entity assumes responsibility for both design and construction.
Adv: Fuller collaboration between design and construction teams
Disadv: Lack of independent advocate for design, fewer checks and balances

Question 27

What is construction manager project delivery?

Answer 27

A project delivery method where teams are hired separately, but the construction manager is included in the design process.

Question 28

Describe fixed-fee or lump-sum compensation.

Answer 28

The general contractor or other construction entity is paid a fixed dollar amount to complete the construction regardless of the entity’s actual costs to perform the work. The GB assumes the most risk or potential reward for unexpected costs or savings.

Question 29

Describe cost plus a fee compensation.

Answer 29

The owner pays the contractor for the actual construction costs plus an additional amount to account for overhead and profit. The owner assumes the most cost risk/savings reward potential.

Question 30

What happens in sequential construction?

Answer 30

Each major phase in the design and construction of a building is completed before the next phase begins. Associated with design-bid-build construction.

Question 31

What happens in phased construction (fast track construction)?

Answer 31

Design and construction phases overlap, reducing total project duration and increasing collaboration. Most suited to design-build project delivery.