NCIDQ (IDFX/IDPX) EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
4 programming considerations - ANS Form, Function, Economy, Time
5 step programming process - ANS 1. Goals (what does the client want to achieve and why?)
2. Collect/analyze facts (what do we know? what is a given?)
3. Uncover and test concepts (how does client want to achieve goals?)
4. Determine needs (money? space? quality level? + feasibility test)
5. State problem (significant conditions affecting the design of the building? general directions
the design should take?)
Programmatic Concepts - ANS a designer's abstract ideas about how to solve a performance
problem (also can be thought of as the client wishlist boiled down to simple abstract ideas)
e.g.:
expandability
hierarchy
density
grouping
flow
phasing
Assembly Occupancy - ANS A-1 through A-5
> 50 occupants
occupants unfamiliar with space
potential for panic
Business Occupancy - ANS B
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,low-risk
low occupant concentration
alert occupants, familiar with space
colleges and universities fall here
Educational Occupancy - ANS E
up through 12th grade
includes caf, aud, gym
Factory (Industrial) Occupancy - ANS F-1 (moderate hazard)
F-2 (low hazard)
Hazardous Occupancy - ANS H-1 through H-5
hazardous materials or products
Institutional Occupancy - ANS I-1 through I-4
cared for/supervised occupants
occupants have limited mobility
Mercantile Occupancy - ANS M
open to public and selling or displaying merchandise
Residential Occupancy - ANS R-1 to R-4
has sleeping accommodations and is used for dwelling
Storage Occupancy - ANS S-1 (medium hazard)
S-2 (low hazard)
few occupants
Utility (Special/Misc.) Occupancy - ANS U
sheds, carports, walkways, tunnels, retaining walls, agricultural buildings
Incidental Accessory Occupancy (i.e., Incidental Use) - ANS small "Hazardous" area within a
larger space of non-hazardous classification
10% or less of space (IBC)
additional protection required (e.g., furnace room)
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,Accessory Occupancy - ANS occupancy different from primary occupancy of building
10% or less of space
can follow requirements of primary occupancy
Mixed Occupancy - ANS multiple occupancy classifications take up approx. equal amounts of
space
can be separated or non-separated
proxemics - ANS study of personal space
intimate 0-18"
personal 18-48"
social 48-120"
public 120"+
Elements of Design (6) - ANS form
scale
color
texture
pattern
light
Principles of Design (6) - ANS rhythm
balance
harmony & unity
emphasis/focus
variety & contrast
proportion
ergonomics - ANS study of the interaction of the human body with the physical environment
anthropometrics - ANS sty of the size, proportion, and range of motion of the body
sociopetal - ANS encouraging social interaction
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, sociofugal - ANS discouraging social interaction
ANSI - ANS American National Standards Institute
Universal Design qualities (7) - ANS equitable use
flexibility in use
simple & intuitive use
perceptible information
tolerance for error
low physical effort
appropriate size & space
Who must comply with ADA? - ANS All new buildings w/ public accomodations and/or
commercial facilities.
Federal government, one- to two-family dwellings, private clubs are exempt
ANSI 265.1 - 2010 Method A (Legacy Method) - ANS Tenants allocated pro-rated share of
building common areas AND pro-rated share of floor common areas on their floor
ANSI 265.1 - 2010 Method B (Single Load Factor Method) - ANS Same load factor used to
calculate share of common area for all tenants (i.e., Tenant 1 and Tenant 2 pay same % of
shared space, even though Tenant 1 and Tenant 2 have different amount of individual space)
Net Area (Net Sq. Feet/NSF) [ANSI 265.1 - 2010] - ANS Measured from centerlines of interior
partitions
Includes all functional areas (NOT circulation, restrooms, shafts/chases)
Circulation Areas (Primary & Secondary) [ANSI 265.1 - 2010] - ANS =NSF x (Circ Multiplier-1)
=NSF/Circ Multiplier
Primary: main route to building core and common spaces
Secondary: aisles between individual spaces
2010 Occupant Area (usable SF) [ANSI 265.1 - 2010] - ANS =NSF + Circ Area
everything that's not a building amenity (e.g., stairs, elevators, chases, restrooms)
Rentable Square Footage (RSF) [ANSI 265.1 - 2010] - ANS = Occ Area + Bldg Common Spaces
(prorated shrare)
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
4 programming considerations - ANS Form, Function, Economy, Time
5 step programming process - ANS 1. Goals (what does the client want to achieve and why?)
2. Collect/analyze facts (what do we know? what is a given?)
3. Uncover and test concepts (how does client want to achieve goals?)
4. Determine needs (money? space? quality level? + feasibility test)
5. State problem (significant conditions affecting the design of the building? general directions
the design should take?)
Programmatic Concepts - ANS a designer's abstract ideas about how to solve a performance
problem (also can be thought of as the client wishlist boiled down to simple abstract ideas)
e.g.:
expandability
hierarchy
density
grouping
flow
phasing
Assembly Occupancy - ANS A-1 through A-5
> 50 occupants
occupants unfamiliar with space
potential for panic
Business Occupancy - ANS B
1 Copyright ©2025 SIRJOEL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
,low-risk
low occupant concentration
alert occupants, familiar with space
colleges and universities fall here
Educational Occupancy - ANS E
up through 12th grade
includes caf, aud, gym
Factory (Industrial) Occupancy - ANS F-1 (moderate hazard)
F-2 (low hazard)
Hazardous Occupancy - ANS H-1 through H-5
hazardous materials or products
Institutional Occupancy - ANS I-1 through I-4
cared for/supervised occupants
occupants have limited mobility
Mercantile Occupancy - ANS M
open to public and selling or displaying merchandise
Residential Occupancy - ANS R-1 to R-4
has sleeping accommodations and is used for dwelling
Storage Occupancy - ANS S-1 (medium hazard)
S-2 (low hazard)
few occupants
Utility (Special/Misc.) Occupancy - ANS U
sheds, carports, walkways, tunnels, retaining walls, agricultural buildings
Incidental Accessory Occupancy (i.e., Incidental Use) - ANS small "Hazardous" area within a
larger space of non-hazardous classification
10% or less of space (IBC)
additional protection required (e.g., furnace room)
2 Copyright ©2025 SIRJOEL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
,Accessory Occupancy - ANS occupancy different from primary occupancy of building
10% or less of space
can follow requirements of primary occupancy
Mixed Occupancy - ANS multiple occupancy classifications take up approx. equal amounts of
space
can be separated or non-separated
proxemics - ANS study of personal space
intimate 0-18"
personal 18-48"
social 48-120"
public 120"+
Elements of Design (6) - ANS form
scale
color
texture
pattern
light
Principles of Design (6) - ANS rhythm
balance
harmony & unity
emphasis/focus
variety & contrast
proportion
ergonomics - ANS study of the interaction of the human body with the physical environment
anthropometrics - ANS sty of the size, proportion, and range of motion of the body
sociopetal - ANS encouraging social interaction
3 Copyright ©2025 SIRJOEL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, sociofugal - ANS discouraging social interaction
ANSI - ANS American National Standards Institute
Universal Design qualities (7) - ANS equitable use
flexibility in use
simple & intuitive use
perceptible information
tolerance for error
low physical effort
appropriate size & space
Who must comply with ADA? - ANS All new buildings w/ public accomodations and/or
commercial facilities.
Federal government, one- to two-family dwellings, private clubs are exempt
ANSI 265.1 - 2010 Method A (Legacy Method) - ANS Tenants allocated pro-rated share of
building common areas AND pro-rated share of floor common areas on their floor
ANSI 265.1 - 2010 Method B (Single Load Factor Method) - ANS Same load factor used to
calculate share of common area for all tenants (i.e., Tenant 1 and Tenant 2 pay same % of
shared space, even though Tenant 1 and Tenant 2 have different amount of individual space)
Net Area (Net Sq. Feet/NSF) [ANSI 265.1 - 2010] - ANS Measured from centerlines of interior
partitions
Includes all functional areas (NOT circulation, restrooms, shafts/chases)
Circulation Areas (Primary & Secondary) [ANSI 265.1 - 2010] - ANS =NSF x (Circ Multiplier-1)
=NSF/Circ Multiplier
Primary: main route to building core and common spaces
Secondary: aisles between individual spaces
2010 Occupant Area (usable SF) [ANSI 265.1 - 2010] - ANS =NSF + Circ Area
everything that's not a building amenity (e.g., stairs, elevators, chases, restrooms)
Rentable Square Footage (RSF) [ANSI 265.1 - 2010] - ANS = Occ Area + Bldg Common Spaces
(prorated shrare)
4 Copyright ©2025 SIRJOEL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
