Building Science — Chapter 1 Study Materials Flashcards

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Building

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A building is a man-made structure with a roof and walls that stands more or less permanently in one place and is used for various purposes. According to NBC of India, it includes foundations, plinth, walls, floors, roofs and any part affixed thereto.

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Building Types

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Categories of buildings based on use, such as residential, educational, institutional, assembly, business, mercantile, industrial, storage/parking, and hazardous. Classification helps determine design, safety, and regulatory requirements.

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Residential Building

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A building that provides sleeping accommodation for residential purposes and may include cooking and dining facilities. Examples include houses and apartments.

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Educational Building

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A building used primarily for academic purposes such as schools, colleges, and universities. Design often prioritizes daylighting, ventilation, and circulation for large occupant groups.

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Institutional Building

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A building or part of a building used for care or treatment, such as medical, mental health, or long-term care facilities. Such buildings require specialized ventilation, circulation, and safety provisions.

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Assembly Building

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A building or portion where groups gather for recreation, entertainment, worship, or meetings, like theatres, halls, and auditoriums. Acoustic design and crowd circulation are important considerations.

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Thermal Performance

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The modeling of energy transfer between a building and its surroundings, influenced by geometry, material properties, weather, and internal heat gains. Good thermal performance reduces energy use for heating and cooling.

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Thermal Comfort

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A subjective state of mind expressing satisfaction with the thermal environment, achieved when the body's heat loss balances heat production. It depends on environmental factors (temperature, humidity, radiation, air movement) and personal factors (clothing, metabolic rate, health).

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Passive Solar Design

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Design strategies that use orientation, layout, material selection, shading, and vegetation to control heat and daylight without mechanical systems. It relies on natural energy sources like sun and wind and simple physical principles.

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Active Solar Design

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Use of mechanical or electrical systems (e.g., PV panels, solar water heaters) to collect, store, and distribute solar energy for heating, cooling, or lighting. It requires equipment to convert and transport solar power.

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Ventilation

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The supply of fresh outdoor air to an enclosed space or the removal of indoor air from that space. Proper ventilation prevents buildup of CO2, pollutants, odors, heat, and moisture to maintain healthy indoor air quality.

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Natural Ventilation

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Ventilation achieved by natural forces (wind and buoyancy) through openings like windows and vents without mechanical assistance. It requires adequate opening sizes, orientation, and airflow paths to be effective.

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Mechanical Ventilation

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Use of fans or HVAC systems to supply, exhaust, or recirculate air to control temperature, humidity, and air quality. It is required when natural ventilation or minimum opening-area rules cannot be met.

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Air Conditioning

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The engineered control of air with respect to temperature, humidity, odor, bacteria, and particulates to create a comfortable indoor environment. It combines ventilation, filtration, heating, and cooling as needed.

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Daylight Factor

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The ratio of indoor illumination at a point to simultaneous outdoor illumination under an unobstructed sky, expressed as a percentage. It is given by $DF = \frac{E_i}{E_o} \times 100\%$ and depends on sky, externally reflected, and internally reflected components.

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Daylight Components

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Three main paths by which outside light reaches a point inside: sky component (SC), externally reflected component (ERC), and internally reflected component (IRC). The sum SC + ERC + IRC gives the total contribution to interior illuminance.

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Acoustics

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The science of sound covering origin, propagation, perception, and the design of spaces for optimal listening or speech transmission. Good acoustic design addresses echo, reverberation, sound foci, deadspots, and insulation against exterior noise.

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Sound Insulation

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Methods to block or reduce sound transmission using massive walls, porous partitions, double walls, cavity construction, floor treatments, and insulated doors or windows. Effective insulation addresses both airborne and impact noise.

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Damp-Proofing

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Treatment to retard absorption of moisture into building surfaces when there is no hydrostatic pressure, typically using membranes or repellant surface treatments. Methods include membrane DPC, integral additives, surface treatments, cavity walls, and guniting.

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Waterproofing

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Treatment to prevent liquid water passage in the presence of hydrostatic pressure, applied either from the positive side (same side as water source) or the negative side (opposite side). Positive-side waterproofing is generally the most effective approach.