Construction Technology & Environmental Services Flashcards
What is the purpose of the Building Regulations
Ensures building work aligns with government’s objectives of
-securing health and safety of building users
-promoting energy efficiency
-making access easier for all
How is building control enforced?
Control is enforced through the building regulations.
Powers for LAs to enforce the building regs are contained in Building Act of 1984
Name the key piece of legislation in the UK that govern the construction and maintenance of buildings
Building Act 1984
primary legislation that provides the legal framework for building control and regulation in England and Wales.
Sets out powers and duties of local authorities in ensuring that buildings are constructed, altered, and maintained in a safe and healthy manner.
Establishes the system of building control, including
-process of obtaining building regulations approval,
- enforcement of compliance,
- power to issue enforcement notices.
What are the Building Regulations 2010?
legal minimum standards for design, construction and alteration of buildings
series of technical guidance doc (Approved Documents) that must be followed for construction work/alterations to existing buildings.
Regulations are made under the authority of the Building Act 1984.
Regs set out detailed requirements for building design and construction,
such as structural stability, fire safety, energy efficiency, ventilation, accessibility
Designed to ensure the health, safety, welfare, and sustainability of buildings and the people who use them.
What are the powers under the Building Act 1984?
- Building control: establishes the system of building control, which is the process of regulating and overseeing construction activities. Local authorities are responsible for administering building control functions within their jurisdictions.
- Building regulations approval: empowers LAs to approve/reject plans and specifications related to proposed building work. Building regulations approval is required before construction can commence, and it ensures that the proposed work complies with the technical standards set out in the Building Regulations.
- Enforcement: grants LAs power to enforce compliance with building regulations. This includes inspecting building work, issuing enforcement notices, and taking legal action against those who fail to comply with the regulations.
- Dangerous structures: gives LAs authority to take action in relation to dangerous structures/buildings in disrepair and pose a risk to public safety. Can issue notices requiringowner to carry out necessary remedial work or, in extreme cases, take direct action to remove the danger.
- Regular inspections: LAs have power to conduct regular inspections of buildings to ensure ongoing compliance with building regulations. These inspections may occur during construction, upon completion of the work, or at any other appropriate times.
- Information and records: enables LAs to request information, records, and documents related to building work and building control. Allows them to assess compliance, investigate complaints, and maintain accurate records of construction activities within their jurisdiction
What is the CDM health and safety file?
The health and safety file is a document prepared and issued promptly following completion of the construction works containing information needed during future construction work (which includes future cleaning, maintenance, alterations, refurbishments and demolition work) at the same site or structure
Name some typical health and safety file contents
Project Directory
Residual Risks
Description of the works
As Built drawings
Provisions for cleaning and maintenance
Significant services - gas, fire safety
Removal/Dismantling of plant and equipment
Hazardous Material
Key Structral Principles
Are any buildings exempt from The Building Regs?
Yes - detailed in Schedule 2
Includes buildings controlled by other legislations - e.g. buildings where explosives are manufactured Explosive Regs 2014
Buildings not frequented by people
Greenhouses & Agricultural buildings
Temporary buildings (less that 28 days)
Ancilliant buildings and small detached buildings smaller than 30m2
Extensions - conservatory, carport
What construction is notifiable under Building Regs?
Any new construction, alterations and services
Names some functional requirements of buildings
Shelter
Security
Safety and comfort
Ease of Use and operation
Ease of maintenance
Adaptability and Durability
Ability to re-use, re-cycle material and components
Name some performance considerations of buildings
Space
Thermal & Acoustic performance
Design life and service life of building and specific elements
Cost - construction, operation, demolition
Quality of finish
Appear of finish
Environmental impact
Name some common elements of a building
Foundations
Floors
Walls
Roof
Windows & Doors
Stairs and Ramps
Surface finishes
Services
Name two classifications of construction methods
Load-bearing - typically loadbearing cavity wall, main loads transferred to foundations via internal loadbearing walls
Framed Construction - loads are transferred to foundation via structural frame
Name the main material in framed construction
Timber frame
Concrete Frame
Steel Frame
Hybrid (steel and precast contrete or insitu and steel)
Name some considerations for materials/products
Timescale
Availabilty of labour and materials
Sequence of construction and tolerances
Reduction of waste (materials, labour, time, energy)
Temporary protection from weather
Integration of structure, fabric, and services
Maintentance and Replacement
Disassembly/recyling strategies
What are the two main consents required in UK before building work commences?
Approval from town planning authority
building control
What are the stages of design?
RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) 2020
RIBA Stage 2 - Concept Design
RIBA Stage 3 - Spatial Coordination
RIBA Stage 4 - Technical Design
List the key RIBA stages
Stage 0 - Strategic Definition
Stage 1 - Preparation and Briefing
Stage 2 - Concept Design
Stage 3 - Spatial Coordination
Stage 4 - Technical Design
Stage 5- Manufacturing and Construction
Stage 6 - Handover
Stage 7 - Use
What legislation is relevant for the outline design and specification stage?
The Town and Country Planning Acts
Building Regulations
CDM
Control of Asbestos Regs 2012
General legislation
What legislation is in place in the UK to control asbestos?
Control of Asbestos Reg 2012
for controlling the exposure to asbestos
and managing asbestos present in buildings
What is included in the Control of Asbestos Regs 2012
Reg 4 - Duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises - e.g. schools, carry out survey and compile asbestos register
Reg 5 - Identification of the presence of asbestos
Reg 6 - Assessment of work that exposes employees to asbestos
Reg 7 - Plans of work - mehod statement prior to carrying out
Reg 8 - Licensing of work with asbestos
Reg 9 - Notification of work with asbestos
Reg 10 - Information, instruction and training
REeg 11- Prevention or reduction of exposure to asbestos
Reg 14 - Provision and cleaning of PPE
Reg 15 - Arrangements to deal with accidents, incidents and emergencies
Reg 16 - Duty to prevent/reduce spread of asbestos
Reg 17 - Cleanliness of premises or plant
Reg 24 - Storage, distribution and labelling of raw asbestos and asbestos waste
Reg 27 - Labelling of products containing asbestos
What standards exisit for Asbestos
RICS Asbestos Professional Standard 2021
What are shallow foundations?
Transfer load to subsoil near the ground floor (upto 1.5m)
Name some types of shallow foundation
Strip
Pad
Raft
What are the standard brick dimensions in the UK
215 x 102.2 x 65mm
What are the 3 types of Clay Bricks in the UK
Facing Brick - visual use, load bearing plus offer consistent atractive look
Engineering Brick - high compressive stregnth and great water resistance - not visual but where water contact will be frequent, soil, sewers or dpc
Common Brick - non-facing within building, low strength, inconsistent, unattractive - used internal walls or any that will be obstructed
How many bricks in m2?
60
What is cladding?
External skin of a building
Keep weather out
Provides aesthetic effect
thermal insulation
self supporting or transfer load to structure
non-load bearing
Name some types of cladding
Glazed curtain wall
Metal cladding panels
Masonry
Green walls
How do fire regs affect the structure and finish of a building?
Structure
- fire regs require structural elements to retain integrity in the event of a fire. Therefore materials need to be selected to perform or treated so they perform i.e. either concrete framing system or steel with intumescent paint
Finishes
influence of fire regs in directional signage, sounders, emergency lighting, sprinkler, manual call points. Require fire doors in certain locations and fire doors must have certain components such as closers, smoke guards, wired glass over a certain area etc
What fire safety provisions would you expect to find in an school?
1) maximum occupancy listing
i.e. designed to max number of people in certain areas at any one time for escape routes/
doors capacity
2)Fire exits and directional signage
3)fire extinguishers in accessible places
4) frequent fire alarm drills and inspections
5) fire alarm control panels for quick detection and warning of fire.
6) zoning/ compartmentation between floors/ offices on floors
7) fire detectors i.e. heat or smoke
8) sounders and beacons distributed across the building
9) manual call points to raise an alarm
What are O&M manuals?
Contains the information required for the operation, maintenance, decommissioning and demolition of a building
Who prepares the O&M manuals?
- Prepared by the contractor with additional information from the designer, suppliers
What is usually included in the O&M manuals?
Design principles
Details of the buildings construction e.g. finishes, cladding, doors and windows, roof construction etc)
As-built drawings and specifications
Instructions for its operation and maintenance inc. H&S information and manufacturers’ instructions for efficient and proper operation
As asset register of plant and equipment
Commissioning and testing results
Guarantees, warranties and certificates
Particular requirements for demolition, decommissioning and disposal
What is the planned maintenance programme?
Contractor compile a schedule of required maintenance from recommendations in product literature, with frequency of key activities to maintain key elements of the structure.
What are typical components of site investigations?
Adjacent sites which impact
boundary hedges and fences
existing trees
existing services
existing buildings
ground water conditions
ground investigations - soil, trial pit
usually 3 phases:
1) desktop
2) investigation- bore holes
3) remediation report
What does a ground investigation cover?
Site history
contaminants
soil type, geology, bedrock depth
ground gas
flood risk
soakaway assessment
What’s the purpose of soil/ ground investigation?
to determine
suitability of site for proposed works
most economic foundation solution
What is contaminated land?
land that has a hazardous material that has the potential for harm
e.g landfill site
Approved Doc C - Site preparation and Resistance to contaminants and moisture define contaminant as ‘any substance that is or may become harmful to persons or buildings’, includes substances which are corrosive, explosive, flammable, radioactive, toxic
Environmental Protection Act - driving treatment of contaminated land
Name the 3 main clean up techniques for contaminated land
- Excavation and removal followed by disposal and offsite treatment
- Limiting the spread of the contamination
- Using a treatment to destroy, remove or detoxify contaminants
What does BSI stand for?
British Standards Institution
What does ISO stand for?
International Organisation for Standardization
What type of floor construction has been used on your projects and why?
Pre-cast concrete floor planks
Overlaid with insulation and screed
Factory quality
Reduced labour and time on site
Long spans available
Good fire resistance
Summary of experience references pad and strip foundation. Why was a combination used?
Pad used to support framed structure which had higher localised loads.
Strip to provide continous level support for lighter structural loadings (single storey connection corridor).
What do foundations do?
Provide support for structures by transferring load to soil/rock that have sufficient bearing capacity
What type of roof construction has been used on your projects
Standing seam metal roof
Supported by cold rolled steel purlins
Why?
Lasts longer
Less maintenance
Existing roof - roof slates
Why?
In keeping with Victorian building style
What type of ceilins have been used on project
Suspended ceiling system
Why?
Acoutics - increase sound adsorbtion
Maintenance - easy to replace tiles and access services that can be hidden above
Thermal comfort
Additional Fire protection
What floor finishes have been used on your projects
Carpets - heavy duty anti static
Vinyl sheet flooring - toilet/shower areas
How were the pad foundations constructed on your projects?
Excavation - dig foundations to required depth
Cast in siti
Reinforced concrete mesh
What is the difference between Gross Internal Area and Net Internal Area
Gross internal Area - measurements up to the internal perimeter walls
includes stairwells, columns, areas occupied by partitions/internals walls
Net internal Area - usuable space
excludes toilets, plant rooms, stairwells, internal structural walls, areas with less than 1.5m head room
When do you discharge planning conditions?
Depends on condition -
Some of them you have to act on before starting to build (pre-commencement conditions)
Some during the build
some before you can use what’s being built
Give some examples of planning conditions on your projects
Timeframe - start on site within 3 years
How can you get the planning authority to amend conditions?
Use section 73 application (legislation for this comes from the Town and country planning act)
