CVEN2101 Tutorial Study Guide

CVEN2101 – Tutorial Guide

Buildings I

What are the main functional requirements for buildings?

Shelter Security Safety (and comfort) Ease of maintenance, periodic repair or replacement. Adaptability and durability. Ability to recycle materials and components

What factors contribute to the performance of buildings from a client’s perspective?

Space (determined by a figure for floor area) Thermal and acoustic performance Design life and service life of the building/specific building

elements. Cost of construction, cost in use, cost in demolition Quality of the finished building Appearance of the finished buildings

How is quality measured in a construction project?

Interaction and characteristics of the participants engaged in design and manufacture.

Effectiveness of the briefing process Effectiveness of the design decision making process and resultant

information Effectiveness of assembly process Effectiveness of communications Time constraints Financial constraints Manner in which users perceive their built environment

What are construction defects? Explain the 2 categories of defects.

Product defects: faults and flaws with the building material. Productsrecently launched onto the market, carry an increased degree ofuncertainty over their performance perceived increase in risk.

Less problematic due to constant drive to improve the quality ofmaterials and building components from the manufacturing sector(assuming selected, specified and assembled to manufacturer’sspecifications).

Lessened due to manufacturer’s stringent quality control andmanagement tools to ensure consistent specified quality, on-timedelivery and readily available technical support.

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Process defects: problems with process of design and construction.

Human error, quality of information and timing of the delivery ofthe completed information (i.e. Communication) influences thelikelihood of defects occurring.

Design changes (e.g. during construction phases) may causeproblems with constructability and subsequent maintenance.

Explain the roles local authorities have in the construction process, namely at thecommencement of a project.

How does a structure remain stable when load is applied to it?

Materials and structures compress locally – deflects, finds theirpassive reaction to loads placed on them.

What is the difference between strength and stiffness?

Strength is a measure of the maximum load that can be placed on amaterial before it permanently deforms or breaks. Stiffness is ameasure of the amount of deflection that a load cause on a material.

Buildings II & III

What is the difference between cement and concrete?

Concrete is a mixture of particles of sand and gravel (aggregate) boundtogether with cement (matrix) and other cementitious materials (flyash, slag). Cement is manufactured by firing a mixture of clay and

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Planning approval must be applied for and have been

granted before the commencement of construction work → done mainly by local

council.

Regarding legislation: right to develop, alter or demolish

buildings.

Information for submission + time for consultation + descisions for process →

obtaining approval.

Unsuccessful → appeal or revise proposal submission.

limestone at high temps → fuses to form clinker → ground with gypsum toavoid flash-set into cement fine powder.

How do we classify high strength concrete? What are the benefits of using it in structuralsystems?

High Strength concrete: compressive strength of 50MPa. Used because:

Puts the concrete into service at a much earlier age. Builds high rise buildings by reducing column sizes and

increasing available space. Enhances the durability of the material.

What is prestressed concrete? What are the differences between pre-tensioned and post-tensioned concrete systems, and when would you adopt each one?

Prestressed concrete: composite material. Made from concrete + smallamounts of high strength steel tendons and some reinforcing steel.During construction, the tendons are tensioned against the hardenedconcrete → put into a state of permanent pre-compression → improves theservice load behaviour → reduced deflections and reduced cracking.

Post-tensioned: process of tensioning the tendons after the concretehas hardened sufficiently.

Tendons cannot be bent to the concrete at the time of pre-stressing → placed in special ducts which pass in straight orcurved paths throughout the member.

After pre-stressing operation, the ducts and tendons may bepressure grouted in order to provide protection to the cables andintroduce bond between the concrete and the pre-stressing tendon.

Pre-tensioned: the tendon is pre-stressed before the concrete is cast.

Concrete is placed directly around the pre-stressed tendon inappropriate formwork, when the concrete has gained sufficientstrength, the prestressing force is released.

Tendon profile is straight → not ideal for continuous members.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Structural Steel, Concrete, Timber and Masonry?

Structural Steel:

Advantages DisadvantagesHigh strength Maintenance – steel is susceptible

to corrosion when exposed to air, water and humidity → rust

Homogeneity Fireproofing costs – the strength

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of steel reduces dramatically whenexposed to high temperatures

Elasticity Buckling – as the length and slenderness increases → danger of buckling increases

Ductility Fatigue – strength of steel members reduce when subjected to cyclic loads

ToughnessGood in tension – takes largeamounts of tensile stress thatsteel cannot

Concrete:

Advantages DisadvantagesCompares favourably in terms of economy, durability, and functionality with other materials

Low tensile strength → large tensile stresses develop as a result of external loads and factors (i.e. temperature) → precludes the use of plain concrete

Readily moulded into virtually anyshape

Low ductility

High compressive strength Low strength to weight ratioIncreasing use in building construction

Masonry:

Advantages Disadvantages Increases the thermal mass of the building and protects against fire.

Extreme weather can cause degradation of masonry wall surfaces due to frost damage.

Most masonry structures don’t require painting

Masonry tends to be heavy and mustbe built upon a strong foundation,e.g. reinforced concrete, to avoidsettling and cracking.

Durable and resistant to projectiles

Masonry construction does not lenditself well to mechanization, and requires a lot of skilled labour.

Lifespan 500+ years when designed correctly

Low tensile strength

Timber:

Advantages Disadvantages

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Renewable resource Not manufactured with consistent structural properties

Strong parallel to the grain Weak perpendicular to the grainCheap In compression, timber susceptible

to buckling Aesthetically pleasing Failure is tensile region

Flammable

Buildings IV

In no more than one page describe what the objectives of building codes are.

Building Codes: set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable levelof safety for constructed objects such as building structures. Mainpurpose: to protect public health, safety and general well-being asthey relate to the construction and occupancy of buildings andstructures. Applied by architects, engineers, constructors andregulators. Written with new construction in mind → more provisionsmade applicable to alteration, repair, and renovation of existingfacilities → increasingly important with the preservation ofheritage/historic structures and the sustainable design implications ofreusing existing buildings.

What are the differences between Building Codes and Design Standards?

Standard of Care: codes are legal and ethical considerations that arethe minimum criteria that must be met by the design and construction →protection of health, safety, and welfare. Design standards outline thedesign criteria required for the construction of structural elements →outlines the limits and capacities to be met to ensure structuralstability and integrity.

In no more than one page explain what an engineer’s duty of care is in relation to the designand construction of a large infrastructure project.

Duty of care defines the levels of quality of service that apractitioner is expected to meet → higher than the minimum standarddefined by codes. Standard of care is defined for an individualdesigner as being those actions than other well informed practitionerwould have taken given the same level of knowledge in the samesituations → relative measure.

How do performance based codes differ from prescriptive based codes?

Use of performance code increased due to development of new modellingtechniques for predicting how a building reacts under different stimuli(e.g. fire, earthquake etc.) Performance codes give designers morefreedom to comply with the stated goals → they also require the

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designer to take on more responsibility for knowing the consequence oftheir actions.

What are the differences between active and passive fire protection systems?

Active fire protection employs fire detection systems/suppression –systems which require a certain amount of response or motion (presenceof fire) to enable, e.g. fire extinguishers, fire sprinkler systems.Passive fire protection – systems built into the structure, e.g.firewalls, occupancy segregation, fireproof cladding.

Foundations

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using driven or bored piles?

Driven piles:

Advantages DisadvantagesMaterial can be inspected before it goes into the ground.

May break during hard driving causing delays or suffer major damage.

Construction procedure unaffected by groundwater.

Noise and vibration during drivingmay cause nuisance or damage.

Can be readily carried above ground level.

Cannot be driven in conditions of low headroom.

Bored piles:

Advantages DisadvantagesLength can be used to suit varyingground condition.

Susceptible to wristing/necking insqueezing ground.

Soil can be inspected → in-situ tests applied on sample.

Concrete is not placed under idealconditions → cannot be inspected after pouring.

Material of piles is not dependanton handling or ground conditions.

Water under artesian pressure may pipe up pile shaft washing out cement.

Can be installed in very long length, without appreciable noise or vibration, and conditions of low head-room.

Boring methods may loosen sandy and gravelly soils → sinking pilesmay cause loss of ground in cohesionless soils → loads to settlement of adjacent structures.

No risk of ground heave.

List a step by step procedure to construct a slab on grade for a residential project.

1. Excavate the site level and set out the house.2. Excavate the trenches.3. Dig out recesses in the slab.

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4. Set-up the formwork.5. Screed and compact a sand bed.6. Lay the damp proofing membrane.7. Install the reinforcement.8. Pour the concrete.9. Screed and finish the concrete.10. Cure the concrete.

Explain the role of anchors in sheet pile foundations.

To provide additional lateral support to the sheet piles → avoidssurrounding soil walls from collapsing.

Temporary Structures

List the ways to reduce the cost of formwork in a construction project.

During design:

Consider details of joints and complicated regions of thestructure and simplify with respect to formwork → standard formsare preferable, simple joints.

Use beam and columns of the same size wherever possible tofacilitate the reuse of forms, and space beams and columns asevenly as possible.

Try to minimise cutting of sheets as much as possible byconsidering sizes of sheets for slab formwork. Consider standardtimber sizes when designing beams etc. often it is cheaper tomake the structural element larger and save on the formwork cost.

During construction:

Design the formwork to provide adequate strength with minimalmaterial use.

When planning forms, consider: construction sequence, use ofprefab panels, ease of stripping, minimising cutting of timber.

Clean panels thoroughly between uses and store them carefully toprevent deterioration of distortion.

Control waste of material by carpenters; try to make themconscious of the cost materials.

Remove forms as soon as it is possible → promotes reuse →recycling is time dependent.

Cranes

There are several types of cranes available in industry. List some of these types of cranes andexplain when you would use each one with respect to site conditions.

Crawlers: provides the crane with travel capability around the jobsite.Usually have lower initial cost per rate lift capability, but movement

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between jobs is more expensive. Should be considered for projectsrequired long duration usage at a single site.

Hydraulic trucks: Self-contained boom → most units can travel on publichighways between projects.

Lattice-boom truck: light-weight, full revolving superstructure mountedon truck. Disadvantage: harder and longer to set up.

Rough-terrain: units equipped with large wheels → improvesmanoeuvrability around sites.

All-terrain: has dual cabs: undercarriage that is capable of longdistance highway travel and a superstructure cab which has both driveand crane controls. By combining job-site mobility and transitcapability, these machines are very good when multiple lifts arerequired.

Heavy lift: Lift capacities from 600-2000 tonnes.

Tower: high-lift height with good working radius and takes up limitedspace. Advantage: boom at the top of the tower → avoids obstacles →useful for high rise buildings. Usually crane of choice when:

Site conditions are restrictive. Lift height and reach are extreme. There is no need for mobility.

What factors must a construction manager consider when selecting a crane for his project?

The utilization of a tower crane requires considerable planning becausethe crane is a fixed installation on the site for the duration of theheavy construction activities → it must be able to cover all pointsfrom which loads are to be lifted and to reach the locations where theloads must be placed

→Individual tower cranes are selected for use based on:

Weight, dimensions and lift radii of the heaviest load Maximum free standing height of the machine Maximum braced height of the machine Hoist speed Length of cable that the hoist can carry

Blasting & Explosives

Define the following terms in relation to blasting:

1. Burden: Shortest distance to the stress relief at the time a blasthole detonates → the distance to the free face in an excavation.

2. Back break: rock broken at the hole collar beyond the limits of thelast row.

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3. Sub-drilling: technique of drilling holes deeper than the desiredfloor grade in order to achieve on-grade shear and eliminate toe.

4. Air-blast: air-bourne shockwave resulting from the detonation →caused by burden movement or release of expanding gas into the air.

5. Fly-rock: rock that is propelled through the air from a blast →excessive if caused by poor blast design, unexpected zones ofweakness in the rock.

6. ANFO: Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil → blasting agent. Advantage in termsof transportation, maximum efficiency when there is oxygen balance.

What is a booster and when is it used?

A booster is used to increase the breaking power at a specific point inthe explosive charge along a blast hole → bridge between a low energyexplosive charge and a low sensitivity explosive (high energy).

What is stemming and what are its material requirements?

Stemming is an inert substance filled between the explosive charge andthe collar of the blast hole to confine the explosive gases → rocks =1/12 of blast hole diameter. Stemming material can include: water,drill cuttings, sand, mud, crushed rock, etc. Under the effect of theimpulsive gas pressure, dry angular crushed rock tends to form acompaction arch (looks like a blast hole) increasing resistance toejection.

T=12zA ( QS100 )

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Bridges

Describe the development of bridges to meet the needs of society.

Explain some of the factors which affect the type of bridge that is to be constructed.

Length to be bridged Depth of channel to be crossed Underpass clearance required Type and volume of traffic Extreme temperature conditions Aesthetics

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Need to move from one side of a

river to the other → usually a fallen

log.

demands of warfare → more tanks, men,

machinery, supplies etc. → caused the developement of safer and wider

bridges.

Plane the floor → make an even level

surface, wider roadway → placing timber planks at

right angles to two parallel bridges →

widen apart.

What are the advantages of slab on girder bridges?

The design is relatively simple Uniform design is often developed which can be standardised

easilyo Standardisation minimises the need for creating a plethora

of codes and specifications for designers to followo Uniformity also means its consistent and hence economical

methods can be employed in repairing deteriorated structures Constructions is fairly straightforward – pre-fabricated primary

members allow for quick erection and a clean appearance. Futurebridge widening is relatively easy.

When would you opt for a cable stayed or suspension bridge over a slab on Girder Bridge?

Choice for medium-to-long span bridge → low cost, ease of construction,aesthetically pleasing. Constructed with balanced cantilevered method →false work is usually not necessary + less material → reduced cost.

Describe the mechanics of an arch bridge.

Works by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partiallyinto a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side.

With the aid of sketches or otherwise, define the components of a slab on girder bridgessuperstructure?

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With the aid of sketches or otherwise, define the components of a slab on girder bridgesubstructure?

Demolition

What is demolition?

The process of dismantling, destroying or wrecking any buildingstructure (or part thereof) that is load-bearing by pre-planned andcontrolled methods.

Explain the purpose of a Building appraisal and Demolition plan.

Building appraisal: survey and assessment of the structure’s load,economic feasibility and rehabilitation or reuse of existing structureor structure materials → structural calculations assessing thestability of the building identifying and assessing hazardous wastematerial, presence of toxic materials which might threaten workersafety → delay and costly to the deconstruction process.

Demolition plan: details the location, site topography, structuralsupport systems, proposed shoring and temporary supports. Precautionarymeasures: site safety, features should emphasise protection of thepublic (especially for pedestrians, vehicular traffic and adjacentproperties). Choice of demolition depends on the project conditions,site constraints, sensitivity of the neighbourhood, and availability ofequipment.

What is the general sequence of demolition activities in the top down (Manual) approach?

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1. Disconnect utilities (electricity, water).2. Demolish all cantilevered structures which are attached to the

external walls of the main building.3. When demolishing the roof structure, all lift machine rooms and

water tanks at high levels shall be demolished.4. Demolish the floor slabs starting at the mid-span and work

towards the supporting beams.5. Floor beams in the following order:

a. Cantilevered beamsb. Secondary beamsc. Primary beams

6. Non-load bearing walls should be removed prior to demolition ofload bearing walls.

7. Columns and load bearing walls to be determined after removal ofbeams on top.

What is the general sequence of demolition activities in the top down (with machines) approach?

1. Starting at the top – demolition of slabs and beams.2. Provide access ramps out of steel structural frame to allow

machine to climb down to the next floor below. 3. Demolition of interior column may be needed to create access and

working room for exterior wall demolition. Demolish column byfirst pre-weakening the bottom, then dismantling by machine infull controlled motion.

4. Cutting the exterior wall in sections and pre-weakening thecolumns → cutting should be careful to minimise the debrisfalling outside.

5. Machine should be used to brace the wall section while cuttingthe reinforcing section should be pulled down in a controlledmotion.

How would you dismantle a post tensioned slab?

Notes: Care should be taken to avoid premature failure of the elementwhen dead load superimposed on the element is reduced as demolitionprogresses.

a) Locate and mark the centrelines of the columns supporting the member

b) Locate the profile of the tendons and mark it on both faces of themember

c) Expose the exterior tendons on each face of the member midwaybetween the centrelines of all intermediate columns supporting themember.

d) Cut the exposed tendons at each location starting from the centre ofthe member on alternating faces and proceed to the ends of the member.

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e) Repeat steps (c) and (d) until all the tendons have been completelysevered.

Why are statically determinate structures difficult to demolish?

Normally lack continuity, which has the following characteristics:

1. Large deflections.2. High stress concentrations at critical points.

If any part of the system fails, it can cause disastrous collapse ofthe structure → load path is cut off → causes structural failure.

Dewatering

Explain the effect of soil type on the flow of groundwater.

The rate at which water flows through soil is dependent on the

type of soil on site.

Sandy or gravelly soils are free draining which permits fairly

rapid flow of water.

Clays and silts have a low permeability and tend to hold water.

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Distinguish between the 4 basic methods of controlling groundwater in a construction project

Permit water to flow into an excavation, collect in ditches andthen pump away → Open pumping.

Pre-drain the soil before excavation using pumped wells ordrains.

Cut off the water with steel sheet piling, ground freezing orgrout.

Exclude the water with compressed air or a slurry shield.

Note: proper decision relies on adequate information on many factorsaffecting the problem: soil type, ground water hydrology, depth ofexcavation, method of excavation, distance to nearby structures,schedule, and contamination issues on site.

What is open pumping?

Process of removing water that has entered an open-excavation site.

Under what circumstances would you opt for open pumping in place of pre-draining a site?

Conditions favourable for open pumpingSoils which are low in permeability(dense well graded soils, with somedegree of cohesiveness)

Seepage is likely to be low tomoderate in volume.

Strong/hard rock Typical in quarry operations

Low dewatering head Quantity of water to be pumped islow.

Relatively flat slopes Can support seepage withoutbecoming unstable.

Light foundation loads Slight disturbance of the subsoilmay not be harmful

Large excavation Time required to move earth is slowprocess, the time required to pumpout water from ditches doesn’taffect schedule.

Green Construction

There are many definitions of sustainability. What does this term mean to you?

The ability of society to continue functioning into the future withoutbeing forced into decline through exhaustion or overloading of the keyresources on which that system depends.

What is a ‘green building’?

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A high performance property that considers and reduces it impact on theenvironment and human health. Designed to use less energy and water andto reduce the life cycle environmental impacts of the materials used →achieved through better site selection, design, material selection,construction techniques, operation, maintenance, removal and possiblereuse.

What does the term ‘sustainable design’ refer to?

Represents a balance that can accommodate the needs of humans withoutdiminishing the health and productivity of natural systems.

How do buildings affect the carbon footprint of their surroundings?

Buildings and construction processes contribute directly andindirectly to most of our environmental problems → tremendousconsumers of resources and generators of waste.

The industrial processes used to manufacture building materialsand equipment contribute to waste and pollution.

Buildings and infrastructure that support them consumer openspace and displace habitat.

The quality of our indoor environment can inhibit productivityand in some cases even threaten our health.

What are the main goals for the environmental improvement of buildings?

Protect the ecosystem and support restoration of natural systems. Promote development of liveable communities. Use resources efficiently (water, energy, land, materials, etc.). Create healthy indoor environments. Move toward eliminating waste and pollution (production of

material); construction of project; use of project;deconstruction of project).

Move away from fossil fuels.

Explain what the 10 things developers can do to improve the sustainability of an infrastructureproject.

1. Select and develop sites topromote liveable communities

-Consider regional land usepatterns and impacts to thewildlife habitat when selectingsites-Give preference to options thatredevelop existing sites andstructures, and make use ofexisting structures-Develop links to public transitand strategies to develop

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pedestrian friendly, mixed useliveable communities -Encourage pedestrian circulationby animating streets with retailspace at street level-Provide parks, recreationalareas, and conservation easements

2. Develop flexible designs toenhance building longevity

-Design for ease of expansion andreconfiguration-Consider future needs and designin flexibility to accommodate themthrough the use of modularplanning and flexible buildinginfrastructures for heating,ventilation, air conditioning,power and communication-Avoid the use of fixed cablingand ducting that are embedded intothe structure which can be costlyto change-Consider the appropriatelongevity of the proposed facilityand design accordingly: -If the anticipated life span isshort, consider possible futureuses for the facility and/ordesign for disassembly- For facilities with a longanticipated life span, design toease periodic refurbishment andselective replacement of buildingsystems

3. Use natural strategies toprotect and restore waterresources

-Design the site to limitdisruption to existing vegetatedareas, and use natural stormwatertreatment systems such as bio-retention, pervious paving andvegetated rooftops to purifyrunoff and promote groundwaterrecharge-Consider the impact on waterflows on the site when locatingbuildings, roadways and siteinfrastructure to limit disruptionto existing natural site drainagepatterns

4. Improve energy efficiency whileensuring thermal comfort

-Improve the building envelope anddevelop passive solar strategies

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to improve comfort and reduceenergy demands; then optimize the energy efficiency of heatingventilation and air conditioningsystems-Fluorescent lighting hassignificantly improved over theyears. These should be used forall building lighting

5. Reduce environmental impactrelated to energy use

-Explore opportunities to reducereliance on fossil fuels and touse cleaner sources of power. -Consider use of fuel cells,photovoltaics’, solar hot wateretc. -Depending on whether the utilityuses coal, oil, natural gas ornatural energy sources, theenvironmental impacts will varysubstantially

6. Promote occupant health andwellbeing indoors

-Consider opportunities to enhancethe indoor environment byproviding building occupants with a connection to nature andnatural daylight, improvedlighting and acoustics and improved air quality-Consider use of gardens,landscaped courtyards, greenroofs, and views to landscapesbeyond-Use natural ventilation

7. Conserve water and considerwater reuse system

-Conserve water with the use oflow-flow plumbing fixtures andwater efficient appliances andwater efficient cooling towers -Consider the use of waterlessfixtures such as waterless urinalsand composting toilets where appropriate -Consider collection of rainwaterand reuse of grey water for non-potable uses

8. Use environmentally preferablebuilding materials*

-Evaluate the environmentalimpacts and resource use ofproposed building materials overtheir full life cycle-Raw materials sources,

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production, transport to site,installation, and disposal shouldbe questioned and evaluated priorto making a selection-Seek out nontoxic materials fromlocal, renewable, sustainablyacquired resources that minimizepollution from manufacturinginstallation and maintenanceExample:-The binding agent of concrete,Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC),accounts for approximately 5% ofglobal industrial energyconsumption, with waterconsumption the only resource usedmore than concrete. The global OPCindustry consumes an estimated 2.9billion tonnes of naturalresources each year andcontributes to approximately 7% ofall anthropogenic CO2 emissions.Australian production processesrelease about 800 kg of CO2 per 1tonne of cementitious materialproduced. -Utilisation of industry wasteproducts, such as fly ash andslag, in place of cement is analternative to reduce the carbonfootprint of the concrete industrywithout compromising performance.Geopolymers utilise such wasteproducts; they contain no OrdinaryPortland Cement and behave in asimilar quasi-brittle fashion tothat of concrete – thus proving tobe an emerging sustainablematerial.

9. Use appropriate plant material -Use plant material adapted to theregions climate, soils and wateravailability to ensure survival while reducingmaintenance and irrigationrequirements -Limit the use of high maintenancelandscaping and maximize the areaof natural settings

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-Overall, protect the naturalfeatures of the site

10. Plan for recycling duringconstruction/ demolition andoccupancy

-It is a matter of experience andperhaps of human nature that ifrecycling is made easy and convenient, it will probablyhappen-Provide facilities for recyclingat the point of use on each floor(e.g.. copy rooms) -Contact local waste authoritiesto establish procedures toaccommodate the existing recyclingprocesses

What is meant by the term ‘Building Envelope’? How can we improve it?

The physical separators between the conditioned and unconditionedenvironment of a building – including resistance to air, water, heat,light and noise transfer. Elements include:

- Weather barrier- Air barrier- Thermal barrier

Improvements: improve energy efficiency while ensuring thermal comfort→ develop passive strategies to improve comfort and reduce energydemands → optimise energy efficiency of ventilation and airconditioning systems.

What is Geopolymer concrete?

Uses industrial waste products such as fly ash and slag, in place ofcement, as an alternative to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete inindustry without compromising performance. Contains no OPC and behavesin a similar quasi-brittle fashion to that of concrete → emergingsustainable material.

How will sustainable design affect the cost of a project?

Economic benefits of energy, water and materials savings → reducedmaintenance and other operational costs. Benefits to building ownersand occupants – limits risk such as liability due to poor indoor air

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quality. Contributes to positive public relations – increasing demandfor environmental solutions and support. Improved building performance→ more economical. Integrated design solutions allow for cost shiftingto occur within a conventional budget envelope: e.g. increasedexpenditures on the building envelope and improved lighting can lead toreductions in the size and therefore the cost of mechanical systems.Effective design process → seeks to be more efficient and eliminateswaste. Allows meaningful upgrades in areas: e.g. low impact sitedevelopment leads to reduced earthworks, balanced cut and fill,elimination of irrigation systems, reduced stormwater requirements.

List 5 ways to improve the green star rating of a building project.

Sustainable sites Water conservation Energy efficiency and atmosphere protection Materials and resource conservation Indoor environment quality

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