Building Systems and Construction

Question 1

What are dead loads?

Answer 1

dead loads are usually permanent, non-movable loads. Examples are the weight of the building, including the floor, pillars, or roofing structure. These are sometimes also referred to as static loads.

Question 2

What are live loads

Answer 2

Loads that are non-permanent, movable loads, such as people, furniture, and equipment (like a dense filing system), and other more specific types such as lateral and dynamic loads

Question 3

What are latera loads?

Answer 3

Loads that exert force from natural occurrences, like wind and earthquakes (seismic), or even explosions. These usually exert force in more directions than downwards.

Question 4

What are dynamic loads?

Answer 4

Loads created from impacts include moving/stopping elevators, snow loads, or a car driving across a bridge. The difference is that these forces change more quickly than static or other types of live loads.

Question 5

What is the easiest and least expensive way to achieve a 1-hour rating wall?

Answer 5

a single layer of 5/8” type X wallboard

Question 6

What makes a partition fire rated?

Answer 6

-The gypsum must be fire rated
-the partition must run slab to slab
-all connections/openings must be sealed with fire-rated caulking material

Question 7

What are the requirements of a partition for acoustical separation?

Answer 7

-Partion must run slab to slab
-all connections/openings must be sealed with an acoustical caulking material

Question 8

What is black water?

Answer 8

Contains human waste

Question 9

What is gray water?

Answer 9

untreated household wastewater that does not contain human waste. may come from lavatories, bathtubs, showers, clothes washers, and laundry trays

Question 10

What are the three goals of fire protection?

Answer 10

Protection of life, property, and restoration/use of the building after a fire

Question 11

What are three types of flame detection devices

Answer 11

1.) Optical Detectors = use sensors to detect when flames are present.

2.) UV Detectors = can detect radiation within four milliseconds of ignition. Some have a time delay to prevent accidental triggers from lightning

3.) Infrared Detectors = use thermal imaging to sense the hot gases produced by a fire, like carbon dioxide

Question 12

For residential spaces, where are smoke detectors required?

Answer 12

-outside and inside of every sleeping room

-at the head of every stairway on every level, including the basement

Question 13

What is an ionization detector?

Answer 13

This detector responds to the ions formed by combustion instead of smoke, flames, or heat. Because of this, these are not the best detectors for heavy smoke fires.

Question 14

What is a photoelectric detector?

Answer 14

This detector aims a light beam into the room or space. When smoke blocks the beam, it sets off an alarm. These are best for heavy smoke fires.

Question 15

What is a rise of temperature detector?

Answer 15

This detector reacts to an increase in temperature within a space. Because rising temperatures indicate flames, this alarm may be too late to stop a fire.

Question 16

How does a flame detector work?

Answer 16

This detector senses ultraviolet or infrared light from flames. Like the rise in temperature detectors, flames might be detected too late to stop a fire

Question 17

what is a smoke damper and how does it work?

Answer 17

used in ductwork and air transfer openings and is designed to stop air passage upon detecting smoke in an emergency. Smoke dampers resist the passage of smoke and air. May be used in combination with fire damper.

Question 18

What is a fire damper and gasket and how does it work?

Answer 18

These are placed within the ductwork and close upon detection of heat. Fire dampers prevent the spread of smoke and fire.

Question 19

What is the maximum spacing between sprinkler heads?

Answer 19

15’ (for 225 sf coverage)

max distance from a wall being one-half the required spacing

Question 20

what is a type A fire extinguisher used for?

Answer 20

ordinary combustibles such as wood or paper. primary extinguishing agent is water

Question 21

What are Type B extinguishers used for?

Answer 21

use with spilled flammable liquids such as grease, oil, or gasoline.

designed to smother

Question 22

What does transmission loss and noise reduction focus on?

Answer 22

focuses on preventing noise from transmitting from one space to another or between spaces

Question 23

What does sound absorption focus on?

Answer 23

noise within a space to minimize reflections, reverberation, and improve speech clarity or privacy

Question 24

What is STC (Sound transmission Class)?

Answer 24

STC is a rating for interior walls

The higher the rating the greater the sound isolation (normal rating 30-60. minimum rating of 50 for sleeping units/dwelling)

Describes how well a wall assembly reduces airborne sound passage between one side to the other

Question 25

What is IIC (Impact Insulation Class)?

Answer 25

Rates how well the floor-ceiling assembly reduces structure-borne transmission to the room below

The higher the rating the better
(minimum rating of 50 for assemblies separating sleeping and dwelling units)

Question 26

What is SAC and what does it measure?

Answer 26

Measures the absorption of a material

Question 27

What is NRC and what does it measure?

Answer 27

Noise Reduction Coefficient

Measures the ability of a wall or ceiling to absorb airborne sound

Measured between 0 and 1

Question 28

What is AC and what does it measure?

Answer 28

Articulation Class

Measure of the finished ceiling’s absorption and reflection of sound, but specifically affects speech clarity in an open office environment

Question 29

What is CAC and what does it measure?

Answer 29

Ceiling Attenuation Class

a ceiling system’s ability to reduce sound transmission (not absorption) from one room to another when the rooms share the same plenum space

CAC of at least 30-40 is recommended for closed offices with shared plenums

Question 30

What is sound masking?

Answer 30

can provide a low level of background sound specifically engineered to increase speech privacy

(ex. system of speakers installed in an open ceiling or plenum)

Question 31

What are resilient channels used for?

Answer 31

improve the acoustical properties of a wall by separating the wall’s structure from its surface material. They make the wall less stiff, inhibiting the transfer of vibrations through to the other side.

Question 32

What are the important considerations of light?

Answer 32

-Glare
-Contrast
-Uniformity
-Color

Question 33

What is direct lighting?

Answer 33

provide all light output on the task. A recessed fluorescent luminaire is an example of direct lighting.

Question 34

What is indirect lighting?

Answer 34

uses one or more fixtures to aim light onto the ceiling and upper walls, which act as reflectors and distribute the light evenly throughout the room.

Question 35

What is semi-direct lighting?

Answer 35

put a majority of the light down and a small percentage toward the ceiling.

Fixtures for this type of system must be surface mounted or suspended.

Question 36

What is semi-indirect lighting?

Answer 36

using a translucent reflector that transmits some primary light (as to the floor) while reflecting most of it (as to the ceiling)

Question 37

What is direct-indirect lighting?

Answer 37

distribute light up and down about equally. Indirect systems direct all the light toward a reflective ceiling, where the light illuminates the room by reflection.

Question 38

What is general diffuse lighting?

Answer 38

Diffuse light is emitted from large, luminous surfaces. It produces a soft, uniform lighting with low modeling and brilliance

Question 39

What is task lighting?

Answer 39

Task lighting provides increased light for specific tasks in a room that may already have some ambient light

Question 40

What is ambient lighting?

Answer 40

Also called general lighting, ambient lighting provides overall illumination for a room, and is intended to create a uniform light level throughout a space

Question 41

What is efficacy?

Answer 41

The measure of energy efficiency

Measures lumens per watt

The higher the efficacy, the better

Question 42

What are different types of incandescents?

Answer 42

Xenons: dimmable but not energy efficent because it gives off more heat.

Halogen: bright but hot. cheap upfront but more cost to operate because they have a short lamp life. dimmable

Question 43

What are the different types of discharge light sources?

Answer 43

Fluorescents and HIDS

Fluorescents: more energy-efficient because they give off less heat. brighter than LEDs but have harsh white color. Not dimmable. Practical for commercial space where lights stay on

HIDs (High Density Discharge):
They pass an electric current through a gas containing metal vapors and produce an arc of light within a tube. The HID lamp warm-up process can take three to seven minutes, depending on ambient temperature conditions, so this is not appropriate for residential use where someone would want the light to come on instantly

Question 44

What is the soild state light source?

Answer 44

LEDs (light-emitting diodes)

long-lasting, have lower heat, lower energy use, and have lower operating cost but more expensive upfront. cooler blueish light. required a low-voltage dimmer

Question 45

Electrical requirements for dwelling units:

Answer 45

-one outlet every 12 feet max along unbroken walls (includes around corners)

• A max of 6 feet from any obstruction or “break” in a wall, such as a door
• No outlet required on an “unbroken” wall (as in between two doors) shorter than 2 feet
• At least one wall-switched electrical out per “habitual” room

-GFCI require in kitchen and bathrooms

-AFCI outlet in living and sleeping areas

Question 46

How much space is required in front of an electrical panel?

Answer 46

there must be a clear working space at least 3 feet deep by 30 inches wide in front of the panel and clear space above the panel.