module 05 | building systems + construction Flashcards

1
Q

what are the benefits of waterless urinals?

A

saves water + money

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2
Q

what is potable water?

A

drinking water

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3
Q

what is water metering?

A

the tracking of water consumption within a building

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4
Q

what is blackwater?

A

water containing human waste

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5
Q

what is grey water?

A

untreated household water not containing human waste

water from lavs, bathtubs, showers, washing machines, etc

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6
Q

what is the minimum slope of a pipe less than 2 1/2” diameter?

A

1/4” / foot

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7
Q

what is the minimum slope of a pipe up to 6” in diameter?

A

1/8” / foot

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8
Q

what is a trap?

A

a pipe that holds water to form a seal that prevents sewer gas from affecting water and sewage flow

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9
Q

what is a soil stack?

A

a pipe that carries human waste from the plumbing fixture to the sewer

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10
Q

what is a waste stack?

A

a pipe that carries non-human waste from plumbing fixtures

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11
Q

what is the term for offshoots of vertical stacks that connect elements such as toilets, showers, washers, etc?

A

branch lines

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12
Q

how does an all-air system deliver cold air to a space?

A

air is blown over a cold evaporator coil, then delivered to spaces via ductwork

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13
Q

how does a double-duct system create the desired air temperature?

A

by mixing hot and cold air in mixing boxes

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14
Q

what type of system delivers air, at a required temperature, through separate ducts?

A

multizone system

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15
Q

is a multizone system more or less energy efficient than a vav or cav system?

A

less efficient

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16
Q

how does an all-water system deliver cold air to a space?

A

water is chilled by an evaporator coil and delivered via fan-coil units

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17
Q

when are all-water systems most appropriate?

A

when large amounts of ventilation are not needed or if windows can by opened

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18
Q

how are ducts labeled in drawings?

A

width x height

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19
Q

what is the minimum required size for access panels to an air handler?

A

2’ x 2’ or 2’ x 4’

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20
Q

where should an access panel for an air handler be placed?

A

directly below the unit

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21
Q

what are four causes of poor indoor air quality?

A
  1. contaminants from indoor sources
  2. contaminants from outdoor sources
  3. biological contaminants
  4. poor ventilation
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22
Q

what are three symptoms of poor indoor air quality?

A
  1. sick building syndrome
  2. building related illness
  3. multiple chemical sensitivity
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23
Q

what is the term for the health condition if symptoms cannot be traced to a particular source, but disappear when an occupant leaves a building?

A

sick building syndrome

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24
Q

what is the term for the health condition if symptoms are linked to a particular building contaminat?

A

building related illness

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25
Q

what are examples of indoor air contaminants?

A

VOCs, formaldehyde, tobacco smoke

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26
Q

what does nfpa 72 set requirements for?

A

the installation, location, and maintenance of smoke detection systems

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27
Q

would a smoke detector or heat detector be better for large spaces?

A

heat detector

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28
Q

what does nfpa 101 set requirements for?

A

flame-detection alarm systems

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29
Q

what are the three types of flame detectors?

A
  1. optical detectors
  2. uv detectors
  3. infrared detectors
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30
Q

where are carbon monoxide detectors required to be placed?

A

outside each separate sleeping area

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31
Q

where does code specify smoke detectors to be placed in commercial settings?

A

code does not specify locations

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32
Q

how does an ionization detector detect fires?

A

it responds to ions formed by combustion instead of smoke, flames, or heat

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33
Q

what is the function of a smoke damper?

A

a smoke damper is used in ductwork to stop air passage upon detecting smoke

they resist the passage of smoke and air

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34
Q

how does a smoke damper function?

A

placed within ductwork, smoke dampers shut upon the detection of heat

they prevent the spread of smoke + fire

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35
Q

how does a smoke exhaust system function?

A

it uses air velocity and pressure to control smoke movement

they keep toxic gases out of refuge areas

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36
Q

audible and visual warning systems are required in sleeping accommodations for which occupancies?

A

i-1 + r-2

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37
Q

ibc requires sprinklers in buildings exceeding what height?

A

75’

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38
Q

what is the maximum spacing between sprinkler heads?

A

15’ (for the 225 sf coverage requirement)

39
Q

what is the average range of sprinkler coverage?

A

90’ - 200’

40
Q

what are the four basic types of sprinkler heads?

A
  1. recessed
  2. upright
  3. pendant
  4. sidewall heads
41
Q

where would one find size and location requirements for fire extinguishers?

A

nfpa 10 or ibc section 906

42
Q

what type of fire should a type k extinguisher be used on?

A

fires involving combustible cooking components

43
Q

what type of fire should a type c extinguisher be used on?

A

electrical fires

44
Q

what type of fire should a type a extinguisher be used on?

A

fires resulting from ordinary combustibles (wood or paper)

45
Q

what type of fire should a type b extinguisher be used on?

A

fires involving flammable liquids

46
Q

what is the maximum distance an occupant can be from a fire extinguisher in a class a space?

47
Q

what is the minimum clearance between the floor and the bottom of an extinguisher?

48
Q

what constitutes a low voltage system?

A

an electrical system that uses 50 volts of electricity or less

49
Q

commercial low voltage systems include:

A
  1. fire protection systems
  2. security systems
  3. sound + communication systems
50
Q

what is the nec?

A

national electric code

51
Q

does an active monitoring system or passive monitoring system use less energy?

A

passive monitoring system

52
Q

what is a building automation system and what do they manage?

A

a building automation system is the supervisory control center system for a building

they manage light systems, climate control, window shades, etc

53
Q

why would a form of building automation system be required for sustainability credits?

A

building automation systems allow for water and energy efficiencies to be measured + monitored

54
Q

vertical transportation systems include which four methods?

A
  1. stairs
  2. lifts
  3. elevators
  4. escalators
55
Q

horizontal transportation systems include which three methods?

A
  1. ramps
  2. moving walks
  3. horizontal conveyors
56
Q

what is the maximum rise a wheelchair lift can achieve?

57
Q

what accessible elements are needed on the floor plane of an elevator?

A
  • clear floor space at call controls
58
Q

what accessible elements are needed on the vertical plane of an elevator?

A
  • floor status + travel indicators
  • car + landing buttons
  • braille + raised characters at buttons
  • automatic sliding doors
59
Q

what accessible a/v elements are needed in an elevator?

A
  • audible + visual signals
60
Q

what does “lu/la” stand for in the context of an elevator?

A

limited-use, limited-application

61
Q

what is the primary use for lu/la elevators?

A

to provide vertical transportation for people with physical disabilities

62
Q

why do escalators not require emergency power?

A

because if the escalator stops running, it can be used like a stair

63
Q

what is the maximum slope ratio of a ramp?

64
Q

what is the most comfortable slope ratio of a ramp?

65
Q

what is the maximum length allowed for a moving walk / ramp?

A

1000’ length

66
Q

what are the two arms of acoustics?

A
  1. transmission loss + noise reduction
  2. sound absorption
67
Q

what is the focus of transmission loss?

A

to prevent noise from transmitting from one space to another

68
Q

what is the aim of sound absorption?

A

to reduce noise within a space, minimizing reflections, reverberation, and improving speech clarity

69
Q

stc is a rating system for what portion of a building?

A

interior walls

70
Q

iic is a rating system for what portion of a building?

A

the floor system

71
Q

what does sound transmission class (stc) describe?

A

stc describes how well a wall assembly reduces airborne sound passage

72
Q

what is the rule of thumb for determining stc ratings?

A

the higher the stc rating, the greater the sound-isolation value

73
Q

according to ibc 1206.2, what is the minimum required stc rating for wall assemblies separating sleeping units?

A

50 (45 if field tested)

74
Q

what is the best wall construction method for preventing sound transmission?

A

slab-to-slab partition

75
Q

what is sound batting?

A

a lightweight fiberglass insulation that provides noise control within interior partitions

76
Q

sound attenuation batts can improve stc rating by how many decibels?

77
Q

what does impact insulation class (iic) rate?

A

icc rates how well a floor-ceiling assembly reduces structure-borne sound transmission to the room below

78
Q

according to ibc 1206.3, structure-borne sound requires a minimum stc rating of what?

79
Q

what part of a space typically has the most significant source of sound absorption?

A

the ceiling

80
Q

what does the noise reduction coefficient (nrc) measure?

A

nrc measures the ability of a wall or ceiling to absorb airborne sound

81
Q

what does articulation class (ac) measure?

A

ac measures the finished ceiling’s absorption + reflection of sound

82
Q

what is ceiling attenuation class (cac)?

A

a ceiling’s ability to reduce sound transmission from one room to another when they share a plenum space

83
Q

what does astm e90 measure?

A

airborne sound transmission loss of building partitions + elements (lab-based test)

84
Q

what does astm e336 measure?

A

airborne sound attenuation between rooms in buildings (field-based test)

85
Q

what does astm e1414 measure?

A

airborne sound attenuation between rooms sharing a common plenum

86
Q

what does astm e492 measure?

A

impact sound transmission through floor-ceiling assemblies using the tapping machine

87
Q

what is the order for mep systems installation?

A
  1. mechanical - rough hvac
  2. plumbing - piping
  3. electrical - boxes, wiring, cable, power, data
88
Q

what are the three families of light sources?

A
  1. incandescent
  2. discharge
  3. solid state
89
Q

what light source family do leds fit into?

A

solid state

90
Q

what light source family do fluorescents fit into?

91
Q

what is a control zone?

A

one or more light sources controlled by a single control output

92
Q

what is the function of a ground fault circuit interrupter (gfci)?

A

to disconnect power to a circuit when there is a current leak

93
Q

what is the function of an arc fault circuit interrupter (afci)?

A

to de-energize a circuit when arc faults are detected