PPD Practice Exam Qs- Amber, NCARB, EW, Ballast | Verified Exam
Questions and Answers | Latest Updated Study Material 2026
Question:
suggests the following alternative
1. An architect is designing a new
computer lab as part of an ad-
dition to an existing high school.
The owner has the following re-
quirements:
-The lab must accommodate 30
computer workstations.
-Flexibility to switch between
group and individual learning fur-
niture configurations.
-The space should minimize
sound transmission between ad-
jacent spaces.
Which design should the architect
consider?
A. Raised accessible subfloor with
carpet flooring
B. Underfloor duct raceways with
resilient flooring
C. Evenly spaced floor boxes with
acoustic wall panels
2. The preliminary bids for a
40,000-square-foot high school
addition are over budget. The
polished concrete floor original-
ly specified for the floor assem-
bly costs $6 per square foot. The
owner requests a seamless floor-
ing product and the contractor
CORRECT RESPONSE
Raised accessible subfloor with carpet flooring
A raised floor will accommodate the flexibility needed for
different furniture configurations and carpet is recom-
mended for minimizing sound transmission.
CALCULATIONS
1. Cost of the originally specified polished concrete
,floor-ing material: $6.00 x 40,000 sf = $240,000
2. Cost of the preferred alternative flooring material,
epoxyflooring: $1.75 x 40,000 sf = $70,000
3. Cost savings of switching flooring material: $240,000 -
$70,000 = $170,000
flooring materials:
Vinyl composition tile (VCT): $1.50
per square foot
Luxury vinyl tile (LVT): $4.50 per
square foot
Epoxy flooring: $1.75 per square
foot
What are the cost savings of
switching to the preferred alter-
native flooring material?
$
3. An architect is working on a sev- With building orientation D, the atrium faces the east,
en-story L-shaped office build- which is the best direction for receiving the maximum
ing in the northern United morning-only solar gain requested by the owner.
States. There will be a three-sto-
ry glass-enclosed atrium with ma-
sonry walls between the two
wings of the building. The owner
wants the walls within the atrium
to have maximum solar gain in
the morning only.
Which building orientation
should the architect use?
4. An architect is determining the 1. Determine room size: 150 feet x 250 feet = 37,500
size and number of doors for a square feet
large, rectangular assembly room 2. 37,500 square feet / 30 square feet per occupant
that will be used as an exhibi- (occupant load factor for an assembly space for exhibit
tion gallery. The assembly room galleries) = 1,250 occupants
will be 150'-deep by 250'-long. 3. Egress components other than stairwells require mul-
The AHJ requires that all means tiplying the occupant load served by a means of egress
of egress components other than capacity factor of 0.2 inches per occupant.
stairways use an egress capacity 4. 1,250 occupants x 0.2 inches = 250 inches of egress
factor of 0.2 inches per occupant. width required
All assembly room exits will use 5. 250 inches of egress width / 60 inches (double doors)
double doors. = 4.17 doors, rounded up to 5
, How many 60-inch clear width Section: Codes & Regulations
double door exits are required?
double door exits
5. An owner requests a 100 kW so- Five solar modules on the part of the building with a flat
lar array. City ordinance requires roof.
solar equipment to be concealed
Solar collector panels should be oriented within 20 de- from the public right of way. The
grees of true south and not be shaded by nearby struc- architect needs to locate the sys-
tures, terrain, or trees. The modules are 20kW, which tem on the site plan to maximize
means that five units are needed to meet the owner's performance.
100 kW requirement. The panels should be placed on the
Drag the 20 kW solar modules part of the building with a flat roof to allow for proper
onto the site plan to meet the re- sun angles and to conceal the equipment as required by
quirements. Not all solar modules zoning ordinance. The panels should be arranged away
will be used. from parapets and the stair shaft to avoid shading. The
panels should also not be installed over the roof drains to
allow for ease of maintenance access.
CALCULATION
1. 100 kW (solar array required by owner) / 20 kW (kilo-
wattage of each solar module) = 5 solar modules needed
five-story addition to an existing
building, and a separate founda- CORRECT RESPONSE
tion needs to be designed to sup- Shallow foundation with cantilever footings
port the addition. A subsurface in- Coarse grained soil on the site indicates that a deep foun-
dation is not required. vestigation reveals that the soil on
A cantilever footing addresses the need to build against the site is predominantly coarse
an existing building grained.
Which type of foundation is most
appropriate for the new build-
ing?
A. Shallow foundation with
stepped footings
B. Shallow foundation with can-
tilever footings
C. Deep foundation with mi-
cropiles
D. Deep foundation with friction
piles
7. An architect is designing a build- CORRECT RESPONSE
ing renovation and needs to add 47 feet
an accessible ramp at an existing
Questions and Answers | Latest Updated Study Material 2026
Question:
suggests the following alternative
1. An architect is designing a new
computer lab as part of an ad-
dition to an existing high school.
The owner has the following re-
quirements:
-The lab must accommodate 30
computer workstations.
-Flexibility to switch between
group and individual learning fur-
niture configurations.
-The space should minimize
sound transmission between ad-
jacent spaces.
Which design should the architect
consider?
A. Raised accessible subfloor with
carpet flooring
B. Underfloor duct raceways with
resilient flooring
C. Evenly spaced floor boxes with
acoustic wall panels
2. The preliminary bids for a
40,000-square-foot high school
addition are over budget. The
polished concrete floor original-
ly specified for the floor assem-
bly costs $6 per square foot. The
owner requests a seamless floor-
ing product and the contractor
CORRECT RESPONSE
Raised accessible subfloor with carpet flooring
A raised floor will accommodate the flexibility needed for
different furniture configurations and carpet is recom-
mended for minimizing sound transmission.
CALCULATIONS
1. Cost of the originally specified polished concrete
,floor-ing material: $6.00 x 40,000 sf = $240,000
2. Cost of the preferred alternative flooring material,
epoxyflooring: $1.75 x 40,000 sf = $70,000
3. Cost savings of switching flooring material: $240,000 -
$70,000 = $170,000
flooring materials:
Vinyl composition tile (VCT): $1.50
per square foot
Luxury vinyl tile (LVT): $4.50 per
square foot
Epoxy flooring: $1.75 per square
foot
What are the cost savings of
switching to the preferred alter-
native flooring material?
$
3. An architect is working on a sev- With building orientation D, the atrium faces the east,
en-story L-shaped office build- which is the best direction for receiving the maximum
ing in the northern United morning-only solar gain requested by the owner.
States. There will be a three-sto-
ry glass-enclosed atrium with ma-
sonry walls between the two
wings of the building. The owner
wants the walls within the atrium
to have maximum solar gain in
the morning only.
Which building orientation
should the architect use?
4. An architect is determining the 1. Determine room size: 150 feet x 250 feet = 37,500
size and number of doors for a square feet
large, rectangular assembly room 2. 37,500 square feet / 30 square feet per occupant
that will be used as an exhibi- (occupant load factor for an assembly space for exhibit
tion gallery. The assembly room galleries) = 1,250 occupants
will be 150'-deep by 250'-long. 3. Egress components other than stairwells require mul-
The AHJ requires that all means tiplying the occupant load served by a means of egress
of egress components other than capacity factor of 0.2 inches per occupant.
stairways use an egress capacity 4. 1,250 occupants x 0.2 inches = 250 inches of egress
factor of 0.2 inches per occupant. width required
All assembly room exits will use 5. 250 inches of egress width / 60 inches (double doors)
double doors. = 4.17 doors, rounded up to 5
, How many 60-inch clear width Section: Codes & Regulations
double door exits are required?
double door exits
5. An owner requests a 100 kW so- Five solar modules on the part of the building with a flat
lar array. City ordinance requires roof.
solar equipment to be concealed
Solar collector panels should be oriented within 20 de- from the public right of way. The
grees of true south and not be shaded by nearby struc- architect needs to locate the sys-
tures, terrain, or trees. The modules are 20kW, which tem on the site plan to maximize
means that five units are needed to meet the owner's performance.
100 kW requirement. The panels should be placed on the
Drag the 20 kW solar modules part of the building with a flat roof to allow for proper
onto the site plan to meet the re- sun angles and to conceal the equipment as required by
quirements. Not all solar modules zoning ordinance. The panels should be arranged away
will be used. from parapets and the stair shaft to avoid shading. The
panels should also not be installed over the roof drains to
allow for ease of maintenance access.
CALCULATION
1. 100 kW (solar array required by owner) / 20 kW (kilo-
wattage of each solar module) = 5 solar modules needed
five-story addition to an existing
building, and a separate founda- CORRECT RESPONSE
tion needs to be designed to sup- Shallow foundation with cantilever footings
port the addition. A subsurface in- Coarse grained soil on the site indicates that a deep foun-
dation is not required. vestigation reveals that the soil on
A cantilever footing addresses the need to build against the site is predominantly coarse
an existing building grained.
Which type of foundation is most
appropriate for the new build-
ing?
A. Shallow foundation with
stepped footings
B. Shallow foundation with can-
tilever footings
C. Deep foundation with mi-
cropiles
D. Deep foundation with friction
piles
7. An architect is designing a build- CORRECT RESPONSE
ing renovation and needs to add 47 feet
an accessible ramp at an existing
