module 02 | project assessment + codes

Question 1

what is the order of hierarchy for building square footage designations?

Answer 1

1. gross area (gsf)
2. rentable area (rsf)
3. net area (nsf)
4. usable area (usf)

Question 2

what is usable area?

Answer 2

the space occupied by tenants, including net area and circulation

excludes building core + common spaces

Question 3

what spaces does the usable area exclude?

Answer 3

building core + common spaces

ex: elevators, exit stairs, mechanical / electrical rooms, core restrooms

Question 4

what is the calculation for usable area?

Answer 4

usable area = net area + circulation area

Question 5

what is net area?

Answer 5

the space required for the function of the space

Question 6

what spaces does net area include?

Answer 6

workspaces + dedicated support spaces

ex: workstations, offices, conference rooms, break rooms, copy rooms, etc

Question 7

what is an example of net area?

Answer 7

an 8’ x 8’ workstation is 64 nsf. 10 workstations would be 640 nsf + circulation space

Question 8

how is net area calculated?

Answer 8

net area is found by adding together all programmed areas

Question 9

what is rentable area?

Answer 9

the floor area that the tenant pays rent on
ex: everything inside the building, including wall thickness and structural elements

Question 10

what spaces are excluded in the rentable area?

Answer 10

major vertical penetrations

ex: stairs, elevators, shafts

Question 11

how is circulation area calculated?

Answer 11

circulation area = nsf x (circulation multiplier - 1)

Question 12

what is the calculation for rentable area?

Answer 12

rentable area = usable area + prorated share of building common area

Question 13

what does the circulation multiplier allow one to calculate?

Answer 13

the circulation multiplier allows one to calculate how much additional space is needed outside of the programmed total

Question 14

what is gross area?

Answer 14

the floor area within the building’s skin
ex: everything including exterior wall thickness

Question 15

what is the calculation for efficiency factor?

Answer 15

efficiency factor = nsf / total occupant area

Question 16

what is the occupant area?

Answer 16

the amount of space being actively used by the tenant

Question 17

if glass is more than 50% of the wall area, how is the occupant area measured?

Answer 17

occupant area is measured from the interior face of the glass to the centerline of demising partitions

Question 18

if glass is less than 50% of the wall area, how is the occupant area measured?

Answer 18

occupant area is measured from the exterior wall’s interior finish face to the centerline of adjacent demising partitions

Question 19

how are net/gross ratios determined?

Answer 19

net/gross ratios are determined by dividing the nsf program total by the efficiency factor
ex: net/gross = nsf / efficiency factor

Question 20

what is the term for the formal designation for the primary use of a building?

Answer 20

the occupancy classification

Question 21

what is a group e occupancy?

Answer 21

educational - for grades 12 and below

Question 22

what is group b occupancy?

Answer 22

business - any space used for offices, professional, or service transactions

Question 23

when does an assembly occupancy become a business occupancy?

Answer 23

1. if the space has an occupancy load of fewer than 50 and is accessory to another occupancy
2. if the space is less than 750 sf and an accessory to another occupancy

Question 24

what is a group i occupancy?

Answer 24

institutional - spaces / buildings for people under care or supervision incapable of exiting the building unassisted

Question 25

what types of spaces fall under i occupancy?

Answer 25

- hospitals / surgery centers - correctional facilities

Question 26

what is a group m occupancy?

Answer 26

mercantile - any retail or wholesale store and showroom

Question 27

what is a group r-1 occupancy?

Answer 27

sleeping units with transient occupants ex: hotels + motels

Question 28

what is a group r-2 occupancy?

Answer 28

sleeping units in more than two dwelling units with primarily permanent occupants ex: apartments + condos

Question 29

what happens to the occupancy classification of an educational assembly space with an occupant load of 35 in a university setting?

Answer 29

because of the occupant load, the group a designation becomes a group b

Question 30

zoning sets limits on what four building-related items?

Answer 30

1. use 2. size 3. height 4. position on the land

Question 31

what is the difference between an institutional and business occupancy classification in a hospital setting?

Answer 31

the main difference is the occupant's ability to exit the building on their own. - business | the occupant can exit independently - institutional | the occupant cannot exit unassisted

Question 32

how do occupancy classifications differ from occupancy groups?

Answer 32

occupancy groups live under occupancy classifications and provide more detail about the intended function / use

Question 33

what is ansi / bifma x5.1? and what pieces or furniture does it focus on?

Answer 33

the american national standard for office furnishings - general purpose office chairs

Question 34

what is ansi / bifma e3?

Answer 34

the furniture sustainability standard

Question 35

what is ansi / bifma m7.1?

Answer 35

standard test method for determining voc emissions from office furniture systems, components, and seating

Question 36

what is ansi / bifma x7.1?

Answer 36

standard for formaldehyde and tvoc emissions of low-emitting office furniture systems + seating

Question 37

what does tvoc stand for?

Answer 37

toxic volatile organic compounds

Question 38

what does ansi / ashrae 62.1 measure?

Answer 38

the ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality

Question 39

what does ansi / ashrae 62.2 measure?

Answer 39

the ventilation and acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings

Question 40

what is ansi / ashrae / ies 90.1?

Answer 40

the energy standard for buildings except low-rise residential buildings

Question 41

what is nfpa 252?

Answer 41

the standard methods of fire tests of door assemblies

Question 42

what is nfpa 253?

Answer 42

the standard methods of testing for critical radiant flux of floor covering systems using a radiant heat source

Question 43

what is nfpa 265?

Answer 43

standard methods of fire tests for evaluating room fire growth contribution of textile or vinyl wall coverings on full-height panels + walls

Question 44

what is nfpa 286?

Answer 44

standard methods of fire tests for evaluating the contribution of wall and ceiling interior finishes to room fire growth

Question 45

what is nfpa 701?

Answer 45

standard methods of fire tests for flame propagation of textiles and films (vertical ignition test)

Question 46

who is responsible for making sure the design complies with code?

Answer 46

the interior designer

Question 47

what method does ibc use to establish a permit fee?

Answer 47

valuation

Question 48

what is valuation?

Answer 48

the concept of valuation is based on the idea that the value of a project is related to the amount of work expended during the administration of the permit essentially the complexity of the project directly affects the fee

Question 49

typically a building permit costs what percent of the project's overall value?

Answer 49

1% - 5%