Site

Question 1

What are the three general topics to consider during site analysis?

Answer 1

• Solar orientation
• Climate region
• Alternative energy systems

Question 2

What are the three primary aspects of solar orientation?

Answer 2

• Control of solar heat gain and heat loss
• Location of outdoor spaces / activities
• Location of building entries

Question 3

What are the dates of the solar equinoxes and solstices?

Answer 3

• Winter Solstice : DEC 21
• Vernal Equinox : MAR 21
• Summer Solstice : JUN 21
• Autumnal Equinox : SEP 21

Question 4

What determines the nominal “orientation” of a building?

Answer 4

The direction that it’s longest sun-exposed side faces.

Question 5

What is the range of optimal building orientation?

Answer 5

For most buildings, in most climates:

5-25 degrees east of south.

Question 6

What is typically the best way to shade from the sun on different sides of the building?

Answer 6

(assuming norther hemisphere)

South side: deep horizontal overhangs optimize shade in the summer and heat gain in the winter.

East/west side: vertical baffles optimize shade for the low sun in summer mornings/evenings.

Question 7

What are the general criteria for location outdoor program with respect to solar gain?

Answer 7

In hot+humid climates, outdoor program is best placed in the shade of the building, usually the north side building.

In temperate climates, outdoor program is best placed in the sun shine, usually the south side of the bluilding.

Question 8

What is the best placement of building entries in temperate climates?

Answer 8

On the south side, where sun can help melt snow and ice in the winter.

Question 9

What are the four broad climate regions in the U.S.?

Answer 9

Cool:
The northern part of the central US and the mountainous parts of Colorado and Wyoming

Temperate:
Most of the middle latitudes plus the northwest and northeast regions.

Hot-humid:
The the southeast and most of the south

Hot-arid:
From southern California across to parts of western Texas

Question 10

What parts of the U.S. are in Climate Zone 8?

Answer 10

Only the central and norther part of Alaska.

Question 11

What parts of the U.S. are in Climate Zone 7?

Answer 11

• Southern edge of Alaska
• Northern halves of central States (N Dakota, Minn., Wisc.)
• Central swath of Colorado
• Western swath of Wyoming

Question 12

What parts of the U.S. are in Climate Zone 6?

Answer 12

• The entire northern band of the US, except Zone 7 and the northwest
• Down into Colorado and norther Utah

Question 13

What parts of the U.S. are in Climate Zone 5?

Answer 13

• The entire upper part of the middle band of the US, except the Rockies
• All of the western US except the coast, southern tip, and the northwestern corner

Question 14

What parts of the U.S. are in Climate Zone 4?

Answer 14

• The entire lower part of the middlle band of the US to the eastern half
• Little parts of the west and northern Texas
• The northwestert corner of the US

Question 15

What parts of the U.S. are in Climate Zone 3?

Answer 15

• The entire northern band part of the southern US
• The central band of Texas and the souther part of Arizona
• The southern and central parts of California

Question 16

What parts of the U.S. are in Climate Zone 2?

Answer 16

• The south band of the southern US
• The southwest corner of Arizona

Question 17

What parts of the U.S. are in Climate Zone 1?

Answer 17

• Only the tip of Florida + the Keys and all of Hawaii

Question 18

What are two of the most important aspects of a building assembly that depend on the Climate Zone of the building?

Answer 18

• Amount of insulation
• Location of vapor barrier/retarder

Question 19

What is the ‘lineage’ of the US Climate Zone map with respect to organizations and codes?

Answer 19

• Created by the US Department of Energy with the help of private research organizations
• Adopted by many organizations and codes, such as:
• IECC
• International Green Construction Code (IGCC)
• IRC
• ANSI / ASHRAE / IESNA 90.1
• Various other organizations
• Many State energy codes

Question 20

What are the general best practices for site design of buildings in cool climaetes?

Answer 20

• Minimize exposed surface area (closer to a cube, and more underground)
• Minimize norther surface exposure and put less windows and doors facing north
• Protect entries with landscaping, architectural mass, and/or airlock vestibules
• Passive heating is usually not very effective, but where needed, prioritize windows on the south
• Use interior materials with high thermal mass
• Use darker materials for exterior materials

Question 21

What are the general best practices for site design of buildings in temperate climates?

Answer 21

• Maximize southern exposure, and minimize northern exposure (rectangular buildings)
• Protect souther windows and doors with shading devices and features articulated for summer sun
• Allow for nighttime ventilation in the summer wind patterns
• Block winter wind patterns
• Use medium colors on the exterior

Question 22

What are the general best practices for site design of buildings in hot-humid climates?

Answer 22

• Maximize ventilated cooling by making buildings narrower with high floor heights
• Maximize ventilated cooling by including large operable windows, porches, and breezeways
• Employ shading devices and shading vegitation (without compromising ventilation)
• Use building materials with low thermal mass
• Use light colors on building exterior
• Use double roofs

Question 23

What are the general best practices for site design of buildings in hot-arid climates?

Answer 23

• Maximize thermal mass (to take advantage of daily temperature swings)
• Use pools of water (landscaping or roof pools) to cool the area through evaporation
• Minimize exposed surface area of the building
• Minimize the size of openings
• Shade all openings
• Use light colors on the building exterior

Question 24

What are the four most common types of alternate energy methods for buildings?

Answer 24

• Passive Solar Heating
• Natural Cooling
• Active Solar
• Photovoltaics

Question 25

What are the primary aspects of Passive Solar Heating?

Answer 25

- Synergizes well with passive daylighting - Orient the long southern exposer of the building within 15 degrees of south - Plant trees of foliage type and in locations that shade in the summer but don't block winter sun

Question 26

What are the primary aspects of Natural Cooling?

Answer 26

- Use shading devices: horizontal on the south side and vertical on the east/west side - Maximize natural ventilation with building orientation & courtyards - Maximize natural ventilation with placement and size of windows - Utilize thermal mass for "radiative cooling" - Utilize a ground-source heat pump for "ground coupling" - Take advantage of existing shade (vegetation, terrain, buildings, ETC) - Maximize glazing on the east and west sides - Use light colored materials - Minimize paving near the building - Mitigate paving near the building with light-color paving, vegetation-pervious paving, and pavement shading

Question 27

What are the primary aspects of Active Solar?

Answer 27

- Place solar collectors so they are not shaded by built or natural elements - Aesthetic affect must be carefully mitigated - Position solar collectors so they do not reflect light onto neighbors

Question 28

What are the primary aspects of Photovoltaics?

Answer 28

- Provide large flat or slope roof areas for panels to be placed - Look into the possible use of facade-integrated photovoltaic products - Be aware of the code and ordinance requirements (fire fighter access, design, ETC) of solar panels

Question 29

What is the structure of the Public Land Survey grid system?

Answer 29

- Several **Base Lines** (oriented to latitude) create the horizontal basis - Several **Principal Meridians** (oriented to longitude) create the vertical basis - **Standard Parallels** are parallel to the Base Lines, 24 mi apart - **Guide Meridians** run between between Base Lines, each 24 mi apart (non-continuous) - Each square of the grid is called a **Check**

Question 30

What is the structural of the Check sub-divisions of Public Land Survey System?

Answer 30

- Each **Check** (grid square) is sub-divided into 16 **Townships** - Each township is 6 mi on a side - Each row of townships is also called a "**Township**" - Each column of townships is called a **Range** - The townships are numbered with a "township" number north/south of a Base Line and a "range" number east/west of a Principal Meridian

Question 31

What is the structural of the Township sub-divisions of Public Land Survey System?

Answer 31

- Each Township is sub-divided into 36 **Sections**, each 1 mi on a side - Sections are numbers from the northeastern corner, across and then down - Sections are usually sub-divided into quarters and quarters of quarters

Question 32

What is the most common property description other than using the Public Land Survey System (or lot description there-within)? How does it work?

Answer 32

The "Metes and Bounds" method. Locates one corne of a property, and then gives the direction and length of each side of the property, eventually returning back to the starting point.

Question 33

What are the general reasons why modifications to existing topography should be minimized?

Answer 33

- Moving and removing soil is expensive - The more the topography is modified, the more the existing drainage has to be resolved with other built elements (slopes, culverts, ditches, ETC.) - Steep changes in topography may require retaining walls - Excessive earth cutting may damage existing tree roots and vegetation - The less earth cut, the easier it is to balance cut with fill, so that no earth needs to be purchased or carted off

Question 34

How are existing and new contours shown on the same plan?

Answer 34

Existing are dashed and now are solid. Both need to meet where they join existing, unmodified contours (or a retaining wall).

Question 35

What is the measurements of grade slope? What is its formula?

Answer 35

It is a percentage of 100ft. 1% is 1ft rise per 100ft horizontal.

Question 36

What are the general ranges of grade slopes with respect to their usability?

Answer 36

0-4% Most usable and easy to build on. 4-10% Harder to use, but still suitable for outdoor activity. Can be built on without too much difficulty or cost. Over 10% Difficult to climb, not always suitable for use. Most difficult to build on, but can be done with some expense. Over 25% Very difficult to traverse. Starts to become subject to errosion. Very expensive to build on, if even possible.

Question 37

What are the general grade slope ranges for some common site elements?

Answer 37

(Minimum-Maximum) Ground drainage -------- 2.0-4.0% Grassy recreation area -- 2.0-3.0% Paved parking areas ----- 1.5-5.0% Roads ---------------------- 0.5-10.0% Sanitary sewers ---------- 0.5%+ Building approaches ---- 1.0-5.0% Landscaping ------------- 2.0-50.0% Ramps -------------------- 5.0-8.33%

Question 38

What types of natural drainage features may be present on a site? How should they be considered in site planning?

Answer 38

Gullies, dry gulches, and rivers are all existing natural drainage features. Neither the building nor the new site grading may interupt these features. If they do, it could cause significant destruction to the site or ecological issues in the future.

Question 39

What is the Runoff Coefficient? How should it be considered in site planning?

Answer 39

The fraction of precipitation landing on the side that is NOT absorbed. If the Runoff Coefficient is higher than the capacity of natural and built runnoff features, then other site features must be employed to store runoff.

Question 40

What are the primary aspects of a Silt Fence?

Answer 40

- Prevent sediment runnoff into waterways and stormwater systems. (*downstream sediment can degrade aquatic habitats, inhibit drinking water filtration, and decrease drinking water capacity*) - A temporary fence that catches sediment from storm runnoff during construction - Usually made from posts with filter-fabric stretch between them - Must be oriented along site contours wherever runoff could possibly travel, in such a way that is catches runoff, not just redirects it - Exact construction requirements may vary depending on the AHJ

Question 41

What are the typical layers of soil?

Answer 41

Topsoil Sediment and organic material, from a few inches to a foot or more deep Sediment mineral Pulverized sediment of the bedrock below Bedrock Solid rock

Question 42

What are the general nominal sediment sizes?

Answer 42

Gravel -- 2mm+ Sand ---- 0.05-2mm Silt ------ 0.002-0.05mm Clay ----- \<0.002mm

Question 43

What are the general design aspects of each of the types of sediment?

Answer 43

Gravels and sands: * Suitable for foundations * Suitable for drainage and sewage leach fields * UNsuitable for landscaping Silts: * Stable when dry but unstable when wet * Compresses under load * Swells when frozen * Building foundations and road base layers must extend below silt layers (or have enough elastic strength to withstand swelling) Clays: * Swells when wet * Slips when wet * Cannot be used for foundations (unless it can be kept dry) * Cannot be used for drainage or sewage leach fields (retains water) Organic soils * Excellent for landscaping * UNsuitablled for foundations * Usually need to be removed form the site and replaces with sand and gravel for foundations and road bases.