module 05 | building systems + construction Flashcards
what are the benefits of waterless urinals?
saves water + money
what is potable water?
drinking water
what is water metering?
the tracking of water consumption within a building
what is blackwater?
water containing human waste
what is grey water?
untreated household water not containing human waste
water from lavs, bathtubs, showers, washing machines, etc
what is the minimum slope of a pipe less than 2 1/2” diameter?
1/4” / foot
what is the minimum slope of a pipe up to 6” in diameter?
1/8” / foot
what is a trap?
a pipe that holds water to form a seal that prevents sewer gas from affecting water and sewage flow
what is a soil stack?
a pipe that carries human waste from the plumbing fixture to the sewer
what is a waste stack?
a pipe that carries non-human waste from plumbing fixtures
what is the term for offshoots of vertical stacks that connect elements such as toilets, showers, washers, etc?
branch lines
how does an all-air system deliver cold air to a space?
air is blown over a cold evaporator coil, then delivered to spaces via ductwork
how does a double-duct system create the desired air temperature?
by mixing hot and cold air in mixing boxes
what type of system delivers air, at a required temperature, through separate ducts?
multizone system
is a multizone system more or less energy efficient than a vav or cav system?
less efficient
how does an all-water system deliver cold air to a space?
water is chilled by an evaporator coil and delivered via fan-coil units
when are all-water systems most appropriate?
when large amounts of ventilation are not needed or if windows can by opened
how are ducts labeled in drawings?
width x height
what is the minimum required size for access panels to an air handler?
2’ x 2’ or 2’ x 4’
where should an access panel for an air handler be placed?
directly below the unit
what are four causes of poor indoor air quality?
- contaminants from indoor sources
- contaminants from outdoor sources
- biological contaminants
- poor ventilation
what are three symptoms of poor indoor air quality?
- sick building syndrome
- building related illness
- multiple chemical sensitivity
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?
sick building syndrome
what is the term for the health condition if symptoms are linked to a particular building contaminat?
building related illness
what are examples of indoor air contaminants?
VOCs, formaldehyde, tobacco smoke
what does nfpa 72 set requirements for?
the installation, location, and maintenance of smoke detection systems
would a smoke detector or heat detector be better for large spaces?
heat detector
what does nfpa 101 set requirements for?
flame-detection alarm systems
what are the three types of flame detectors?
- optical detectors
- uv detectors
- infrared detectors
where are carbon monoxide detectors required to be placed?
outside each separate sleeping area
where does code specify smoke detectors to be placed in commercial settings?
code does not specify locations
how does an ionization detector detect fires?
it responds to ions formed by combustion instead of smoke, flames, or heat
what is the function of a fire damper?
a smoke damper is used in ductwork to stop air passage upon detecting smoke
they resist the passage of smoke and air
how does a smoke damper function?
placed within ductwork, smoke dampers shut upon the detection of heat
they prevent the spread of smoke + fire
how does a smoke exhaust system function?
it uses air velocity and pressure to control smoke movement
they keep toxic gases out of refuge areas
audible and visual warning systems are required in sleeping accommodations for which occupancies?
i-1 + r-2
ibc requires sprinklers in buildings exceeding what height?
75’
what is the maximum spacing between sprinkler heads?
15’ (for the 225 sf coverage requirement)
what is the average range of sprinkler coverage?
90’ - 200’
what are the four basic types of sprinkler heads?
- recessed
- upright
- pendant
- sidewall heads
where would one find size and location requirements for fire extinguishers?
nfpa 10 or ibc section 906
what type of fire should a type k extinguisher be used on?
fires involving combustible cooking components
what type of fire should a type c extinguisher be used on?
electrical fires
what type of fire should a type a extinguisher be used on?
fires resulting from ordinary combustibles (wood or paper)
what type of fire should a type b extinguisher be used on?
fires involving flammable liquids
what is the maximum distance an occupant can be from a fire extinguisher in a class a space?
75’
what is the minimum clearance between the floor and the bottom of an extinguisher?
4”
what constitutes a low voltage system?
an electrical system that uses 50 volts of electricity or less
commercial low voltage systems include:
- fire protection systems
- security systems
- sound + communication systems
what is the nec?
national electric code
does an active monitoring system or passive monitoring system use less energy?
passive monitoring system
what is a building automation system and what do they manage?
a building automation system is the supervisory control center system for a building
they manage light systems, climate control, window shades, etc
why would a form of building automation system be required for sustainability credits?
building automation systems allow for water and energy efficiencies to be measured + monitored
vertical transportation systems include which four methods?
- stairs
- lifts
- elevators
- escalators
horizontal transportation systems include which three methods?
- ramps
- moving walks
- horizontal conveyors
what is the maximum rise a wheelchair lift can achieve?
14’
what accessible elements are needed on the floor plane of an elevator?
- clear floor space at call controls
what accessible elements are needed on the vertical plane of an elevator?
- floor status + travel indicators
- car + landing buttons
- braille + raised characters at buttons
- automatic sliding doors
what accessible a/v elements are needed in an elevator?
- audible + visual signals
what does “lu/la” stand for in the context of an elevator?
limited-use, limited-application
what is the primary use for lu/la elevators?
to provide vertical transportation for people with physical disabilities
why do escalators not require emergency power?
because if the escalator stops running, it can be used like a stair
what is the maximum slope ratio of a ramp?
1:12
what is the most comfortable slope ratio of a ramp?
1:20
what is the maximum length allowed for a moving walk / ramp?
1000’ length
what are the two arms of acoustics?
- transmission loss + noise reduction
- sound absorption
what is the focus of transmission loss?
to prevent noise from transmitting from one space to another
what is the aim of sound absorption?
to reduce noise within a space, minimizing reflections, reverberation, and improving speech clarity
stc is a rating system for what portion of a building?
interior walls
iic is a rating system for what portion of a building?
the floor system
what does sound transmission class (stc) describe?
stc describes how well a wall assembly reduces airborne sound passage
what is the rule of thumb for determining stc ratings?
the higher the stc rating, the greater the sound-isolation value
according to ibc 1206.2, what is the minimum required stc rating for wall assemblies separating sleeping units?
50 (45 if field tested)
what is the best wall construction method for preventing sound transmission?
slab-to-slab partition
what is sound batting?
a lightweight fiberglass insulation that provides noise control within interior partitions
sound attenuation batts can improve stc rating by how many decibels?
4 - 10
what does impact insulation class (iic) rate?
icc rates how well a floor-ceiling assembly reduces structure-borne sound transmission to the room below
according to ibc 1206.3, structure-borne sound requires a minimum stc rating of what?
50
what part of a space typically has the most significant source of sound absorption?
the ceiling
what does the noise reduction coefficient (nrc) measure?
nrc measures the ability of a wall or ceiling to absorb airborne sound
what does articulation class (ac) measure?
ac measures the finished ceiling’s absorption + reflection of sound
what is ceiling attenuation class (cac)?
a ceiling’s ability to reduce sound transmission from one room to another when they share a plenum space
what does astm e90 measure?
airborne sound transmission loss of building partitions + elements (lab-based test)
what does astm e336 measure?
airborne sound attenuation between rooms in buildings (field-based test)
what does astm e1414 measure?
airborne sound attenuation between rooms sharing a common plenum
what does astm e492 measure?
impact sound transmission through floor-ceiling assemblies using the tapping machine
what is the order for mep systems installation?
- mechanical - rough hvac
- plumbing - piping
- electrical - boxes, wiring, cable, power, data
what are the three families of light sources?
- incandescent
- discharge
- solid state
what light source family do leds fit into?
solid state
what light source family do fluorescents fit into?
discharge
what is a control zone?
one or more light sources controlled by a single control output
what is the function of a ground fault circuit interrupter (gfci)?
to disconnect power to a circuit when there is a current leak
what is the function of an arc fault circuit interrupter (afci)?
to de-energize a circuit when arc faults are detected
what type of concrete allows for longer clear spans, thinner slabs, and fewer beams?
post-tensioned concrete
what is a lateral load?
a load that exerts force from natural occurrences
what type of phenomena cause lateral loads?
- wind
- earthquakes
- explosions
what type of structures make use of post-tensioned concrete?
- offices + apartments
- parking structures
- slabs-on-ground
- bridges
- stadia
what is a trimmer?
a wood member in a floor or roof used to support a header
how does a radiant heating system function?
radiant heating systems embed tubing / pipes within the floor, ceiling, or walls to circulate hot water for heating
what is the leading killer in a building fire?
smoke + toxic gases
why are smoke detectors the most often used initiating device?
smoke detectors can detect smoldering fires that do not have enough heat to activate sprinklers
what is the maximum spacing between sprinkler heads?
15’
what is the maximum spacing of sprinkler heads from a wall?
7’-6”
what is the minimum distance an obstruction can be below a sprinkler detector?
18”
