Building Util Summary Notes
Building Util Summary Notes
Building Util Summary Notes
Development of Fire
1. Incipient – begins when heat, oxygen and a fuel source combine and have a chemical
reaction resulting in fire
Ignition Point - the lowest temperature at which a substance will undergo
spontaneous combustion and continue to burn without additional application of
external heat
2. Growth – where the structures fire load and oxygen are used as fuel for the fire
3. Fully Developed – growth stage has reached its maximum and all combustible
materials have been ignited
Flashover – a rapid transition between the growth and fully developed stages
Types of Fire
1. Class A Fire – a fire involving ordinary combustible materials, such as wood, paper,
and cloth, on which the quenching or cooling effect of water is of primary
importance
2. Class B Fire – a fire involving flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oil, and grease,
which must be extinguished by excluding air and inhibiting the release of
combustible vapors
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5. Class E or K Fire
• Materials
Fire-Rated – noting or pertaining to a material, assembly, or construction having a
fire-resistance rating required by its use. Also, fire-resistive
Fireproofing – any of various materials, such as concrete, lath and plaster, or gypsum
board, used in making a building material, member, or system resistant to damage
or destruction by fire
a. Spray-on Fireproofing – a mixture of mineral fibers and an inorganic binder,
applied by air pressure with a spray gun to provide a thermal barrier to the
heat of a fire
b. Intumescent Paint – a coating that, when exposed to the heat of a fire, swells to
form a thick insulating layer of inert gas bubbles that retards flame spread and
combustion
• Site Development
Fire Zone – a zone of a city within which certain construction types are prohibited
because of fire hazards present in the zone
Firebreak – an open space established to prevent the spread of fire from a building, a
group of buildings, or an area of a city to another
• Structures
Fire Separation – any floor, wall, or roof-ceiling construction having the required
fire-resistance rating to confine the spread of fire
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a. Occupancy Separation – a vertical or horizontal construction having the
required fire-resistance rating to prevent the spread of fire from one
occupancy to another in a mixed-occupancy building
b. Fire Wall – a wall having the required fire-resistance rating to prevent the spread
of fire from one part of a building to another, extending from the foundation
to a parapet above the roof and having all openings restricted to a certain
percentage of the wall length and protected by a self-closing or automatic-
closing fire assembly. Each portion of a building separated by one or more
fire walls may be considered a separate building when calculating the floor
area and height allowed by a building code
Fire Assembly – the assembly of a fire door, fire window, or fire damper, including
all required hardware, anchorage, frames, and sills
a. Self-Closing Fire Assembly – a fire assembly that is normally kept in a closed
position and is equipped with an approved device to insure closing and
latching after having been opened for use
Means of Egress – a continuous path of travel from any point in a building to the
outside at ground level
a. Exit Access – that portion of a means of egress that leads to an exit. Building
codes specify the maximum distance of travel to an exit and the minimum
distance between exits when two or more are required
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i. Horizontal Exit – a passage through or around a wall constructed as required
for an occupancy separation, protected by an automatic-closing fire door,
and leading to an area of refuge in the same building or on approximately
the same level in an adjacent building
d. Area of Refuge – an area affording safety from fire or smoke coming from the
area from which escape is made and where persons unable to use stairways
can remain temporarily to await assistance during an emergency evacuation.
Also called area of rescue assistance
f. Exit Discharge – that portion of a means of egress that leads from an exit to an
exit court or public way. Also called egress court
i. Exit Passageway – a means of egress connecting a required exit or exit court
with a public way, having no openings other than required exits and
enclosed by fire-resistive construction as required for the walls, floors, and
ceiling of the building served
ii. Exit Court – a yard or court providing egress to a public way for one or more
required exits
• Fire Suppression
1. Standpipe – a water pipe extending vertically through a building to supply fire hoses
at every floor
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c. Class III – provided with hose connections as required for both Class I and Class
II systems
Types of Standpipes
a. Dry Standpipe – a standpipe containing no water and used by the fire department
to connect fire hoses to a fire hydrant or pumper truck
b. Wet Standpipe – a standpipe containing water under pressure and fitted with fire
hoses for emergency use by building occupants
Parts of a Standpipe
b. Water Source
i. Hydrant – an upright pipe with one or more nozzles or spouts for drawing water
from a main, esp. for fighting fires. Also called fire hydrant, fireplug
d. Standpipe
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b. Wet-Pipe System – a sprinkler system containing water at sufficient pressure to
provide an immediate, continuous discharge through sprinkler heads that open
automatically in the event of fire
d. Deluge System – a sprinkler system having sprinkler heads open at all times,
through which water flow is controlled by a valve operated by a heat-, smoke-,
or flame-sensing device
a. Water Source
i. Fire Tank
ii. Water Main
b. Fire Pump – a pump that provides the required water pressure in a standpipe or
sprinkler system when the pressure in the system drops below a preselected value
With Jockey Pump
c. Alarm Valve
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AIRCONDITIONING SYSTEM
A system or process for simultaneously controlling the temperature, humidity, purity,
distribution, and motion of the air in an interior space, esp. one capable of cooling
Heat - a form of energy associated with the random motion of atoms or molecules, capable
of being transmitted by convection, conduction, or radiation and causing substances to rise
in temperature, fuse, expand, or evaporate
2. Celsius Scale – a temperature scale divided into 100 degrees, in which 0°C represents
the freezing point and 100°C the boiling point of water under standard atmospheric
pressure. Also called Centigrade scale
4. British Thermal Unit – the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one
pound (0.4 kg) of water 1°F. Abbr.: Btu
5. Calorie – a unit of heat equal to the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature
of one gram of water 1°C at a pressure of one atmosphere, equivalent to 4.186 joule.
Abbr.: cal. Also called gram calorie, small calorie
Kilocalorie – a unit of heat equal to the quantity of het required to raise the temperature
of one kilogram of water 1°C at a pressure of one atmosphere, equivalent to 1000
small calories. Abbr.: Cal. Also called kilogram calorie, large calorie
3. Thermal Transmittance – the time rate of heat flow through a unit area of a building
component or assembly when the difference between the air temperatures on the
two sides of the component or assembly is one unit of temperature. Also called
coefficient of heat transfer
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Methods of Heat Transfer
1. Conduction – the transfer of heat from the warmer to the cooler particles of a medium
or of two bodies in direct contact, occurring without perceptible displacement of the
particles themselves
2. Convection – the transfer of heat by the circulatory motion of the heated parts of a
liquid or gas owing to a variation in density and the action of gravity
3. Radiation – the process in which energy in the form of waves or particles is emitted
by one body, passed through an intervening medium or space, and absorbed by
another body
3.) Thermal Comfort – human comfort as determined by the ability of the body to dissipate
the heat and moisture it produces by metabolic action
Relative Humidity – the ratio of the amount of water vapor actually present in the air to
the maximum amount that the air could hold at the same temperature, expressed as a
percentage. Abbr.: rh
4.) Air Conditioning System – a system or process for simultaneously controlling the
temperature, humidity, purity, distribution, and motion of the air in an interior space,
esp. one capable of cooling
Air Conditioner – any device or apparatus for controlling, esp. lowering, the temperature
and humidity of a space
Refrigeration Process
1. Compressive Refrigeration – a refrigeration process in which cooling is effected by
the vaporization and expansion of a liquid refrigerant
a. Evaporator – the component of a refrigeration system in which the refrigerant
absorbs heat from a cooling medium and changes from a liquid to a gas
b. Compressor – a pump or other machine for reducing the volume and increasing
the pressure of a gas
d. Coolant – a fluid agent for reducing the temperature of a system below a specified
value by conducting away the heat produced in the operation of the system
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Refrigerant – a liquid capable of vaporizing at a low temperature, such as
ammonia, used in mechanical refrigeration
2. Absorption Refrigeration – a refrigeration process that uses a generator and an
absorber instead of a compressor to transfer heat
a. Evaporator
d. Condenser
Free Standing
Split Type
b. Constant/Continuous Air
Volume
2. Moving Surface
a. Pallet Type – flat metal plates join together to form a walkway
b. Moving Belt – mesh metal belts or rubber over metal rollers
3. Motor
4. Baluster
2. Moving Surface
4. Motor
Types of Escalator
1. Straight Run
Spiral
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2. Spiral
3. Elevator/Lifts
2. Freight Elevator – an elevator for carrying heavy cargo on which the operator and
the persons necessary for unloading and loading the freight are permitted to ride
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i. Control Panel – a panel containing switches,
buttons, and other equipment for regulating
electrical devices
viii. Buffer – a piston or spring device for absorbing the impact of a descending
elevator car or counterweight at the extreme lower limit of travel
f. Landing – the portion of a floor adjacent to an elevator hoistway, used for the
receiving and discharge of passengers or freight
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BASICS OF ACOUSTICS
Acoustics is the science concerned with the production, control, transmission, reception, and
effects of sound.
Types of Acoustic
1. Environmental Noise
This type deals with vibration and noise which the roadways cause. Railways, aircraft
and general activities that are associated with the environment. The chief goal of these is for
reducing vibration and noise that impacts the environment.
2. Musical Acoustics
This one concerns the study of physics of music which is how we use sounds for making
music. Areas of study in this comprise of the human voice, musical instruments, and music
therapy.
3. Ultrasound
These are basically, sounds that have a frequency greater than the human audible limit.
But, there isn’t any difference in physical properties when we compare them to normal sound.
We use it in a lot of fields. Similarly, we use ultrasonic devices to measure distances and detect
objects. Moreover, we use ultrasound imaging in physics.
4. Infrasound
These are the sound which has a frequency of less than 20 Hz. We refer to the study
of these sounds as infrasonic. We use infrasound for detecting petrol formation under the
earth and the likelihood of earthquakes.
This is the study of how many mechanical systems vibrate and interact with their
environment. We use this for vibration control that assists in protecting a building from
earthquakes and ground vibrations which we use in railways.
DECIBEL (dB).
The decibel (dB) is the unit of measurement that describes the intensity of sound. The human
ear is tremendously sensitive, and the dB scale is designed to measure that sensitivity.
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PRINCIPLES OF ACOUSTIC
1. Mass Law.
The separating of the elements disrupts the pattern of the sound waves as they
pass through the façade and makes it harder for them to reach the inside surface.
3. Glass Specifications
By using laminated glass, especially one with an acoustic interlayer, you can
often achieve the marginal gains that are often required.
4. When using double glazed units on a project, consider using different thicknesses /
compositions of glass for the inner and outer panes, as the different thicknesses will
resonate at different frequencies.
SOUND PERCEPTION
Perception is the ability to interpret information that our different senses receive from
the environment. In fact, this interpretation is an active process that depends on our cognitive
processes and prior knowledge. Auditory perception could be defined as the ability to receive
and interpret information that reached the ears through audible frequency waves transmitted
through the air or other means.
Sound is a rapidly varying pressure wave within a fluid medium such as air or water
that is capable of being detected by the human ear.
Sound Frequency is the number of sound wave crests per unit time that pass a fixed
location, it is a measure of the tone or pitch of a sound (Wujek and Dagostino, 2010). The units
of frequency are called hertz (Hz).
Threshold of Hearing - the minimum sound pressure difference level at which a person
can hear a specified frequency of sound (Wujek and Dagostino, 2010). Threshold of human
hearing is approximately the quietest sound a young human with undamaged hearing can detect
at 1000 Hz or at 0 dB.
PRINCIPLES OF SOUND
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PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOUND
Sound is transmitted as a wave. This means that sound has the following Physical Properties:
e) Amplitude - Distance between the highest point and the lowest point of the wave.
CLASSIFICATION OF SOUND
Sound can be classified into three (3) groups, based on their range of frequencies. The three
classifications are:
Infrasonic Waves are sound waves that have frequencies below 20 Hz . Humans cannot hear
these sound waves, and these
Audible Waves are sound waves having frequencies between 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, and are
the only frequencies that humans
Ultrasonic Waves are sound waves having frequencies greater than 20,000 Hz. Human
beings cannot hear these frequencies,
however bats and dolphins can hear these, and even produce sounds in this frequency.
BEHAVIOR OF SOUND
The behavior of sound changes depending on the environment, as well as the kind of
medium it is moving through. Sound waves are spherical waves, and always originate from
one point/source.
The higher the STC rating, the more effective that material is at reducing sound transmission
of the most common frequencies.
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NOISE REDUCTION COEFFICIENT (NRC) is an average rating of how much sound an
acoustic product can absorb. NRC is measured on a scale that ranges from 0 to 1. An NRC of
0 means that the product absorbs no sound, meanwhile an NRC of 1 means that the product
absorbs all sound. The higher the NRC, the better the product is at soaking up the sound.
REVERBERATION
The prolongation of sound as a result of successive reflections in an enclosed space after the
source of sound.
The sound in an enclosed space which results from repeated reflections at the boundaries.
Room Resonance
Sound Attenuation
The transmission from the source room to the receiver room has to be reduces or
prevented/ the degree to which this is possible depends on the attenuation by the wall, floor, or
ceiling between room. It also depends on the flanking paths that may allow sound to bypass
the principal barrier.
2. Acoustical Shielding
Provided by incomplete barriers - partial height partitions used in open office spaces.
The barrier must extend beyond the line of sight between the source and the receiver.
The sound must not reflect over or around the barrier.
3. Impact Attenuation
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4. Vibration Isolation
The imbalance causes it and the supporting structure to vibrate. Attenuation is achieved
through use of vibrators- springs and elastomeric mounts or hangers, flexible sleeves and
connections that allow the equipment to float free of the structures.
5. Duct Attenuation
Noises from fans due to turbulence of air stream propagates along ducts and enters room
through air supply ducts and return grilles. Attenuation is achieved by internally lining the
ducts with an absorptive material or use of silencers.
• Acoustic materials can be used for noise reduction and noise absorption.
• It makes the sound more audible which is clear to listen without any disturbances.
• It suppresses echoes, reverberation, reflection and resonance.
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