Flash Cards
A 100-year-old brick the building needs repointing.
Which type of mortar should be specified?
Type O
Correct. Type O mortar is a low-strength mortar that is used for historic restoration work.
Type N
Incorrect. Type N is a general-purpose mortar. Historic buildings need a lower-strength mortar so the mortar doesn’t damage the masonry.
Type M
Incorrect. Type M mortar is a high-strength mortar for high compressive loads, below-grade use, or severe frost action.
Type S
Incorrect. Type S mortar has high flexural strength for walls subject to high winds or seismic forces
The owner and architect of a new research facility project have agreed that hiring a building commissioning agent would be beneficial to the project outcome. The agent will provide commissioning services from the design phase to the post-acceptance phase.
Drag and place the provided tasks into the appropriate phase when they would occur in the project
The correct answers are:
Design Phase - Create commissioning specifications
Construction Phase - Attend equipment start-ups for major systems
Acceptance Phase - Review Operations and Maintenance manuals
Post-Acceptance Phase - Coordinate owner training
An architect is responsible for building an addition to a corporate headquarters for a fast food company. The owner wants the glazing on the east facade of the addition to be identical to the original building.
Which of the following specifications should the architect utilize to ensure that the same product is selected?
Proprietary
Correct. A proprietary specification includes actual manufacturers, model numbers and other information specific to a product. With a proprietary specification, the contractor is limited to choosing the specific material that the architect wants. If the architect or owner are open to substitutions, they can have an open specification. If not, it should be a closed specification.
Descriptive
Incorrect. A descriptive specification includes specific properties and desired methods of installation but does not mention specific proprietary names. This allows for several potential manufacturers and models to be presented.
An architect is writing specifications for the replacement of the wood windows in their latest residential project.
According to the 2018 CSI MasterFormat, in what specification section should the architect include the prefinished metal window flashing?
Division 07 — Thermal and Moisture Protection
Correct. Because the metal flashing is part of the moisture mitigation system, it should be included in Division 07.
Division 08 — Openings
Incorrect. Although the flashing is critical to the window system, the specification should be in Division 07 - Thermal and Moisture Protection because it helps to seal off the envelope from moisture.
U value
Aluminum has a very high u value
Then steel
Then wood
Fiberglass
Vynal
How do we attach the door jamb to the floor
Bracket and screws
Or the jamb can sit on cementitious material
Door jams are different in length but 2” in width
Different connections for wood wall
Metal stud door
Compressor condenser air-cooled unit all:
Better not to be very close to the window or doors that we know residence will be there.
Not close to the property line to annoy the neighbors.
Not close to an exterior wall
Need to access to air
not close to porch
greece inceptor
very close to the kitchen
we do not want the grease to go to municipal sewer system
one option is have tanks that separate grease and liquid , in fire lane , outside and underground and near the kitchen
the other options is like a built in tank for industrial sinks that can be maintained periodically
There is another option that uses enzymes to eat the grease. grease remediating device. it holds the grease in the tank - underneath the sink
dumpsters
not near to the parking - smell - view - loud - away from ppl
transformer: located in number places if it is above ground it will be 4’ from road and inside the property line - if that is above ground line (drumb)on the pole for residential - or we can have them inside the building which is more expensive- oil is in the building hazard situation
cooling tower: near chiller plan - next to building - never inside the building -
Heat-Strengthened Glass
Float glass that has been heated and cooled for strength. When broken, glass breaks in larger pieces. Not considered a safety glass.
Electrochromic Glass
Glass whose light transmittance is altered by the application of an electric current.
Patterned Glass
Obscures vision and reduces light transmission.
Glazier’s Points
Small metal pieces that hold a piece of glass in place while putty is applied. (like the little metal piece that holds pictures in a frame)
Strut
A structural member designed to resist longitudinal compression. It is a member intended to keep two other structural members apart, the opposite of a tie.
Counterflashing
A strip of flashing bent down over other flashing to prevent water from running behind the upturned age of the base flashing.
Face Brick
Brick that is more uniform in size and color than building brick.
Drip Edge
Roof edge flashing that is designed to take water away from the roof edge. It has an outward projecting lower edge that allows water to drip rather than run down the face of the fascia or wall.
Gravel stope
A sheet metal component that is installed on the edge of a flat built-up roof to keep water and gravel from washing off.
Intumescent Paint
A coating that can be applied to multiple surfaces to make them fire resistant.
Gable Roof
Gable Roof
Explain this
Also known as a pitched roof or peaked roof. A roof shape that has an A-frame with an equal slope on each side.
Janka Hardness Scale
Wood hardness scale. Measures a piece of wood’s resistance to denting and wear. The higher the number the harder the wood.
Mohs Hardness Scale
A relative scale of hardness, based on a material’s ability to scratch another material.
Brake Metal
Sheet metal that is bent into shape by a machine called a brake. The metal is then used for flashing, trim and cladding.
Oil Canning
Wavy deformations in sheet metal, such as in cladding or roofing. Also called stress buckling. Can be prevented by using a thicker gauge of metal.
Hot Dip Galvanized Nails
Nails that are corrosion-resistant due to being dipped in molten zinc. Are required for siding, roofing, deck framing, and anywhere moisture can cause corrosion.
Screws
Typically used in sub flooring, gypsum board and decking.
nail
Typically used in framing, roofing, siding and finish work.
Stucco Coats
Scratch coat, brown coat, finish coat.
Built-Up Membrane
A flat roof membrane composed of alternating layers of bitumen and reinforcing fabrics covered with gravel to protect the top surface from ultraviolet rays.
Single-Ply Roof
A flat roof membrane composed of synthetic rubber that is applied in a single layer, requiring less on-sire labor and less prone to cracking from building movement.
Mortar Net
A net, typically placed at the bottom of a masonry cavity wall, designed to capture excess mortar that drops behind the cavity wall to prevent it from blocking cavity wall drainage. Staggered and used at the bottom of the cavity wall or in any areas where the air space is less than 1”.
Billet
A large rectangular bar of cast steel used to roll finished shapes, such as smaller bars and rods.
Bond Breaker
Bond Breaker
Explain this
A material used to prevent the adhesion of an elastomeric sealant to the backup surface.
Cant Strip
A triangular strip of perlite board to pressure-treated wood used to provide a smooth transition between a horizontal and vertical surface on a roof. Required with built-up or modified bitumen roof membrane.
Dimmable Glass
A glass that changes from transparent to translucent or opaque condition when exposed to sun or electrical current.
A. Single strength glass is 3/32″ thick and is most commonly used in picture frames. Double strength is 1/8″ thick and stronger than single strength so can be used in many more applications.
Dry Glazing
Use of preformed compression gaskets to seal the glass against the metal frame of a window or metal-glass curtain wall.
Fritted Glass
Glass made semi-opaque or opaque by the application of patterns of tiny dots or lines of ceramic material on one surface of flat glass.
Heat-Soaked Glass
A type of tempered glass obtained from a process that reduces the possibility of spontaneous breakage of tempered glass during its service life.
point supported curtain wall
spider
Security Glazing
Glazing system that can withstand various levels of assault from handheld weapons, ballistic weapons and so on.
Security glazing is different than safety glazing
Shading Coefficient
Solar heat gain through a glass divided by the solar heat gain through clear 1/8” thick glass.
Stick-Built Curtain Wall
A metal-glass curtain wall whose framing members are installed at the site, member by member.
Unitized Curtain Wall
Preassembled metal-glass curtain wall units attached to the building frame.
American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)
Concerned with steel construction, rolled products and steel connectors.
American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI)
Concerned with steel construction, steel products, and cold-formed (light gauge) products.
Shrinkage
Caused by reduction of moisture content and can occur in wood, concrete, plaster, and mortar. Control joints must be provided to accommodate.
Structural Clay Tile
A type of load-bearing masonry unit made from fired clay that often has a glazed finished surface. Thinner and more lightweight than CMU.
Kynar
A type of high-performing, long-lasting, resin-based coating.
Weep Screed
A perforated metal used at the base of a stucco finish. Provides a straight and true line and the perforations allow for drainage of water that may have penetrated National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) Label the stucco.
Visible Light Transmittance (VT)
A property of window glazing. A higher value means more light is passing through.
National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) Label
A standard for rating the performance aspects of windows. Lists the following properties: U-factor, solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC), and visible transmittance (VT).
Unistrut
A proprietary name for a metal framing system used to support pipes, conduit and cable trays.
Enthalpy
The total amount of heat in a substance, including both latent and sensible heat.
Direct Expansion (DX)
Air cooling units that use vapor-compression refrigeration cycles to cool the air in a building.
Variable Air Volume (VAV)
A type of HVAC system where the air temperature stays the same but the volume of air increases or decreases based on needs.
Heat Pump
A device that transfers heat energy from a source of heat to a “heat sink”, which absorbs heat from a cold space and releases it to a warmer space. (Ex. air conditioner, freezer)
Fin Tube Radiator
Radiation heating system, typically mounted close to the floor with metal tubes carrying hot water or steam. Metal fins are attached perpendicular to the tube to provide additional surface area through which heat can radiate.
Transfer Switch
A mechanism designed to switch an electrical conductor from one circuit to another without interrupting the current flow.
Damp Proofing
Intended to keep out soil moisture.
Waterproofing
Intended to keep out soil moisture and liquid water. Should be used when there are habitable subgrade spaces and/or when the water table is high and could potentially penetrate into habitable space.
Lamb’s Tongue
A pipe accessory for the end of a concealed roof drain downspout or parapet overflow where rainwater is discharged away from the building.
Design Cooling Load Factor (DCLF)
Used for calculating heat gain through glazing, taking into account type of glazing, shading methods, and outdoor air temperature.
Cooling Load Temperature Difference
Represents the difference in indoor and outdoor air temperature and helps size HVAC equipment.
Common Types of Fire Sprinkler Systems
Wet pipe, dry pipe, pre-action, and deluge.
Flushometer
A type of flush valve. Can be manual (lever), pushbutton, or touches, activated by a sensor.
Flush Valve
Control the release of water into a toilet.
One-Line Diagram
A map of electrical power flow between entities of a power system. Includes elements such as circuit breakers, transformers, capacitors, bus bars, and conductors shown as symbols. Not drawn to scale, and the locations and physical size of the elements is not shown.
Continuous Loop Hot Water System
Keeps hot water hot by recirculating it through a closed loop system.
Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT)
The angular size-weighted temperature of the surrounding surfaces.
Reverse Osmosis
Water purification technology that forces water through a semipermeable barrier that cleans out contaminants based on size, shape, and charge. Used in desalination plants.
Radiant Barrier
A reflective layer, sometimes attached to sheathing or insulation, that blocks radiant heat.
ABS
Black plastic pipe used for drain, vent, and waste lines in plumbing.
PVS
White plastic pipe, used for cold-water distribution and drain, vent, and waste pipes in plumbing.
CPVC
Cream plastic pipe. Used for hot and cold supply pipes in plumbing.
Check Valve
A valve that allows water to flow in one direction only, preventing back flow that could contaminate the supply.
Gate Valve
All the way through/all off or all on
A valve that uses a metal wedge to cut off flow. When it is open, it has lower friction loss than other types of valves because there are no turns.
Globe Valve
A common type of valve used in faucets and hose bibs, where a lever operates a stem that can vary the water flow.
Water Hammer
he noise that comes from moving water stopping abruptly in pipes that then shake and make a ratting sound. (A device in plumbing systems to absorb the shock that causes water hammer.) the name is shock Shock Arrester
Vacuum Breaker
A device in a plumbing fixture that prevents siphonage; often found on hose bibs.
Backflow Preventer
Any device in a plumbing system that prevents sewage from reversing flow.
Pressure Regulator
Devices on plumbing fixtures to reduce pressure when the supply pressure is too great.
DWV
Drain, waste and vent piping, usually plastic or cast iron.
100% HUMIDITY
When the wet bulb temperature equals the dry bulb temperature.
Heat Recovery Ventilator
Uses an air-to-air heat exchanger to use warm exhaust air to preheat incoming fresh air into an HVAC system. Heat is recuperated and energy costs are reduced.
Make-Up Air
When air is exhausted from a space, it must be replaced or it causes negative pressure. Older and draftier buildings do not need as much air because of random leaks.
Hygroscopic
A material that absorbs moisture from the environment.
Tolerable Humidity
Humans can tolerate 20-70% humidity. 30-65% is ideal for human comfort.
total feet of height) / (2.31 psi/ft);
1 PSI will raise a column of water 2.31 feet.
Toilet (PSI)
25 psi, 3-5 gallons per flush
Shower (PSI)
12 psi, 3 gallons per minute
Bathtub Faucet (PSI)
5 psi, 4 gallons per minute
Hand-Wash Faucet (PSI)
8 psi, 2.5 gallons per minute
Washing Machine (PSI)
8 psi, approximately 40 gallons per load
Dishwasher (PSI)
8 psi, approximately 15 gallons per load
Auditoriums: 150 people per 1000 sf (Required CFM Per Person)
5CFM PER PERSON
Bars/Clubs: 100 people per 1000 sf (Required CFM Per Person)
7.5 CFM/person
Art Classrooms: 20 people per 1000 sf (Required CFM Per Person)
10
Lecture Classrooms: 65 people per 1000 sf (Required CFM Per Person)
7.5
grouding
A type of safeguard to protect people from shock and systems from shorting out. Allows electrical current to find an easy path to the earth.
Three-Phase Transformer
Three circuits carry three alternating currents, which reach their peak current at different times. Allows for a greater variety of power output options. Three-phase power is 60 cycles/second (hertz), but in three phases that are staggered, so each phase cycles one third of the time apart. This provides more constant power.
Types of dampers
- Fire damper
- Splitter damper
- Balancing
- Motorized control
Splitter Damper
Used to send a certain amount of airflow down a duct
Types of Private On-Site Waste Disposal
- Sand Filters
- Leaching Cesspools
- Subsoil Disposal Beds
Collection drains carry effluent to a non-potable watercourse, used in areas with impervious soil. Expensive system.
Leaching Cesspools
Collection drains carry effluent to a non-potable watercourse, used in areas with impervious soil. Expensive system.
Subsoil Disposal Beds
Effluent drains a minimum of 2’ below the water table.
How are central heating systems classified?
How are central heating systems classified?
Bus Bars
Metallic bars where power is concentrated for distribution to many wires. They can be found inside electrical panels.
Brownout
A temporary reduction in the available power in a community.
Ionization Detector
Responds to combustion-ionized particles rather than to smoke. Detects particles before a fire bursts into flames.
Flame Detectors
Respond to inferred or ultraviolet radiation given off by flames
Rise-of-Temperature Detectors
Sense the presence of heat and can be set to trip an alarm when a particular temperature is reached in the room.
Impact Noise
The sound resulting from direct contact of an object with a sound barrier. It occurs most often on a floor and ceiling assembly, where it can be caused by footfalls, shuffled furniture, and dropped objects.
Impact Insulation Class (IIC)
A numerical rating of a building floor’s effect on sound performance: the higher the rating, the better the floor reduces impact sounds in the test frequency range.
Steiner Tunnel Test
Rates the surface burning characteristics of interior finishes and other building materials.
Room corner test
Measures the contribution of interior textile wall coverings to room fire growth.
Support Easement
Used for the construction of common party walls between properties.
Joint Use Easement
Allows two or more property owners to share a common feature such as a driveway.
Conditional Covenant
Permits the title to the property to revert to the original owner if the restrictions prescribed in the deed are not followed.
Ground-coupled heat exchanger
Uses the stable coolness of the earth to cool a building, typically by using a ground-source heat pump.
Topographic Map
Shows the slope and contour of the land as well as other natural and artificial features.
Topographic Survey
Information on the contours of a site, property boundaries, easements, existing buildings, utility poles, roads and other manufactured features, trees and other natural features such as rock outcroppings and heavy vegetation.
Runoff Coefficient
The fraction of total precipitation that is not absorbed into the ground.
Hardpan
An unbroken mixture of clay, sand and gravel. Good base for building foundations.
Shale and Slate
Soft rocks with fine texture. Make up the group with the second highest bearing capacity. Used in lightweight concrete?
Test Pits
Trenches dug at the job site that allow visual inspection of the soil strata and direct collection of undisturbed samples.
Wash Borings
Made with a 2in to 4in diameter pipe through which a water jet is maintained to force up the soil material. Can extend down about 100 ft or more but samples are so thoroughly mixed that analysis is difficult.
Building Analysis/Architectural Programming
Processes for analyzing, defining and solving an architectural problem in a way that meets both the client’s needs and any applicable code requirements.
Electromagnetic Distance Measurement (EDM)
Method of field measuring and recording that uses a laser-based instrument with an on board computer to measure the distance, horizontal angle, and vertical angle of a laser beam to a reflective prism target.
Reflector less Electromagnetic Distance Measurement (REDM)
Same as an EDM, except it relies on the return signal bouncing from the object being measured.
Rectified Photography
Method of field measuring and recording that uses digital cameras to photograph facades.
Orthophotography
Orthophotography is aerial photography which has been geometrically corrected (“orthorectified”) so that it has a uniform scale and can be used for measuring just like a traditional map.
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is the art and science of extracting 3D information from photographs.. The surveying of objects or spaces through the use of photography and associated software.
Stereophotogrammetry
Type of photogrammetry that uses two overlapping photographs in a computer program to produce a digital stereo image.
Preservation
Attempts to retain all historic fabric through conservation, maintenance, and repair.
four major considerations during programming
Function
Form
Economy
Time
Net area
The area of a facility not including the space for general circulation between rooms, mechanical rooms, stairways, elevator and mechanical shafts, electrical and telephone equipment rooms, wall and structural thicknesses, and other spaces that do not directly house the primary activities of the building.
Nonassignable Area
Non-assignable spaces are those areas within a building that are essen.al to the opera.on of the building but not assigned directly to people or programs. All non-assignable rooms are coded with room types 010-035 in the category Unclassified: Non-assignable. The room types include custodial areas, circula.on areas, stairs, elevators, lobbies, elevator machine rooms, mechanical areas, private toilets, public toilets, and mechanical sha` areas.
The secondary space for general circulation between rooms, mechanical rooms, stairways, elevator and mechanical shafts, electrical and telephone equipment rooms, wall and structural thicknesses, and other spaces that do not directly house the primary activities of the building.
Rentable Area
The sum of the occupant area and a prorated share of the areas of a building used by all tenants.
Base Building Circulation
The minimum path on a multi-occupant floor necessary for access to and egress from occupant areas, elevators, stairs, restrooms, janitorial closets, and similar areas.
Quantity, Quality, Funds, Time
Four basic variables that must be considered when developing any construction budget. One cannot be changed without changing one or more of the others.
Debt Service
The cost to pay off the construction loan for a project and is generally considered an ongoing cost over many years, not part of the original cost of the project.
Project Comparison Method
A method in which the cost of the project is estimated using the costs of past projects of similar scope and function.
Market Approach
A way land value is calculated in which the surrounding neighborhood or region is investigated to find similar properties that have recently sold or are on the market
General Tax
Any tax imposed for general governmental purposes.
General Obligation (GO) bonds are a form of long-term borrowing in which the state issues municipal securities and pledges its full faith and credit to their repayment.
Revenue Bonds
Bonds issued by local government to pay for a facility or improvement and are backed by the revenue that will come from the customers who use the services that the bonds funded. (Ie. City water and sewer facilities)
Tax increment financing (TIF) is method local governments can use to pay for improvements that will draw private investment to an area
In the development context, an exaction is something the local zoning authority requires a property owner to give to the community, in order to obtain approval to develop land. The “something” can be almost anything: land; a portion of the value of the land; money (a mitigation fee); or other property.
Special District Assessments
How Special Assessments Work
Property owners within the district are assessed a portion of the benefit accruing to their property as a result of the improvement. The special benefit can be determined in a variety of ways ranging from the anticipated increase in property value; the size of a property owner’s frontage or acreage; or the proximity of the property to an improvement. Property owners either pay the assessment immediately or allow a lien to be placed on their property and repay the assessment over a prescribed timeframe, typically ten or twenty years. Most often, the special assessment is collected concurrently with owners’ property tax payments. The special assessment is continuing, and you have to pay as long as that special benefit is there for you. However, the impact fee is a one-time payment by developers.
Blanket Loan
Used to fund the purchase of a large piece of real estate that the borrower intends to subdivide and resell as smaller parcels.
Bridge Loan
A short-term loan is used to purchase property or finance a project quickly before long-term financing can be arranged.
Construction Loan
A loan used to finance the building of a project and is in effect only for the duration of construction. Higher Interest Rates and Risk
Construction loans typically have higher interest rates because, unlike traditional loans, they are not backed by collateral since the property has not been built yet. They are also viewed as being riskier because the loan must be paid in full at the end of the term.
Hard money loan: A hard money loan is a short-term loan that often requires the borrower to use an asset, like a home, as collateral to secure the loan. Hard money loans are also referred to as bridge loans and can be used to help finance one house while preparing to sell another.
Mezzanine Loan
A loan secured by collateral in the stock of the development company rather than in the developed property. Often used by developers for large projects.
Plank-and-Beam Framing
A common use of solid wood beams in which members of a 4in or 6in nominal width span between girders or bearing walls at spacings of 4, 6 or 8ft.
Beam-and-Girder System
A common steel structural system in which large members span between vertical supports, and smaller beams are framed into them. Typically span 25 to 40ft with beams spaced 8 to 10ft OC.
Open-Web Steel Joist System
A common steel structural system in which open-web steel joists span between beams or bearing walls. Typical spans range from 60 to 144 ft depending on depth of Joist. Depths range from 8in to 72in and are spaced 2 to 6ft OC.
Flat plate
A concrete two-way system in which the slab is designed and reinforced to span in both directions directly into columns.
Flat Slab
A variation of the flat-plate in which the flat plates require drop panels to provide greater resistance against punching shear failures from heavier loads.
Flexural Strength
The strength of a masonry wall in regard to its ability to resist lateral forces such as wind.
Funicular Shape
The shape of an arch to resist the loads only in compression.
Rigid frame
A structural system that is constructed so that the vertical and horizontal members work as a single unit due to the members being rigidly attached.
They are spaced together then the roofing system
(roof purlin + last layers) will be place on top of it. The last fram is used is a post and beam frame. Gabeled frame is A rigid frame whose shape decreases the bending stresses in the two inclined members and increases the compression, making the configuration a more efficient structure.
Space frame
In architecture and structural engineering, a space frame or space structure (3D truss) is a rigid, lightweight, truss-like structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports. Triangulated Space Frame is a A common type of space frame where the bottom chord is offset from the top chord by half a bay, and each is connected with inclined web members.
Folded Plate Structure
A structure in which the loads are carried in two different directions: First in the transverse direction through plates supported by adjacent plates, and second in the longitudinal direction with each plate acting as a girder spanning between vertical supports.
Thin-Shell Structure
A structure with a curved surface that resists loads through tension, compression, and shear in the plane of the shell only.
Stressed skin structure
Structure comprised of panels made of a sheathing material attached on one or both sides of intermediate web members in such a way that the panel acts as a series of I-beams, with the sheathing being the flange and the intermediate members being the webs
Inflatable Structure
A structure held in place with constant air pressure that is greater than the outside air pressure
Abatement (often in legal use) the ending, reduction, or lessening of something.
A reduction in the price of a property due to the discovery of some problem that tends to decrease the property’s value.
Anchor tenant
A major tenant in a shopping mall, such as a department store, that in theory serves to attract shoppers to the mall to the benefit of other, smaller stores.
Satellite Tenant: A minor or smaller tenant in a shopping center.
Appraisal
An estimation of a property’s value made by a qualified appraiser.
Assessed value
The value given to a piece of property by a local jurisdiction, to be used in assessing taxes on the property. The value is a percentage of the actual value, which is the value that the property would command on the open market.
What is the difference between assessment and appraisal?
Put simply, assessed value is the amount your local government thinks your home is worth; it’s what is used to determine property taxes. Appraised value, though, is the amount a professional home appraiser thinks your home is worth; it’s typically used by lenders when considering a mortgage application.
Blighted Area
When community members discuss neighborhood blight, they are referring to the visible signs of neglect and deterioration in an urban area. Signs of blight include abandoned and dilapidated buildings, vacant lots, trash and debris, and signs of vandalism
Capital expenditures (CapEx) are funds used by a company to acquire, upgrade, and maintain physical assets such as property, plants, buildings, technology, or equipment.
Cash flow
The amount of money that is net income from a property after expenses are paid.
Cluster housing
A particular type of housing development in which the houses or apartments are placed close to each other and have access to nearby open spaces.
Conveyance
In law, conveyancing is the transfer of legal title of real property from one person to another, or the granting of an encumbrance such as a mortgage or a lien. A typical conveyancing transaction has two major phases: the exchange of contracts and completion.
A type of land ownership where the residents of individual units own an interest in the corporation that owns the entire property. The residents do not own their own units directly.
dedication
The donation of a parcel of land by a developer for public use, such as for a park or school.
Development right
The rights given to a property owner to control or develop land in compliance with all applicable land use regulations. An example of a type of development right is air rights.
downzoning
assign (land or property) to a zoning grade under which the permitted density of housing and development is reduced.
How to determine a fair market value?
The price at which an asset that has recently been bought or sold can be a solid indicator of the asset’s FMV. Sales of comparable assets. When a real estate agent gives a potential home seller a roster of recent home sale prices for similar area homes, it is a way in which fair market value is determined.
Ground lease.
A long-term lease of a property that allows the tenant to use and improve the land, but that reverts to the owner at the end of the lease.
Definition of improvement ratiothe relative value of improvements to the value of unimproved property.
Inverse condemnation occurs when the government takes or damages property without first paying the required compensation. The landowner and not the government initiates an inverse condemnation action.
Land Sale Leaseback
A legal arrangement in which the owner of a property sells the property to someone else but then immediately leases it from the purchaser.
Net Leasable Area
The area of a building that is available for rent, which does not include common areas, structure, stairs and the like.
Special Use Permit
An exemption from zoning regulations given to a jurisdiction.
Spot zoning
The application of specific zoning regulations to specific properties when nearby land is under different zoning.
Underimproved Land (different than unimprovement land)
Property that is not producing the maximum income it is capable of producing given its site, zoning and so on.
Zero Lot Line
Part of a zoning regulation’s setback requirements that allows a building to be constructed up to the property line with no setback.
What percent slope is needed for parking areas? 1.5% - 5%
What percent slope is the ideal max for buildings and walks? 8.33%
What percent do slopes become difficult to walk on? Over 10%
Slopes up to this percent should be landscaped to prevent erosion. Up to 25%
Slopes over this percent should be terraced to prevent erosion. 50%
Garden city Concept
Ebenezer Howard’s attempt to combine the best of city and country living in his town-country idea. First put forth in 1898.
Satellite Towns
Smaller towns dependent on larger towns nearby for business.
Cite Industrielle
Proposed by Tony Garnier in 1917. A city plan that included separate zones for residential, public, industrial, and agricultural uses, linked by separated circulation paths for vehicles and pedestrians. One of the first plans to emphasize the idea of zoning.
Urban Sprawl
Euclidean zoning is one of the primary factors responsible for residential urban sprawl, and it’s why many larger cities have massive metropolitan areas surrounding them. With limited developable land within city limits, many residential developers turn to land with development potential outside the city. However, urban sprawl damages residents’ quality of life (moving them further away from the city’s amenities along with a much longer commute to work) and impacts the environment. As urban sprawl continues, more natural resources are used up. Longer commutes also create more traffic, which in turn produces a larger carbon footprint.
Gridiron Street System
Regularly planned public open spaces and uniform spacing and setback of buildings. The city of Philadelphia (established in 1682), along with many other early towns, used this planning system.
Township (largest grouping)
A six mile by six mile piece of land.
Township—section—checks
New Town Concept
new town, a form of urban planning designed to relocate populations away from large cities by grouping homes, hospitals, industry and cultural, recreational, and shopping centres to form entirely new, relatively autonomous communities.
New Urbanism
A more recent planning philosophy that attempts to counter the many undesirable aspects of city development, including suburban sprawl, reliance on the automobile, environmental deterioration, housing segregation, loss of farmland, and single-use development.
Expanding Grid
A pattern of urban development where the city begins at the junction of two major roads and is methodically laid out in a grid.
Star Pattern
A pattern of urban development where the city grows out of a dense urban core, with development following the radiating spokes of main highways and mass transit routes out of the center.
Satellite Pattern
A pattern of urban development where a large dense urban core is surrounded by other major urban areas. The areas are linked to the city in the center by major highways.
beltway
A circular road system that connects satellite areas by making it possible to travel between them without going through the city in the center
Field Pattern
LA more natural because of topography
Megalopolis
A form of urban development where two or more major urban centers near each other grow together as the space between is developed.
Imageability
The quality of a physical environment that evokes a strong image in the mind of a given observer. Can be a natural feature or a prominent building or structure.
Superblock
A concept that minimizes the impact of the car on housing and allows the development of pedestrian circulation and park space within the block.
Planned Unit Development (PUD)
Each large parcel of land is designed to have a mix of uses - residential, commercial, recreational, and open space - and is designed with a variety of lot sizes and densities.
Public facility
Include such places as schools, shops, fire stations, places of worship, post offices, and recreational centers.
Proxemics
Deals with issues of spacing between people, territoriality, organization of space, and positioning of people in the space, as related to the culture of which they are apart
Local street
Roads that have the lowest capacity and provide direct access to building sites.
Collector Street
Connect local streets with large arterial streets. Intersections with local streets may be controlled with stop signs, while intersections with arterial streets will be controlled with stop lights.
Solar Reflectance Index (SRI)
A measure of a roof’s ability to reject solar heat, defined so that a standard black surface has an SRI of 0, and a standard white surface has an SRI of 100.
Sustainable Building Design
Takes into account the environmental impact of a building, the wise use of materials, energy conservation, use of alternative energy sources, adaptive reuse of existing buildings and facilities, indoor air quality, recycling, reuse of building materials, and other strategies to achieve a balance between the consumption of environmental resources and the renewal of those resources.
Infiltration Basin
A closed depression in the earth from which water can escape only into the soil. (looking like a smaller size of a dry detention
A detention basin slows the flow before releasing it into a smaller outlet. An infiltration basin operates much like a detention basin, but it is designed to infiltrate runoff into permeable soil.
Catch Basin (a plastic black box under navdoon)
An area that temporarily contains excessive runoff until it can flow at a controlled rate into the storm sewer system.
Temperate Region
Includes most of the middle latitudes of the United States, including the northwest and northeast areas of the country.
Cool Region
Includes all of Canada, the northern part of the middle United States, and the mountainous regions of Wyoming and Colorado.
Hot-Humid Region
Includes the southeastern parts of the country.
Hot-Arid Region
Stretches from Southern California across the desert southwest to portions of southern Texas.
Radiative Cooling
A natural cooling method that uses thermal mass to store heat during the day and release heat to the outside at night.
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Organization that approves standards developed by other organizations and works to avoid duplications between different standards.
Smoke-Developed Index (SDI)
A measure of the concentration of smoke emitted by a material as it burns.
