Project Planning & Design
Azimuth - (correct Answer) - The horizontal angle at the ground plane measured from compass north to
the object.
Altitude - (correct Answer) - The angle measured up from the ground plane.
NIMBYism - (correct Answer) - Not in my backyard.
Metes and bounds - (correct Answer) - Method of describing real property using physical features of the
local geography along with directions and distances.
Transect - (correct Answer) - Concept drawn from ecology; a progression through a sequence of
habitats. Rural-to-urban transect includes a sequence of human habitats of increasing density and
complexity.
Bioswale - (correct Answer) - Shallow and elongated grass-lined channel that is moist or marshy;
designed to detain stormwater runoff and remove sediment and other contaminants while allowing
water to seep back into the ground.
Infiltration basin - (correct Answer) - Closed depression in the earth from which water can only escape
back into the soil.
Excavation - (correct Answer) - Removal of soil to allow construction of foundations and other
permanent features below the finished level of the grade.
Rough grading - (correct Answer) - Involves the movement of soil prior to construction to approximate
levels of final grades.
Invert - (correct Answer) - This is the lowest elevation of the existing public sewer line. It should be
established during planning because the effluent must flow from the lowest point where the sewer lines
leave the building to the main sewer. The connection of the building sewer line to the main sewer line
must occur above the invert of the main line at any given point in order to interfere with free flow.
Wind rose - (correct Answer) - A circular graphical tool for showing wind speed and direction at a given
location.
Prevailing wind - (correct Answer) - A wind that blows predominantly from one direction at any given
location on the earth's surface. Global patterns, latitude, terrain, and bodies of water all influence
prevailing winds.
Groundwater - (correct Answer) - Groundwater is the water that is present under the earth's soil. It
includes water in aquifers, soil moisture, and permafrost. Groundwater, if present, needs to be drained
away from buildings.
,Water table - (correct Answer) - The line in the soil below which the ground is saturated.
Soils report - (correct Answer) - A report that gives an understanding of earth conditions that will affect
a building. Typically required in areas with expansive or low-strength soils, where a new foundation may
encounter fill, or where lots of site grading needs to be done (aka geotechnical report).
DU/AC - (correct Answer) - Dwelling units per acre is a measurement of residential density. Single-family
home: up to 10 du/ac. Row houses : 20-40 du/ac. Apartments: 30-105 du/ac.
Heat vs. temperature - (correct Answer) - Heat is the energy in a substance. Temperature is the measure
of the energy in a substance.
Phase I ESA - (correct Answer) - A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, or ESA, is a report done to
help determine whether a property has been contaminated, and it is the first step in an environmental
investigation. An ESA is often done before the sale of a project as a requirement from the lender. It is a
thorough visual investigation that addresses the land, any structures, and surrounding properties. It also
includes looking up records and reports and conducting interviews to find out prior uses of the property
and whether potential environmental hazards exist. Actual sampling of materials like soil or
groundwater is not done in a Phase I ESA.
Phase II ESA - (correct Answer) - A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment is done after a Phase I ESA to
assess any of the findings of the Phase I ESA. It includes testing of air, soil, groundwater, or building
materials to get definitive answers about contaminants. If contamination is found, another investigation
is usually required, along with clean-up.
Bubble diagrams and adjacency matrix are best used for what programming tasks? - (correct Answer) -
Organizing client needs for spatial relationships.
Windward vs. leeward - (correct Answer) - Windward is the side of where moist air rises; it is the wetter
side of the hill. Leeward is the drier side, where dry air descends.
Recharge (groundwater) - (correct Answer) - Occurs when surface water moves down into the earth to
the groundwater. Can be either natural or anthropogenic.
Gabions - (correct Answer) - A wirework container or "big cage" filled with stone or concrete rubble.
Used to protect slopes against erosion, as with retaining walls, noise barriers, and other uses.
Riprap - (correct Answer) - Large stone or concrete rubble that is used to line shorelines or waterways to
protect against erosion.
Ecotone - (correct Answer) - A zone of transition between two different ecological communities. For
example, when there is no hard boundary between a field and a forest.
True or False? Playgrounds are exempt from accessibility regulations. - (correct Answer) - False.
,Rail to trail - (correct Answer) - Old rail routes have been converted to bike trails in communities
throughout the United States since the mid-1980s. They are successful because the grades of the rail
lines were already relatively flat, which is good for biking.
Pedestrian vs. vehicular collisions - (correct Answer) - When vehicle speed is less than 20 mph, the
pedestrian is usually not seriously injured. Vehicle speeds of 20-30 mph: serious injuries. Over 30 mph:
injuries are often fatal.
Traffic calming - (correct Answer) - The use of design elements to slow vehicular traffic and bring
awareness to drivers. Types include speed bumps; changes in width and grade of the street; and
changes in paving material, surface, color, or texture. Speed bumps are effective but undesirable
because of damage to snow removal equipment, slowing of emergency vehicles, damage to the speed
bump itself, and accessibility issues.
Critical regionalism - (correct Answer) - An approach to architecture that strives to counter the
placelessness and lack of identity of the International Style while rejecting the whimsical individualism
and ornamentation of postmodern architecture. Popularized by architect and urbanist Kenneth
Frampton.
Natural ventilation - (correct Answer) - The process of moving air through an indoor space without the
use of a mechanical system. Natural ventilation typically uses pressure differences between spaces to
drive air between areas.
Rainwater harvesting - (correct Answer) - The process of collecting, diverting, and storing rainwater for
later use. Commonly referred to as "gray water," harvested water can be utilized for irrigation, water
closets, and urinals. Unless it is properly treated, it is not suitable for use as potable water.
Photovoltaic (PV) panels - (correct Answer) - Equipment that uses energy from solar radiation to
generate electricity. PV panels can be mounted on the ground or may be attached to building roofs or
walls. If they are static, their ideal orientation depends on the sun's altitude angle. PV panels may also
utilize solar trackers to better orient themselves in relation to the sun.
Recycled content (post-consumer vs. pre-consumer) - (correct Answer) - Post-consumer: Waste material
generated by end users that can no longer be used for its intended purpose.
Pre-consumer: Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Use of
products that utilize post-consumer and pre-consumer waste in their production reduces the amount of
waste produced .
Stormwater runoff management - (correct Answer) - Stormwater runoff from a project site can
overwhelm the surrounding ecosystem, so managing it is an important principle of sustainable design.
Some ways to reduce runoff include using landscape areas to complement hardscape, rainwater
harvesting, using permeable and semipermeable pavers, and retaining water on-site to release gradually
over a longer period of time.
, Direct gain - (correct Answer) - In passive solar heating, south windows that allow heat from the winter
sun to directly absorb into the thermal mass inside the building.
Insolation - (correct Answer) - Solar radiation.
Geothermal systems - (correct Answer) - Energy-efficient heating method that collects heat from under
the earth's surface using a heat pump system and delivers it into a building to supplement the heating
demand and reduce the carbon footprint.
Aquifer thermal energy storage - (correct Answer) - Energy-efficient method to heat and cool a building
through the storage and recovery of thermal energy from groundwater in an aquifer. Cold groundwater
is collected in winter months and stored for use in the warm months, and vice versa. The cold water that
is used and subsequently warmed can also be stored as warm water for cool months.
Building commissioning - (correct Answer) - Process used on new construction that verifies that systems
(HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire suppression, lighting, etc.) are all functioning according to the design
and the owner's requirements. This encourages energy efficiency and lower maintenance and operating
costs.
Structural insulated panels - (correct Answer) - High-performance wall system that consists of an
insulating foam core between two structural facings (such as OSB ). They are strong, energy efficient,
and built in a controlled factory environment that maintains consistency and quality.
Sick building syndrome - (correct Answer) - A series of symptoms connected with the phenomenon of
building occupants feeling sick when they are in a building and recovering when they leave the building.
Smart growth - (correct Answer) - An approach that protects open space and farmland by emphasizing
development with houses, jobs, and services near each other.
Xeriscaping - (correct Answer) - Landscaping designed to reduce or eliminate potable water use in
irrigation through the planting of native and adapted species of vegetation and the use of other water-
conserving techniques.
Passive design - (correct Answer) - A design strategy that uses natural climatic conditions to heat, cool,
and light a building.
Reclaimed water - (correct Answer) - Commissioning
Environmental product declaration - (correct Answer) - A standardized, internationally recognized
comprehensive tool for providing information on a product's environmental impact based on an ISO-
compliant life cycle assessment (LCA) and that can be verified by a third party. It includes the life cycle of
the product, energy use and efficiency during manufacture, transportation methods, and end-of-service-
life recycling.
Aeroponics - (correct Answer) - Process of growing plants in suspension in an air or mist environment
without the use of soil.
Azimuth - (correct Answer) - The horizontal angle at the ground plane measured from compass north to
the object.
Altitude - (correct Answer) - The angle measured up from the ground plane.
NIMBYism - (correct Answer) - Not in my backyard.
Metes and bounds - (correct Answer) - Method of describing real property using physical features of the
local geography along with directions and distances.
Transect - (correct Answer) - Concept drawn from ecology; a progression through a sequence of
habitats. Rural-to-urban transect includes a sequence of human habitats of increasing density and
complexity.
Bioswale - (correct Answer) - Shallow and elongated grass-lined channel that is moist or marshy;
designed to detain stormwater runoff and remove sediment and other contaminants while allowing
water to seep back into the ground.
Infiltration basin - (correct Answer) - Closed depression in the earth from which water can only escape
back into the soil.
Excavation - (correct Answer) - Removal of soil to allow construction of foundations and other
permanent features below the finished level of the grade.
Rough grading - (correct Answer) - Involves the movement of soil prior to construction to approximate
levels of final grades.
Invert - (correct Answer) - This is the lowest elevation of the existing public sewer line. It should be
established during planning because the effluent must flow from the lowest point where the sewer lines
leave the building to the main sewer. The connection of the building sewer line to the main sewer line
must occur above the invert of the main line at any given point in order to interfere with free flow.
Wind rose - (correct Answer) - A circular graphical tool for showing wind speed and direction at a given
location.
Prevailing wind - (correct Answer) - A wind that blows predominantly from one direction at any given
location on the earth's surface. Global patterns, latitude, terrain, and bodies of water all influence
prevailing winds.
Groundwater - (correct Answer) - Groundwater is the water that is present under the earth's soil. It
includes water in aquifers, soil moisture, and permafrost. Groundwater, if present, needs to be drained
away from buildings.
,Water table - (correct Answer) - The line in the soil below which the ground is saturated.
Soils report - (correct Answer) - A report that gives an understanding of earth conditions that will affect
a building. Typically required in areas with expansive or low-strength soils, where a new foundation may
encounter fill, or where lots of site grading needs to be done (aka geotechnical report).
DU/AC - (correct Answer) - Dwelling units per acre is a measurement of residential density. Single-family
home: up to 10 du/ac. Row houses : 20-40 du/ac. Apartments: 30-105 du/ac.
Heat vs. temperature - (correct Answer) - Heat is the energy in a substance. Temperature is the measure
of the energy in a substance.
Phase I ESA - (correct Answer) - A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, or ESA, is a report done to
help determine whether a property has been contaminated, and it is the first step in an environmental
investigation. An ESA is often done before the sale of a project as a requirement from the lender. It is a
thorough visual investigation that addresses the land, any structures, and surrounding properties. It also
includes looking up records and reports and conducting interviews to find out prior uses of the property
and whether potential environmental hazards exist. Actual sampling of materials like soil or
groundwater is not done in a Phase I ESA.
Phase II ESA - (correct Answer) - A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment is done after a Phase I ESA to
assess any of the findings of the Phase I ESA. It includes testing of air, soil, groundwater, or building
materials to get definitive answers about contaminants. If contamination is found, another investigation
is usually required, along with clean-up.
Bubble diagrams and adjacency matrix are best used for what programming tasks? - (correct Answer) -
Organizing client needs for spatial relationships.
Windward vs. leeward - (correct Answer) - Windward is the side of where moist air rises; it is the wetter
side of the hill. Leeward is the drier side, where dry air descends.
Recharge (groundwater) - (correct Answer) - Occurs when surface water moves down into the earth to
the groundwater. Can be either natural or anthropogenic.
Gabions - (correct Answer) - A wirework container or "big cage" filled with stone or concrete rubble.
Used to protect slopes against erosion, as with retaining walls, noise barriers, and other uses.
Riprap - (correct Answer) - Large stone or concrete rubble that is used to line shorelines or waterways to
protect against erosion.
Ecotone - (correct Answer) - A zone of transition between two different ecological communities. For
example, when there is no hard boundary between a field and a forest.
True or False? Playgrounds are exempt from accessibility regulations. - (correct Answer) - False.
,Rail to trail - (correct Answer) - Old rail routes have been converted to bike trails in communities
throughout the United States since the mid-1980s. They are successful because the grades of the rail
lines were already relatively flat, which is good for biking.
Pedestrian vs. vehicular collisions - (correct Answer) - When vehicle speed is less than 20 mph, the
pedestrian is usually not seriously injured. Vehicle speeds of 20-30 mph: serious injuries. Over 30 mph:
injuries are often fatal.
Traffic calming - (correct Answer) - The use of design elements to slow vehicular traffic and bring
awareness to drivers. Types include speed bumps; changes in width and grade of the street; and
changes in paving material, surface, color, or texture. Speed bumps are effective but undesirable
because of damage to snow removal equipment, slowing of emergency vehicles, damage to the speed
bump itself, and accessibility issues.
Critical regionalism - (correct Answer) - An approach to architecture that strives to counter the
placelessness and lack of identity of the International Style while rejecting the whimsical individualism
and ornamentation of postmodern architecture. Popularized by architect and urbanist Kenneth
Frampton.
Natural ventilation - (correct Answer) - The process of moving air through an indoor space without the
use of a mechanical system. Natural ventilation typically uses pressure differences between spaces to
drive air between areas.
Rainwater harvesting - (correct Answer) - The process of collecting, diverting, and storing rainwater for
later use. Commonly referred to as "gray water," harvested water can be utilized for irrigation, water
closets, and urinals. Unless it is properly treated, it is not suitable for use as potable water.
Photovoltaic (PV) panels - (correct Answer) - Equipment that uses energy from solar radiation to
generate electricity. PV panels can be mounted on the ground or may be attached to building roofs or
walls. If they are static, their ideal orientation depends on the sun's altitude angle. PV panels may also
utilize solar trackers to better orient themselves in relation to the sun.
Recycled content (post-consumer vs. pre-consumer) - (correct Answer) - Post-consumer: Waste material
generated by end users that can no longer be used for its intended purpose.
Pre-consumer: Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Use of
products that utilize post-consumer and pre-consumer waste in their production reduces the amount of
waste produced .
Stormwater runoff management - (correct Answer) - Stormwater runoff from a project site can
overwhelm the surrounding ecosystem, so managing it is an important principle of sustainable design.
Some ways to reduce runoff include using landscape areas to complement hardscape, rainwater
harvesting, using permeable and semipermeable pavers, and retaining water on-site to release gradually
over a longer period of time.
, Direct gain - (correct Answer) - In passive solar heating, south windows that allow heat from the winter
sun to directly absorb into the thermal mass inside the building.
Insolation - (correct Answer) - Solar radiation.
Geothermal systems - (correct Answer) - Energy-efficient heating method that collects heat from under
the earth's surface using a heat pump system and delivers it into a building to supplement the heating
demand and reduce the carbon footprint.
Aquifer thermal energy storage - (correct Answer) - Energy-efficient method to heat and cool a building
through the storage and recovery of thermal energy from groundwater in an aquifer. Cold groundwater
is collected in winter months and stored for use in the warm months, and vice versa. The cold water that
is used and subsequently warmed can also be stored as warm water for cool months.
Building commissioning - (correct Answer) - Process used on new construction that verifies that systems
(HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire suppression, lighting, etc.) are all functioning according to the design
and the owner's requirements. This encourages energy efficiency and lower maintenance and operating
costs.
Structural insulated panels - (correct Answer) - High-performance wall system that consists of an
insulating foam core between two structural facings (such as OSB ). They are strong, energy efficient,
and built in a controlled factory environment that maintains consistency and quality.
Sick building syndrome - (correct Answer) - A series of symptoms connected with the phenomenon of
building occupants feeling sick when they are in a building and recovering when they leave the building.
Smart growth - (correct Answer) - An approach that protects open space and farmland by emphasizing
development with houses, jobs, and services near each other.
Xeriscaping - (correct Answer) - Landscaping designed to reduce or eliminate potable water use in
irrigation through the planting of native and adapted species of vegetation and the use of other water-
conserving techniques.
Passive design - (correct Answer) - A design strategy that uses natural climatic conditions to heat, cool,
and light a building.
Reclaimed water - (correct Answer) - Commissioning
Environmental product declaration - (correct Answer) - A standardized, internationally recognized
comprehensive tool for providing information on a product's environmental impact based on an ISO-
compliant life cycle assessment (LCA) and that can be verified by a third party. It includes the life cycle of
the product, energy use and efficiency during manufacture, transportation methods, and end-of-service-
life recycling.
Aeroponics - (correct Answer) - Process of growing plants in suspension in an air or mist environment
without the use of soil.
