Construction Tech - John Roan Flashcards
1
Q
What design options were considered?
A
- The use of each room – meeting room, reception office and medical / waiting room
- Existing reception desk – client wanted it to be converted into a storage space
2
Q
What was the contractor’s design portion?
A
- Design and installation of all new services, including:
o Lighting – LED lay in grid on simple switch
o Small power – 4no. double sockets per office
o Ventilation – MVHR as detailed later
3
Q
What did you include within the employer’s requirements?
A
- Outline of the project
- Scope of services required – e.g. specificity on all new services
- Performance specification of the services
- Existing and proposed drawings
- Proposed form of contract (JCT MWD16)
- Responsibility of statutory approval – contractor allowed to self-certify under NICEIC Competent Persons Scheme
- Tender pricing document
4
Q
What is a CAT A fit-out?
A
- A level of fit out of the tenant’s space completed by the developer.
- May include:
Raised floors and suspended ceilings,
Distribution of mechanical and electrical services
Internal surface finishes
Blinds
5
Q
What is a CAT B fit-out?
A
- The fit out of the internal space to the tenant’s requirements.
- May include:
Final finishes and branding
Installation of offices
Fitting out of reception, meeting rooms etc.
Installation of lighting, AV etc.
6
Q
What standards did you ensure the ventilation system was installed to?
A
- Installed by a competent and familiar installers
- Trained in accordance with BPEC installer scheme
- Approved Document F: Ventilation
- Contractor submitted designs of location of:
o Location of ductwork run, fan unit and controls
o Type, size and position of ducts and terminals
o Direction of fall for ‘horizontal’ ductwork
o Type and spacing of clips and fixings
o Type and location of ancillary components – e.g. crosstalk attenuator and fire-stopping insulation
o Airflow-balancing figures for the system
7
Q
What standards did you ensure the lighting system was installed to?
A
- Ensured all installations met ISO 9001 standards
- Specified self-certification of NICEIC installation
- Appropriate lux levels dependant on the room
- Approved Document P: Electrical Safety
- Approved Document L: Conservation of Fuel & Power
8
Q
What standards did you ensure the small power system was installed to?
A
- BS 7671 – 18th Edition
- Specified self-certification of NICEIC installation
- Approved Document P: Electrical Safety
9
Q
How did you strip out all existing services?
A
- All supplies were switched off, de-gassed and capped, then taken back to the meter in some occasions
10
Q
What did you recommend for each room?
A
- Lay in grid suspended ceiling, incorporating ventilation and lighting
- Thorlux Hyline 600x600mm L80/B10 LED – 67,000 hours
- Partitions with Rockwool sound insulation slab 70mm – 45dB between timber joists, 400mm centres, incpororating 2x 12.5mm Gyproc FireLine plasterboard on either side
- Burmatex carpet tiling – Tivoli – 600
- Data points, small power sockets to suit the client’s needs
Office
- Burmatex carpet tiling – Tivoli – 600
- Data points, small power sockets to suit the client’s needs
- Access hatch at suitable height to satisfy Doc M
- Client provided their own furniture
Medical Room
- Polyflor Verona PUR flooring – safety flooring, >36 RRL pendulum test
o Came with guarantee throughout life of the product
- Data points, small power sockets to suit the client’s needs
11
Q
What are the Approved Document M stipulations for entrances?
A
- Need to limit air filtration, control draughts, increase security, provide transitional lighting
- Lobby should be large enough to allow wheelchair / pram to move clear of one door before entering the next door – requirement of at least 1,570mm space between each door
- Reception desk to be at least 1,500mm wide, no higher than 760mm, knee recess no less than 700mm above floor level
- Reception point provided with hearing enhancement system
- Floor surface is slip resistant – barrier matting installed
12
Q
When was the building constructed?
A
- 2011
13
Q
What was the existing layout?
A
- Open plan reception area
- Automatic doors as entry
- Solid timber desk in the middle of the room
14
Q
What acoustic insulation did you specify?
A
- Rockwool sound insulation slab – 70mm x 400mm x 1200mm, fire rated to FD30
- Installed in each ceiling void
- Installed within cavity of partitions - Rockwool sound insulation slab 100mm
15
Q
What fire-rated elements did you consider?
A
- Fire rated timber doors, frames and architraves
- Fire-rated insulation in the ceiling voids
- Compartmentation between each partition
- Ensured new partitions had adequate means of escape
- Fire stopping to services in ceiling void
- Fire dampers to ventilation ductwork
- Ductwork within ceiling void installed using metal clips
16
Q
Was there a requirement for sprinklers?
A
- Not in new partitions – the main building had various sprinklers throughout, each partition was fire-rated and protected
- The FRA advised that the new partitions needed only a standard L2 fixed point fire alarm, linked to an alarm receiving centre for coverage on night times, weekends and school holidays
- Smoke detection was installed in new rooms, with emergency lighting
- Detection system to be installed in accordance with BS 539-1:2017
- Emergency and escape lighting to all walkways and escape routes in accordance with BS 5266-1 2005 and BS 5266-7
- Final exits with standard illumination with signage in accordance to BS 5499-1.
- Doors to be min 30-min fire rated to form compartmentation in each partition, fire resistant glazing
17
Q
What lux levels did you specify?
A
- For each office – 500 lux
- Circulation areas / waiting area – 200 lux
- Medical room – 1,000 lux
18
Q
What are the lux levels required per each room setting?
A
- Public areas with dark surroundings – 20-50
- Areas with traffic corridors – stairways, escalators, lifts – 100
- WCs - 100
- Warehouses, homes, theatres – 150
- Coffee break room, technical facilities, waiting rooms – 200
- Easy office work – 250
- Class rooms – 300
- Normal office work, PC work, study library, show rooms, labs, kitchens – 500
- Supermarkets, mechanical workshops, office landscapes – 750
- Normal drawing work, detailed mechanical workshops, operation theatres – 1,000
- Detailed drawing works, very detailed mechanical workshops, - 1,500-2,000
19
Q
What is lux?
A
- 1 lux = illumination of 1sqm surface 1.0m away from a single candle
20
Q
How are lux levels tested?
A
- A light meter to measure amount of light in a space or on a surface
- Light meter measures light falling onto it, provides a measurable illuminance reading
21
Q
You mentioned you advised on sound resistant rooms, are you qualified to provide advice on this?
A
- Yes, I believe I was
- I undertook research to understand requirements included
o Reverb calculations
o Gyproc Robust Details
o Acoustic testing on completion
22
Q
How did the specify the construction of the partitions?
A
- Chase out concrete on floor – 100mm to fit Gypframe 99 FC 50 fixing channel
- Acoustic flanking strips to soffit
- Both sides of partition fitted with 2x 12/5mm Gyproc soundbloc
- Rockwool sound insulation slab 100mm within cavity– 45dB between timber joists, 400mm centres
23
Q
How were the rooms tested prior to completion?
A
- Acoustic testing undertaken by competent company to test airborne sound quantities
- Part E of building regulations – Resistance to the passage of sound
- Target figure is 43dB
o Impact 64db (maximum)
o Airborne 43db (minimum)
24
Q
If robust details are used is pre-completion testing required?
A
- No:
o Robust details are recognised details within the industry for soundproofing
25
Q
How were the rest of the rooms constructed?
A
- Suspended ceiling with acoustic ceiling tiles
- Acoustic panels on the walls
- Carpet tiles
26
Q
What was the specification for the fire resistance of internal partitions?
A
- Installation of dry-lining plasterboard FD30 rated
- FD30 rating to internal doorsets, frames and door furniture
- Fire stopping to all services within the ceiling void
27
Q
What “roof” was installed to the partitions?
A
- 12mm plywood sheeting screw fixed onto timber frame at 400mm centres
- Painted white (client’s choice)
- Timber fascia installed – 25mm x 175mm, white to match roof
28
Q
What annotations did you include on the design drawings?
A
- Details on type of joists to be used for ceiling
- Type of timber for framing / blockwork
- Locations of each partition and their use
- Flooring – carpet tiles, and colour
- Location of desks within office, along with all furniture
- School logo
- LED strip lights to the shelving (desk conversion)
- Instruction to re-form dad trunking in the storage room
- Instruction to form 30 min fire-rated frame around glazing into the storage room
29
Q
What fire alarm system was specified?
A
- Non specified – school arranged for new smoke sensors to be linked into existing system
- Fire extinguishers were also installed adjacent to main entrance door and within each room
- School undertook a fire risk assessment
30
Q
Was any secondary means of escape considered?
A
- Rooms too small for secondary escape, so all partitions appropriately fire-stopped and fire rated
31
Q
Where were the M&E services located from?
A
- Contractor’s design
- Existing services ran through suspended ceiling throughout reception area
- Contractor extended all electrical services to run through ceiling of new partitions
- Installed new MVHR system
- Provided the contractor with a performance specification
32
Q
What types of specification are you aware of?
A
- Prescriptive
- Performance
33
Q
What are the differences between prescriptive and performance specs?
A
- Prescriptive – The design is complete, client has more control and comfort over the end product
- Performance – Sets out the requirements for the works, requires more design work to be carried out. Focuses on the outcome rather than the characteristics of the components
34
Q
Why would you select a performance specification?
A
- Gives supplies more leeway to innovate and offer cost effective methods of work, potentially offering better value for money
35
Q
What was the emergency lighting?
A
- 30 minute battery power backup
36
Q
What is the British standard for electrical systems?
A
- BS7671: 2018 – 18th edition
37
Q
What small power was specified?
A
- 13 amp 4no. double sockets (MK Metalclad Plus) per meeting room & office, 3no double in first aid
- PVC insulated cables in MK Prestige 3 compartment trunking
- 1no. manual light switch for each room, 1no. PIR system per each room
- IP rating 22
38
Q
What air conditioning system did you specify?
A
- Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery
39
Q
What Building Regulations did you adhere to for the ventilation installation?
A
- Approved Document Part F – Ventilation
- For rooms with no openable windows, extract should operate
o Whilst the room is unoccupied
o For a minimum of 15 minutes after occupants have left the room
40
Q
How do MVHR systems work?
A
- Mechanical Ventilation with Heating Recovery
- Air is passed over heat exchange cell that recovers / retains heat otherwise lost from extracted air
- Heat is then transferred to incoming fresh filtered air the unit is resupplying back into habitable rooms
41
Q
Why did you specify an MVHR system?
A
- No openable windows within the new rooms – the external windows were curtain walling
- MVHR system provides fresh filtered air into a building whilst retaining most of the energy already used in heating the building
- Controlled ventilation system, lower humidity and no condensation
- MVHR constantly ventilates the property
- Central unit able to be located closer to the installed rooms #
o Central unit contains supply fan, flat-plate heat exchanger and filter
42
Q
What was the size of the MVHR and how was it installed?
A
- Nuaire XBC-25 with heater battery
- Insulated and metal clad ductwork
- Cross-talk attenuators
- 50mm mineral wool foil faced insulation
- Volume control dampers
43
Q
What does a volume control damper do?
A
- Controls air flow within ductwork
44
Q
How did you consider the noisy airflow of the MVHR system?
A
- Specified installation of crosstalk attenuators
- Design to maintain sound transmission ratings in low velocity air transfer between adjoining spaces, permitting fresh air to circulate continuously
- They dampen noise transfer between rooms and ductwork
o Prefabricated ductwork with acoustic lining
45
Q
Why didn’t you specify air-conditioning?
A
- Multiple zones within the office area
- Inadequate space in plant room to house the AHU containing supply and extract fans, cooling coil and filter
46
Q
Difference between AC and comfort cooling
A
- Air conditioning systems control moisture content of the air, including humidification and dehumidification to reduce condensation – both surface and interstitial
- Comfort cooling is the cooling of air alone
47
Q
What are R22 refrigerants?
A
- Used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems pre-dating 2004, was banned in new equipment in 2004 and refurbished systems since 2015.
48
Q
Why were R22 refrigerants banned?
A
- Banned due to the effects on the ozone layer by the EU
