Lesson 1

Question 1

Main difference between conventional and alternative building materials

Answer 1

• Conventional building use non-recycled products that cause harm to environment
• Alternative building material use recycled products, environmentally preferred

Question 2

Combination of materials used to build roofs, walls, and floor of your home

Answer 2

(your) construction system

Question 3

____ and good passive design will generally suit cold and temperate climates

Answer 3

high-mass systems

Question 4

generally suit humid hot climates

Answer 4

low-mass systems

Question 5

combination of materials used to build the main elements of our homes - roof, walls, and floor

Answer 5

construction systems

Question 6

traditional method of constructing new homes. the home is built on the site starting from the foundations and finishing with the roof

Answer 6

on-site construction

Question 7

all the raw materials and supplies are brought to the site, unloaded and installed as they are needed

Answer 7

on-site construction

Question 8

provies greater flexibility in design, can be slower, especially if there are weather delays

Answer 8

on-site construction

Question 9

most of the work is completed off site in a factory environment

Answer 9

modular construction

Question 10

large component of the house are prefabricated to varying stages of completeness in a factory, and stacked for transport on a truck. the components are then assembled in site

Answer 10

flat pack or component modular construction

Question 11

whole and complete components are taken to site by truck, and joined up to make the whole building. this is the most common and demands the least amount of time

Answer 11

big box or volumetric modular construction

Question 12

foundations are prepared, water and sewer connections made, and then the box are cranned into position, with minor detailing to the joints carried out over a matter of days

Answer 12

big box or volumetric modular construction

Question 13

in temperate and cold climates, this can contribute to thermal comfort by absorbing solar heat during the day and releasing it at night or on cloudy days. for this passive warming to happen, passive design principles must be used to ensure the mass is exposed internally and insulated extremely

Answer 13

high-mass construction

Question 14

in hot and humid climates, low-mass construction works better to encourage __

Answer 14

passive cooling

Question 15

high-mass systems

Answer 15

• can reduce heating and cooling energy use
• are most appropriate in climate with high diurnal (day-night) temperature ranges
• can be a liability in tropical climates where energy is used for cooling
• generally have embodied high energy
• require more substantial footing system and cause greater site impact and disturbances
• are often quarried and processed with high environmental impact
• require careful cost-benefit analysis on remote sites where transport needs are significant

Question 16

lightweight systems

Answer 16

• respond rapidly to external temperature changes or heating or cooling input
• can provide significant benefits in temperature and hot climates by cooling rapidly at night
• may require more heating and cooling energy in high diurnal range climates
• generally have low embodied energy
• are often preferable on remote sites with high materials transport cost
• can have thermal mass added through inclusion of water-filled containers or phase-change materials
• can have lower production if sustainably sourced

Question 17

in temperate climates, the best overall outcome is mostly simply achieved with concrete slab-on-ground and lightweight walls. in hot humid climates, low mass constructuon is preferable, in cool-climates, high is preferred. in cold and hot climates, careful positioning of low and high mass throughout the building is required to achieve the best outcomes

Answer 17

mixed mass systems

Question 18

different construction options are available at your home

Answer 18

construction system elements

Question 19

the base of your home. they are the structures that transfer the weight of the home to the foundation material, such as concrete and steel

Answer 19

construction system elements

Question 20

must be designed to suit the site’s soil conditions and provide adequate tie-down for the building structure under the site’s wind classification

Answer 20

footing systems

Question 21

lowest site impact and embodied energy. a broad range of lightweight steel footing systems is available including screw piles, adjustable steel piers on a simple concrete pad or bored columns

Answer 21

lightweight framed systems

Question 22

require substantial excavation on all but level sites, ibcreasing impact m. they can reduce construction cost where the slope is low. they can be an effective part of passive design where the climate allows for earth coupling.

Answer 22

concrete slab integrated footings

Question 23

cost-effective solution on flat sites and they dont require major excavation. waffle pods reduce the overall cost of the slab because they create “void”, which uses less concrete and reduces the cost of labor

Answer 23

waffle pod slabs

Question 24

this reduce wastage and have lower embodied energy than typical concrete slab

Answer 24

waffle pod slabs

Question 25

these, combined with loadbearing brickwork to floor level, can reduce excavation

Answer 25

detached strip footings

Question 26

these can support masonry walls, reduce excavation and site impact, and make for faster construction. cost varies with application but these systems are generally more expensive than strip footings

Answer 26

engineered steel pile systems