Section 4

Question 1

Procurement

Answer 1

The complete process of specifying, buying, and receiving goods and equipment.

Question 2

Acceleration

Answer 2

Acceleration
The process of speeding up project work to either reach a more aggressive deadline, or to make up for previous lost time. May be used in fast-track delivery methods.

Question 3

Firm structure

Answer 3

Firm structure
The layout and organization of a business practice. Factors that influence this include firm size, age, governance/incorporation style, range of services, etc.

Question 4

Memorandum

Answer 4

Memorandum
Also abbreviated as memo: a written note or message for business purposes. Typically created as a written record made for future use and reference.

Question 5

Common data environment (CDE)

Answer 5

A single source of information for all aspects of a project, including documentation, digital modeling, and other data, that is available to the entire project team.

Question 6

Drawing standards

Answer 6

Drawing standards
The office guidelines and protocols which govern the creation of the drawing set. Examples of these guidelines can include layer standards, drawing/sheet setup, lineweight hierarchy, keynotes, etc.

Question 7

Meeting minutes

Answer 7

Meeting minutes
A written account of the topics discussed in a meeting, used for the purposes of recordkeeping and information distribution.

Question 8

Project management

Answer 8

The management of an architecture firm’s responsibilities for a given project. These responsibilities include managing the creation of construction documents, construction administration, and coordination of all parties involved.

Question 9

Material takeoffs

Answer 9

Material takeoffs
During the cost estimating process, the estimator performs material takeoffs by using the drawings to quantify the different elements needed to construct the building (i.e., number of doors, volume of concrete, square footage of carpet, etc.).

Question 10

Modeling

Answer 10

Modeling

The process of adding elements or information to a CAD or BIM project environment.

Question 11

Phasing

Answer 11

Phasing
The process of breaking a construction effort into smaller parts for reasons of timing, management, financial considerations, and so forth.

Question 12

Scheduling

Answer 12

Scheduling

The process of determining the time frame and sequence of any aspect of the project.

Question 13

General partnership

Answer 13

General partnership
A common form of legal entity in which two or more individuals practice together, sharing all risks and rewards of their practice equally. This form of practice affords the least protection to the practice owners.

Question 14

Self-healing concrete

Answer 14

Self-healing concrete

A kind of concrete that contains limestone-producing bacteria which fill in cracks as they form.

Question 15

Point Cloud

Answer 15

A laser scanner can be used to generate accurate models of existing buildings, terrain, and the like. The result of this scan is a highly accurate set of three-dimensional data. This data can be used for BIM modeling, 2D drawings, etc.

Question 16

Laser scan

Answer 16

Laser scan

The use of a laser system to develop a three-dimensional representation of an object, site, building, etc.

Question 17

Special conditions

Answer 17

Special conditions
Special conditions are used to further extend the supplementary conditions of the contract for construction. Government clients often have special conditions.

Question 18

Project manual

Answer 18

Project manual
The project manual consists of the written documents created for the purposes of procuring and constructing the work, which can include things such as the instructions to bidders, bid requirements, specifications, etc. The contract drawings, which include things such as plans, sections, elevations, and details, are separate from the project manual.

Question 19

Specifications

Answer 19

Specifications
A type of technical standards documentation which outlines the types of materials, products, and procedures to be utilized in constructing the work.

Question 20

Transmittal

Answer 20

Transmittal

A document accompanying a transfer or shipment which describes its contents.

Question 21

RFI

Answer 21

RFI
RFI stands for request for information. This is a form of documented correspondence between members of the project team and may be submitted to the owner, architect, or contractor. Issues that arise during construction that require clarification should be addressed through the RFI process so that an official log can be referenced later if needed.