UNIT 1: DESING, PLANNING AND BUILDING

MATERIALS.

1.1TRADITIONAL BUILDING MATERIALS

1 Look at these materials and match the names with the photographs.

stones cement ti m ber bricks

2 3 4

:L ilding materi als can be divided into two main groups: natural and ma n-made . Stone and t imber are natura l
-'cterials, used by ma n since ancient t im es. Man-made materials include bricks, cement, concrete, steel, glass,
-2:a and more mode rn materials inclu ding pl astic and synthetics .

Stone
2 Read th e text an d then match the two parts of the sentences.

:one ",-ails are one of the oldest con struction methods known to mankind. The first stone
walls \\-ere made laying up stones without any mortar. With this method stones are held
together by gravity. These walls are usually larger at the base. In Ireland and north-eastern
UK counties this kind of wall was made by farmers to create fences. It was quite a long r""_- "
and labour-intensive m ethod, but with no costs. When cem ent appeared, the first mortared .
stone walls were created, where cement paste fills the gaps between the stones. The first
cements were made using burnt gypsum or lime, mixed with water.
Concrete includes Portland cement mixed with sand, gravel and water, which makes it
resistant to cracking. To m ake it even more resistant, steel reinforcing bars can be added.
Most stone walls today are made using this method, because it is fast and cheap.

1 The first stone wal ls were made

2 When cemen t appeared
3 The first cements were created using
4 Concrete is Portland cement
5 Steel reinfo rc ing bars can be added

_ -, bu rnt gyps um or lime, mi xed w ith water.

- to make co ncrete even more resistant.
- _ irst mortared stone wal ls were created.
'. : "I0J a mortar.
__ - '::: :. sano. gravel and water.

1
Timber
3 Read the text about timber framing and answer the questions below.

Timber framing and conventional wood framing are

two different forms of construction. Timber framed
structures use fewer, larger timbers with dimensions
from IS to 30 cm and mortice and tenon or wooden pegs
as fastening methods, whereas conventional wood-
framed buildings have a greater number of timbers with
dimensions from 5 to 25 cm, and nails or other
mechanical fasteners are used to join the timbers.
Today timber structures are often surrounded in
manufactured panels, such as Structural Insulating
Panels (SIPs). They are made up of two rigid wooden-
based composite materials with a foamed insulating
material inside. This method is us ed because these
structures are easier to build and they provide more
efficient heat insulation.
Timber-framed construction offers a lot of advantages .
It is kind to the environment (when the wood used is
taken from sustainable forests) and the frames can be
put up quickly. Its design is elegant and simple, and also
both practical and adaptable. It can give a house
character, both inside and outside. Thanks to its strength,
large open spaces can be created, something which is not
so easy to obtain with other techniques. It is very versatile,
so timber-framed houses can also be clad with stone or
brick. This offers two more advantages: the house can
blend in with the surrounding area (both urban and
rural) and it is very energy-efficient. Timber is also
cheaper than other materials.

1 Do timber-framed structures use larger or sma ller timbers compared to conventiona l wood framing?
2 Which fastening methods do the two different methods use?
3 What structures have been recen tl y used? How are they made up?
4 What are the advantages of th is method?

4 () 2 Listen to an expert speaking about the disadvantages of timber frame and complete the table.

water Water can be (1) into the material causing it to rot and mould.

fire Wood is very (2) _ _ __

bugs IAnts and termites eat wood (3) - - -

environmental Producing boards and beams for timber frame construction req uires (4 )
impact trees.
Wood is an excellent (5) of sound wa ves so a'l\ 'loise in side or outsi de is
sound
easily heard .
----I

Timber frames are qu ite strong up and down but not as stro ng as other materials
strength
(6)
)

11

2
Brick
5 Read the text and then write a list of the advantages and disadvantages offered by brick.

_ lasonry construction is a method that has been used for centuries around the
""-orld. It is usually used for walls of buildings, retaining walls and monuments.
The most frequent type of masonry is brick, but concrete block is also becoming
more and more popular. Brick was one of the first building materials that man
used and has been used since the times of the ancient Egyptians because it offers
a great number of advantages. First of all, it has an affordable price and it is made
of accessible raw material, which has long durability and good insulating
properties. It is a strong material and is perfect for load-bearing systems where the
loads are compressive. It is the size of a man's hand and therefore simple to use.
The appearance of the final work depends on the ability and expertise of the
bricklayer. Another advantage of using brick is that, like stone, it offers increased
comfort in the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter. Being heat resistant,
this material also offers good fire protection.
One of the disadvantages of using this material is that masonry must be built on a
firm foundation to prevent settling and cracking, and in the presence of expansive
soils the foundation may need to be elaborate. Moreover, this is a heavy material,
consequently the structural requirements will have to be increased, especially if
:.1:e area is subj ect to earthquakes.

Advantages Disadvantages

Cement and concrete

6 3 Listen to the text and complete it with the words from the box.

b locks br icks concrete (x2) in gred ient mater ials mixture wa ll s

The most common type of cement is Portland cement, which is the

basic (1) of concrete and mortar.
It is made of Portland cement clinker (calcium silicates, aluminium
and other compounds) and other minor constituents.
Portland cement clinker is produced by heating a mixture of raw
(2) up to 1450° C in a kiln.
There are three production stages:
• preparation of the raw mixture,
• production of the clinker,
• preparation of the (3) _ _ __
Limestone is the main raw material for the production of clinker, followed by sand, shale, iron ore, bauxite, fly ash
and slag. About 2% gypsum is also added and then the (4) is pulverised. The resulting powder will
react when water is added.
Portland cement is commonly used to produce (5) , which is made of gravel, sand, cement and water.
Blocks of cinder concrete, ordinary concrete and hollow tile are known as Concrete Masonry Units (CMU). They are
:arger than ordinary (6) and used for applications where appearance is not very important, such as in
:c.Cfon - walls, garages and industrial buildings. One of the advantages of concrete (7) is that they can
reinforced, grouting the voids, inserting rebar or using grout, so that they are stronger than typical masonry

3
7 Read the text in exercise 6 again and choose the best alternative.
1 Portland cement is the basic ingredient of concrete/aluminium.
2 The main raw material for the production of clinker is brick/limestone .
3 Portland cement is used to produce grave l/concrete.
4 Concrete Masonry Units are larger than ordinary bricks/stones .
5 Concrete blocks can be reinforced/industrial.
6 Reinforced concrete blocks are stronger than masonry industries/walls .

8 Match the words with their definitions.

1 masonry a D a mi xture of cement, sand, small stones and water
2 brick b D brick work
3 concrete c D white rock often used for making cement
4 mortar d D a mi xture of sand , water and cement or lime
5 limestone e D a reddish-brown rectangu lar block used to build wal ls and houses

9 Create four groups. Each group chooses one material from this unit (stone, timber, brick, cement and
concrete). Use your own words to describe it to the other groups.

10 Use the information from exercise 9 and the texts in this unit to complete the following ta ble.

Stone Timber Brick Cement an d Conc rete

Ad vantages

Disadvantages

MY. GLOSSARY
bricklayer /,bn klel;)r/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
to blen d in / t;) ble nd 111/ ___________
cinder concrete /,smd;)(r) 'kolJkri:t/ _ _ _ _ _ __
clad / klred/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
co mpound /'kmnpaund/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
concrete /,kolJkri:t/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
cracki ng /'krrekIl)/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
o fasten I t;) 'fa:sn/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
fen ce / fe ns/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Lly ash / flaJ reI/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
roa med / f;)umd/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
:Tame / frelm/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
gap / grep/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___
g;avel /,grrev(;)l! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
gcout / graut/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
.J grout I t;) graut/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
/,d3rpS;)m/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
:::'eat insulation I hi:t msju'lerIn/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Cc.)llow tile /,hol;)u tad/ _ __
':In ore /,aI;)n :;:(r)/
to join I t;) d3:;m/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___
kiln / klln/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
to lay It;) lel/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
lime / laJm/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
limestone /laJmst;)un/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
m asonry /,mers;)nri/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
mortar /'m:;:t;)(r)/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
mortice /'m:;:ns/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___
mould I m;)uld/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
nail / ne rl/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___
peg I peg/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___
to put up I t;) put ,\p/
rebar I n'oo:
senling / 5etlIl).
shale lIed _
slag 151reg/ __
to surround I t;) 5;)raund/
tenon /,temn/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
timber /'nmbd(r)/
void / v:;rd/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

13 4
1.2. MODERN BUILDING MATERIALS

Steel
1 Read the text and complete the sentences with words from the text.

Steel is resistant to corrosion, rusting and general

deterioration. It can be used both for exterior as well as
internal infrastructure. Compared to conventional
concrete buildings, steel buildings offer a longer
lifetime and they cause less harm to the environment
thanks to the resistance and durability. Because steel
buildings are usually pre-fabricated or made in sections
and parts that are assembled on the construction site,
they are cheaper than conventional buildings.

The quantity of carbon contained in

steel determines whether the alloy is
hard or soft. Nowadays steel buildings
are often appreciated for their design.
In fact, the flexibility of this material
allows different forms and shapes. More
than any other building material, steel
has a high strength-to-weight ratio. This
means that it is easy and cheap to span
large distances elegantly eliminating
columns. Thanks to this, it is easier to
subdivide and customise office- and
warehouse space.

1 Steel can be used both for the exterior and the interior of a building.
2 Steel is to corrosion , rusting and general deterioration.
3 Steel buildings have a longer compared to conventional concrete buildings.
4 Steel buildings are usually than buildings.
5 It is easy and cheap to span large elegantly.
6 By eliminating , it is easier to subdivide and customise office and warehouse space.

2 Read the text again and match the words to their definitions.

1 rusting a D a composite metal made by mixing other metals together

2 flex ib ility b D the period of time for which a building is expected to last
3 all oy
,
c D when a metal becomes reddish brown because of ai r and wate r
- deterio ratio n d D to change the appearance or characteristics of something acco rding to
:::: "e ime someone's taste or needs
:0 cJstom ise e D becoming worse in quality or condition
f D being bent easily without breaking

14

5
Glass and metals
3 Read the text and match each paragraph with a heading.
A Advantages and disadvantages of different kinds of metal s
B Transparent buildings: problems and possibl e solutions
C An interesting experiment

1
Glass is a fashionable material in contemporary
architecture . Transparent buildings and structures
are very popular in contemporary architecture.
Structural glass components such as columns and
beams are often required, but this material seems
structurally unsafe becau se of its brittleness. For
this reason a new construction technique has been
developed using:
• very long overlapping glass segments to create
glass beams. These are made by bonding the
segments adhesivel y;
• a small stainless steel profile that has been added
to the layout of the glass beam to reinforce it.

2
To prove that glass stru ctures can be as safe as
reinforced concrete, an experi mental tra nspa rent
pavilion has been designed (w ith dimensions 9 x 9 x 3 .6 m 3 ) that combi'les 2 "1Ur'lOe
Many different kinds of glass and glass systems have bee n used . The outerMost ana ;:ne [r'o e- 2:,2f2C
glass units have been tempered and som eti mes la min ated and some glass I-Jas a 'so C02:ec ,', se ar
co ntrol glass to reflect some of the unwanted sunshin e outwards . In other cases g ass :-2: ca- :2 -sa:::::
electrically and glass panes free of iron oxide have been used to make t he inside ign;: 'IO'S -2 : _'2

3
Painted, stainless , hot dip galvanised and weather resistant steel, as we ll as alu minium, have a so JeS- _5::;:::
for supporting structures . Aluminium has some advantages (it is light, resistant to corrosio n and eas) :0 ,',c'-
but al so some di sadvantages (its thermal expansion and conductivity are high and it ha s low elastic nOC ' _5
and fire resistan ce). Stainless steel also offers some advantages (it has good fire res istance an d it is easj ;:0
keep) but its high price is a major disadvantage . Both hot dip galvanised and painted steel are not as expe nsive,
but they are difficult to work on site and are not resistant to corrosion .

4 Read the text again and decide if these statements are true (T) or false (F).
1 Glass is very popular in contemporary architecture.
2 There is no way to create a glass structure that is as safe as reinforced concrete .
3 A transparent pavilion has been recently designed as an experiment that uses some innovative idea s.
4 There is only one type of glass in this pavilion.
5 Glass has also been used for supporting structures.
6 Hot dip galvanised steel is not resistant to corrosion.

5 Match the words with their definitions.

1 outermost a 0 a metal made from steel that does not rust
2 stainless steel b 0 f ragility
3 ga lvanised c 0 external
4 brittleness d 0 flat sheet of gl ass
5 pane e 0 coated with zinc to protect it fro m rust

15
6
Plastic
6 Read the text and then choose the correct option.

Plastic products offer a number of ecological advantages: they save resources, have a low
maintenance cost and can be recycled. Furthermore they contribute to save energy (plastic
foams are used for thermal insulation in many applications). Plastic is also useful for noise
protection and insulation .
The main fields of application of these materials are pipes,
insulation, wall covering, flooring (both in houses and in public
areas) and, quite recently, window frames (made of PVC).
PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride and it is the plastic which
has seen the most rapid growth in recent times in industry.
PVC is often used in piping systems because of its good
chemical resistance to corrosive fluids. PVC pipes are used for a
great number of applications: to drain waste, for natural gas distribution,
for electrical and communications wiring, for municipal water.
As it is the newest primary construction material and entirely man-made, plastic is
extremely versatile. Improvements made through research have increased its acceptance
among designers, contractors and building code officials.

1 Plastic products save ... 4 The ... fields of application of these materials
A industry. are in flooring.
B materials. A alternative
C resources. B main
C useful
2 Plastic insulation is also useful for ... protection.
A recycled 5 PVC has good ... resistance to corrosive fluids .
B resources A physical
C noise B public
C chemical
3 PVC is the plastic whose use has grown more ...
A recently. 6 PVC pipes are used for ... gas distribution.
B slowly. A natural
C primary. B chemical
C piping

7 Read the text again and answer the questions.

Wh at are the advantages offered by plastic 4 What are the main fields of application
orodu cts? of plastic?
ow can pl asti c save energy? 5 What does PVC stand for?
3 hat is plastic insulation useful for? 6 What are PVC pipes used for?

8 Make a list of advantages and disadvantages of each material.

Steel Glass and Metals Plastic

- ,2 ntages

7
Sustainable materials
9 Read the text and answer the questions below.
Due to the rise in global population and prosperity over the last few decades, one of the consequences of
this phenomenon has been the increase in volume and variety of the materials used (such as raw materials,
food, manufactured products and waste) with a consequent increase in the transport distances. This has
created a series of negative effects on the environment, especially different kinds of pollution, leading to
an ecological emergency and growing preoccupation about health. This is why the aim of eco-design is to
create buildings with low ecological impact, where people can live in a comfortable, healthy way.
This is possible by using building materials that are traditionally considered eco-friendly and -sustainable:
timber from forests that have been certified; quickly renewable plant materials (such as straw or bamboo) ;
some typical traditional materials such as brick, stone, clay and cork; non-toxic, renewable and recyclable
materials (natural paints, waxes and varnishes) . Waste materials can also be reused as a resource for
construction purposes.

1 Wh at has happened to population and wealth in the last few decades?

2 Wh at has been one of the results of this?
3 Wh at is the aim eco-design?
4 Ca n you name some eco -friendly and sustainable materials you have found in the text?

10 Work in pairs: what is your opinion of modern building materials? Which would you use if you could
build your own house? Tell your partner about it using the information given in this unit.

I
='loy /'cebl/ _ _____ _ _________ outermost /'aut8m8ust/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
:eam / bi:m/ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ outwards /aut'w8dz/
-------------
c :-::tIeness /'bntlnes/ _ __ __ _ _ _ __ _ __ overlapping / 8UV8'lcepIIJ/ _ _ _ _ _ __
.:.)a:ed / butrd/ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ __ pane / pem/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
j'kAst8mmz/ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ __ pipe / pmp/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
.: ± ain waste /t8 dreIn werst/ rust / rA st/ _ _ _ __
':=ability / ,djmrd'brlrti/ _ _ _,_ _ _ _ __ to span / t8 spcen/ _ _ _ __
stainless steel /,stemI8s 'sti:l/ _ _ _ ______ _ __
:."=: ciip galvanised /hnt drp 'gcelv8narzd/ _ _ __ _ _ straw / str'J:/ - - - - - - - - -,- - - - -,
_-=:: ar8n/ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ __ _ strength to weight ratio / streIJ8 t8 welt 'reII8u/_ ___
-J:..:.t window frame /'wrnd8u

17
8
1.3. DESIGN AND PLANNING

Mapping
1 Read the text and fill
• because they offer a great amount
• images taken from different elevated positions
• offe r cultura l informat ion about countrie s
J
in the missing sentences from the box.
-

• spec ifi c subj ec ts such as population den sity

• they ex plain differences in elevation
- -

Maps are a useful method of illu strating a lot of

information into a format that people can understand
and learn from . Mapping is the job of a mapmaker or
cartograp her.
Th ere are d ifferent types of maps that give different
types of information:
• Physical maps show landforms, mountains , deserts and
lakes . (1) through
hypsom etri c tints or changes in colour. Topographic maps
show the sh ape and elevation of th e land through contour
lines .
• Political maps (2) (such
as their borders and main cities) and some physica l characteristics (like oceans, rivers and lakes).-
• Thematic maps give information about (3) , natural resources,
climate, primary imports and exports. Some specialised thematic maps show information that can be
usefu l to analyse different kinds of trends.
In short, maps are very important (4) of information in a very
sm all space .

Photogrammetry is a measurem ent technology that can determine the three-dimensional coordinates of
points of an object using different photographic (5) ___ . This kind of
techn ology is used in different fields , such as topographic mapping, engineering, architecture, police
invest igation, geology and archaeology and also in movie post-production . This measurement technology
provides high pe rformance , w ide application and accurate measurements , and it is easy and quick to use .

2 Read the text again and answer the following questions.

1 What do physical maps show and exp lain ? 4 Can you explain what ph otogrammetry is?
2 What kind of information do political maps offer? 5 Which fields is it used in ?
3 What kind of information do thematic maps offer?

3 atch the words with their definitions.

a D one or two numbers or letters indicating a particular point on a map
b D something useful that can be used to increase the weal th of a cou ntry
c D tendency, a development of events
d D the shape or outlin e of an object
e D height above the sea level

9
Sketch stage and working drawings
4 Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

Designing a project involves a number of vital stages: sketch design, design development and working drawing.
During the design development stage all kinds of helpful information are gathered, so that materials and methods propcs=·]
i for the project can be checked. The working drawing stage is the most demarc :i;;

- I because every project is unique as far as design and assembly of the parts
,I concerned . At this stage all the architectural drawings, schedules and specifica[.c--:s
required for building consent are prepared. Sometimes all this material is also need:::
I I to get prices from builders. In some cases 20 or more commonly 3D formats are us&c

to describe the building . The builders will need working drawings, consisting of plars
. , ! I sections, elevations, details, schedules, specifications and other consultants' documents.
During this stage all the architectural drawings are produced using the most recer':

(fD .r_ computer design software, which is very

similar to th e software used by other
consultants. This way all the information
r '- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ;

"= r:= can be coordinated easily. It is important

to make very precise drawings because
1- they must conform to all the latest
building standards, otherwise the council
will not give building consent. Another reason is that this wi ll help builders
know as much information as possible , thus reducing their guesswork.
Engineering graphics are very important for engineers because it is the
language with which they think and communicate. Years ago the AutoCAD
replaced the old T-square and , more recently, the 3Dparametric solid modelling
software has been used to learn graphics.
----------
1 The first stage when designing a project is sketch design.
2 The specifications necessary for obtaining building consent are drawn up
during the working drawing phase.
3 Builders will never provide a price until they have these documents.
4 These documents help builders to work as accurately as possible.
5 Building consent to start work on building depends on the accuracy of th ese drawings.
6 AutoCAD is the latest form of software in this field.

5 Find the synonyms of these words in the text.

1 step 5 papers
2 controlled 6 newest
3 cost 7 essential
4 technique 8 estimation

6 Write the questions for these answers.

7 4 ---------- ?
During this stage all kinds of helpful information They consist of plans , sections, elevations ,
are gathered. details, schedules , specifications and other
2 consultants' documents.
Because every project is unique. 5 7

- - - -? Because it is the language with wh ich engineers

2D or more commonly 3D formats. think and communicate.
6 7

The old T-square.

10
AutoCAD
7 Read the text and answer the questions below.

At the beginning of the 1980s Computer-Aided Design (CAD) programs drastically cut the needs of
draftsmen. Today students in universities do not learn drafting techniques, they learn computer-aided
design instead. But what exactly is CAD and what is it used for? CAD is software which allows the use of
computer technology for the development of design and design documentation. It is used to design curves
and figures in two-dimensional space or curves, surfaces and solids in 3D objects.
CAD has a great number of applications: automotive, shipbuilding and aerospace industries, industrial
(in the design of tools and machinery and throughout the engineering process from conceptual design
and layout of products) and architectural design (of all types of buildings) , prosthetics and also computer
animation for special effects in movies, advertising and technical manuals. Moreover, it is used for the
creation of photo simulations often
required in the preparation of
Environmental Impact Reports.
The objects and features created are

I_I
adjustable and modern CAD can also
allow rotations in 3D, so that the
designed object can be viewed from any
---
angle.
Nowadays CAD systems exist for all the
major platforms and no special
hardware is required for most CAD
---
software (except for some systems that
do graphically and computationally-
intensive tasks and require a modern
graphics card) . The human-machine
interface is usually via a computer
mouse or a pen and a digitizing or
graphics tablet. The advantages of CAD
are lower product development costs T·A32

and a greatly shortened design cycle.

1 What does CAD stand for? 6 Is there any need for special hardware if you
2 What is it exactly? What is it used for? use CAD?
3 Wh en did a drastic change in design take 7 Can you explain what the 'human machine
place? interface' is?
4 What was the consequence of this change ? 8 What are the main advantages of this design
5 Can you name a few CAD applications? program?

8 1\ 4 Listen to Tony Davies talking about AutoCAD and fill in the missing words.
1 CAD is the designer use of computer for the design of objects .
2 It is genera lly used by product designers , engineers, architects and decorators.
3 CAD is main ly used for the detailed engineering of physical
4 It is also used for the whole of the engineering , from theoretical des ign to th e layout of
products .
5 CAD allows the to be viewed from any angle and it can be quite helpfu l as texture and
colours can be easily manipulated.
6 No special hardware is required for most CAD

20
11
Rendering
9 Read the text and reorder the words below to make accurate sentences describing the processes of
rendering.

The process of generating an image from a model by means of computer graphics is known as 'rendering' . It is an
engineered program, based on disciplines connected to light physics, visual perception, mathematics and software
development. It is a method used by architectural illustrators to create two-dimensional images or animations from
a three-dimensional model (prepared scene) thanks to computer programs . These images or animations show the
characteristics of a planned architectural design. Scene files contain objects in a special language or data structure
(such as geometry, viewpoint, texture,
lighting, and shading information) to
describe a virtual scene. The data is then
passed to a renderi ng program to be
processed.
Rendering software can be used to create
life-like images for presentation, marketing
and design analysis. It is used in
architecture, video games, films and TV
visual effects and also in real estate sales
for experimenting with building design or
to make decisions before a building ' is
created.
There is a wide range of different kinds of
renderers. They may be integrated into
and animation packages , stand-
alone, or be free open-source projects.
In the case of 3D graphics pre-rendering is
used for creating films, whereas real-time
rendering is often used in producing 3D
video games.

1 is / engineered / illustrators / program / used / by / an / arc hitect ura l / Renderin g

2 Architectural / use / illustrators / rendering / animations / create / two-dimensi onal / to / images / or

3 for / This / is / used / presentation, / software / and / analysis / marketing / design

4 for / It / used / be / design / experimenting / can / building / with

5 the / Pre-rendering / used / in / is / industry / film

6 the / 3D / production / For / of / video / real-time / rendering / is / games / used

'0 Read the text aga in and decide if the statements below are true (T) or fal se (F).
1 Re ndering and computer-generated graphics are the same t hing.
2 W hen using rendering illustrators create 3D models from 2D images.
3 Rendering is used in the fashion industry.
4 Th e images produced by rendering software are very realistic.
5 Re ndering software is also used for designing houses before they are built.
6 Fil ms are created using real-time rendering techniques .

21
12
Town planning
11 Read the following text about planning. What is it? What do planners typically do?
Planning is a balancing act between constructing modern communities and conserving our natural and built
heritage to create sustainable places where people can live, work and play. It implies decisions about
transport, facilities, the development of new shops, schools, dwellings, parks, etc. It supports our ongoing
use of the environment.
Some of the things that planners do include:
• developing and creating affordable housing;
• regenerating socially-deprived areas;
• requalifying historic buildings;
• creating policies for managing the traffic and improving energy efficiency;
• discussing with communities about how to improve their quality of life.

12 n 5 Read and listen to the text and fill in the blanks with the words from the box.

agricultural centre Renaissance human rational situated streets tow ns

The first stable (1) _ settlements appeared

when agriculture replaced nomadic existence. The first
cities were centres for commerce, politics, defence and
distribution of (2) surplus. The earliest
examples of planned cities in history were in modern-day
Iraq and India. In these cities some (3)
were paved and there were both commercial and residential
streets,
The first examples of cities in the West were in Greece
and in Italy. Many European (4) are still
based on schemes that date back to the times of the
Romans, who put all the streets at right angles, set out in a
square grid. During the Middle Ages there was no trace of
(5) urban planning in Europe. Cities
grew a rou nd a fortress or a fortified abbey. Most of them
were (6) on high defensible ground
and their plans followed the irregularities of elevation
contours. They offered protection both to urban city and
rural inhabitants during enemy attacks.
Things changed again during the (7)
A great number of important artists created beautiful
buildings in many cities which were accurately designed
by architects and city planners.
In Florence , for example, radial streets extend ed outward
from a defined (8)

13 Read the text again and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).
The fi rst cities were centres for commerce, politics and defence.
2 - he earli est exa mples of planned cities in history are in the West.
3 " 2'1 European towns date back to the times of the Romans.
v'Jar) plann ing was extremely important during the Middle Ages.
: es 'n Europe grew around a fortress or a fortified abbey during the Middle Ages.
6 _' : ne Re aissance ra dia l st reets extended outward from a defined centre in Flore nce.

22

13
Master Plan
14 Read the text and answer the questions below.

A Master Plan is a document describing how a city is developed and how it can develop in the future. It is
written by city planners and experts after examining the land.
Here is an example of the aims of a Master Plan:
• to create a structure for the best quality
City Centre;
• to create the best possible environment
for all users ;
• to find key problem areas;
• to treat improvements as priorities;
• to create an attractive area for
businesses;
• to develop existing resources.
Modern city planning is increasingly
concerned with the social and economic
aspects of city living.
The process of city planning usually
involves a series of surveys and studies,
development of a land-use and
transportation plan, preparation of a
budget, and the approval of a unified
Master Plan by various agencies or legislative bodies. C ity planners ha\'e ro tackle problems of traffic.
pollution, security, fire and sanitation services, limitations and other regulations. and the problems of
funding. In recent years planners have worked closely with comm unity groups \\'ho wanted ro take part in the
plannin'g of their own neighbourhood.

1 Who writes a Master Plan? 4 What does modern city plann ing invol .'e?
2 What does it include? 5 What problems do city plan ners have to tackle?
3 What are its aims? 6 How are trends in recent yea rs?

15 Find the synonyms of these words in the text in exercise 14,

1 specia list 4 suggestions
2 i nspecti ng 5 enhancements
3 structured 6 restrictions

MY GLOSSARY
border / b:J:dg(r)/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ hypsometric tint /,hipsgu'mernk tl11t/ _ _ _ _ __
Quilding consent /,bIldll) bn'sent/ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ongoing /,Dn,ggUlI)/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
co conform / tg bn'fJ:m/ - - - - - - - - - - - open-source /'gupgn 's:J:s/ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
.:onsultant / kgn'sAltgnt/ ______________ paved / peIvd/ _ __
.:ontour /,kDntug/ prosthetics / pms'8enks/
'::emanding /dl'mo:ndll)/ __________________ real estate /,ng\ I'steIt/
'::eprived /dl'prarvd/ sanitation / ,srem'teIJn/
---- -
.:.:-aftsman /,dro:ftsmgn/ schedule /'Jedju:l/
.::.welling /'dwehl)/ _ _ shading /'J eIdIl)/
engineer /tu: ,end31'nrg(r)/ stand-alone /'strend g,lgun/
':'':'''1ding /,fAndn]/ _ survey /'s3:vel/
/ gnd/ _ _ _ _ to tackle / tg 'trekl/
/'gesw3:k/ __

23
14
 •
u
1.4. ENGINEERING DESIGN

Working with drawings

• Discussing dimensions and
precision
• Describing design phases and
procedures
• Resolving design problems

- Working with drawings

1 In pairs, discuss the different types of design information needed on a complex
engineering project, such as the construction of a large cruise ship. How many
different drawings do you think might be produced for such a project? How
would they be organised and categorised?

2 a .... 4.1 Joe, a technician at a shipyard, is talking to Linda, one of his engineering
colleagues in the design office. He is asking about some information which he
can't find on any of the drawings. Listen to the conversation and answer the
following questions.
What area of the ship are they discussing?
2 What does the technician need to know?

b Complete the following definitions using the types of drawing in the box.

cross-section elevation exploded view note pl3n schematic

specification

A ---'-'-''-'--'---gives a view of the whole deck, from above.

"'"""'
2 An _ _ _ _ _ gives a view of all the panels, from the front.
3 An _ _ _ _ _ gives a deconstructed view of how the panels are fixed
together.
4 A _ _ _ _ _ gives a cutaway view of the joint between two panels.
5 A _ _ _ _ _ gives a simplified representation of a network of air ducts.
6 A _ _ _ _ _ gives a brief description or a reference to another related
drawing.
7 A _ _ _ _ _ gives detailed written technical descriptions of the panels.

C Which two types of drawing in Exercise 2b are examples of general

arrangement drawings, and which two are examples of detail drawings?

30 Unit 4 Engineering design

15
 d Read the following technical questions that came up during the
shipbuilding project and decide which type of drawing is required to answer
each question.
1 How many panels are there altogether on this wall? _ _ _ __
2 What profile are these hollow beams: rectangular or circular? _ _ _ __
3 What are the positions of all the floodlights around the deck perimeter?

4 How many branches come off the main sprinkler supply pipe? _ _ _ __
5 How do all the internal components of the fan unit fit together? _ _ _ __

3 a What is meant by scale on a drawing? In pairs, explain how a scale rule,

like the one shown in the picture, is used.

b .... 41 After receiving the drawings for the panels, Joe is now discussing
some details with Pavel, a colleague. Listen to the conversation and answer
the following questions.
1 What piece of information is not shown on the drawing?
2 What golden rule is mentioned?

C Complete the following extracts from the conversation and explain what is
meant by each one.
1 Is this drawing ___ scale?
2 It's one ___ five.
3 ... you shouldn't scale ___ drawings ...
4 ... it's actual size, on a ___-scale drawing ...

4 You are engineers on a project to design the metal

handrail that will run around the perimeter of the
top, outdoor deck of a large cruise ship. In pairs,
discuss what drawings you will need to produce for
manufacturing and installation with regard to the
following issues:
• the types of view that will be required and what each
one will show
• the approximate scale of different drawings and views
• what written information you will need to provide in
the specification.

5 You are going to provide design information to enable

a production team to manufacture a product or
appliance you know well. Make a list of some of the
drawings that will be needed, noting what each one
will show.

Unit 4 Engineering design 31

16
- Discussing dimensions and precision
6 a In pairs, discuss what is meant by precision and accuracy.

b Read the technical advice web page and answer the following questions.
How is a superflat floor different from an ordinary concrete floor?
2 What accuracy can be achieved with ordinary slabs, and with superflat slabs?
3 What problem is described in high bay warehouses?

Superflat Floors: AQ
What is a superflat floor?
Compacting and finishing the surface of wet concrete is an inherently imprecise process. For an ordinary
concrete slab to be laid within tolerance. engineers can only realistically expect the surface to be finished
to plus or minus 5mm. By contrast. superflat concrete floors are finished to meet extremely close tolerances.
being accurate to within 1mm across their upper surface.

Where are superflat floors used?

Floor surfaces with extremely tight tolerances are frequently specified in warehouses where Automated
Guided Vehicles operate. Uneven floors are especially problematic in high bay warehouses, which use
automated forklifts with a vertical reach of 30 metres or more. At such a height, slight variations in floor
level are amplified in the form of vertical tilt. causing inaccurate manoeuvring at high level. If these
variations are outside tolerance they can lead to collisions with racking elements. or cause items to be
dropped from pallets.

C In pairs, discuss what is meant by tolerance in the context of dimensions and

precision.

d Complete the following expressions from the web page which are used to
describe tolerances.
_ _ _ _ _ tolerance (inside the limits of a given tolerance)
2 _ _ _ _ _ or 5mm (+I - 5mm)
3 _ _ _ _ _ tolerance (close tolerance)
4 _ _ _ _ _ tolerance (not inside the limits of tolerance)

e Complete the following sentences using the expressions in Exercise 6d .

The frame's too big for the opening. The opening's the right size, so the frame
must be _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
2 The total tolerance is 1mm. The permissible variation either side of the ideal
is _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
3 The engineer specified +I - 5mm for the slab finish, and we got it to
+I - 2mm. So it's well _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
4 You can't finish concrete to +I - 0. 1mm. There's no way you can work to such
a __________

f In some situations, engineers describe tolerances using plus or minus,

for example +I - 1mm, and in other situations as within, for example
within 1mm. In pairs, discuss the difference in meaning between these two
descriptions, giving examples of situations where each description might be
used.

32 Unit 4 Engineering design

17
7 a ..... 4.3 Mei, a structural engineer, is talking to Lewis, a project manager, about
the floor specification for a manufacturing plant that is currently at design
stage. Listen to the conversation and answer the following questions.
1 What has the client requested with regard to the floor slab?
2 What are free movement floors and defined movement floors ?
3 What issue does the engineer discuss regarding quality?
4 What option is discussed involving grinding?
5 What can be done to the reinforcement to pe rmit grinding?

b Complete the following table using the words in the text in Exercise 6b and
audioscript 4 .3 on page 89.
Name of dimension Large dimension Small dimension
1 What's the ? !sit _ _ _ ? Is it short?
2 What's the wlcAH11 !sit _ _ _? Is it narrow?
3 What's the ? Is it Low?
4 What's the !sit _ _ _ ? Is it thin?
5 What's the ? Is it cAeer ? Is it shallow?

C Mei has done a revised drawing for the floor slab. Read the extract from her
email about the new design and complete the message using the correct form
of the words in Exercise 7b.

To: Lewis Rosas

Subject: Revised floor slab drawing

Please find attached a revised drawing for the floor slab, now reconfigured for defined movement.
In order to accommodate guided vehicles 1 080mm {1) wlcAe (as specified by the client)
we propose a standard (2) of 1 280mm for each superflat lane. At 14.5m, the
(3) of the longest lane on the network is within the maximum slab run that can be cast
in a single concrete pour, thus avoiding construction joints on straight runs. On curved sections, a
standard 8.5m turning radius is used, as per the guided vehicle manufacturer's recommendations.
In order to allow for the eventuality of future grinding, we have located the top layer of reinforcement
1Omm deeper below the slab surface. This additional (4) has not, however, been
added to the overall slab (5) , which remains 275mm. The reinforcing bars also remain
in 12mm diameter. As a result, the levels of wall-mounted process installations - many of which need
to be fixed at a precise (6) above finished floor level - are unaffected. ....
....

d Which two words in the email relate to circles? What aspects of a circle do
they describe?
w
8 The manufacturing plant in Exercise 7 will
be built from a steel frame. The vertical
elements of the frame will be Universal
Columns (UCs). Look at the section of a UC. t flanges
In pairs, describe the different dimensions
that define a UC profile by explaining what
the letters on the section refer to.
web

Tf w

Unit 4 Engineering design 33

18
- Describing design phases and procedures
9 In pairs, discuss what is meant by a design process. In engineering, what are
the stages in the development of designs?

10 a The following extracts from emails relate to a project to build an indoor ski
complex in Australia, using artificial snow. The messages were circulated by
an engineer to members of the design team, and to a specialist contractor.
Read the emails and , in pairs, answer the following questions. Note that the
emails are not in the correct order.
What are all the emails about?
2 What different types of documents are mentioned?
a b
We now have a full set of working drawings for I attach a summary of our meeting with the
the main ski lift (attached). These incorporate client last Tuesday. It outlines ideas expressed
some amendments requested by the client, by the client's marketing team, and describes
which have now been approved. Hard what an experience at the ski complex should
copies have been forwarded to the relevant be like, from a visitor's point of view. We' ll be
contractors' premises, for fabrication. going through these notes at the project kick-
off meeting next Thursday, to clarify the design
c brief, so please formulate any queries before
Please find attached a full set of preliminary then.
drawings, as submitted to the client for
approval I comments. These are for information
e
only at this stage.
Please note that dwg 18A is currently being
d revised, to resolve problems encountered
Attached are a few rough sketches setting during assembly of the ski lift. Revision B will
out the overall layout of the ski complex. At be circulated next week. Until the amended
this point, these are initial ideas based on drawing is issued, please treat dwg 1BA as
the client's suggestions and the approximate superseded . If you require specific details
dimensions specified in the design brief. I look urgently, please contact me, and I will arrange
forward to any feedback by the end of this for a suitable sketch to be issued.
week.

b Put the emails in the correct sequence.

1 2 3 4 5

C Complete the following definitions using the types of drawing in the box.

design brief preliminary drawing sketch working drawing

A is a rough drawing of initial ideas, also used when production

problems require engineers to amend design details and issue them to the
workforce immediatel y.
2 A is a written summary intended to specify design objecti ves.
3 A is an approved drawing used for manufacturing or installation .
There is often a need to revise these drawings to resolve production problems.
In this case, amended versions are issued to supercede the previous ones.
4 A is a detailed drawing that colleagues and consultants are
invited to approve if they accept them , or comment on if they wish to request
any changes.

34 Unit 4 Engineering design

19
 d Find synonyms for the following words in the definitions in Exercise 1Oc.
accept I <'\ppvove 5 give feedback I _ _ __
2 amend I 6 replace I update I _ _ __
3 approximate I 7 state I _ _ __
4 circulate I 8 solve I _ _ __

e In pairs, suggest what needs to be done next in each of the following

situations.
They've found a problem with drawing 63 on site. The detail we've specified
doesn 't work.
2 I've done a preliminary design for the duct layout, but the client hasn 't seen
it yet.
3 I've got a feeling the drawing they have on site isn't the latest one.
4 We've just revised drawing 14. The changes are going to affect three
different contractors.
5 This is the client's written design brief. How shall we kick off the design
work?

l1 a Leo is the ski complex project manager. With design Austra_lian. Ski complex _ Design
work about to begin, he is meeting senior engineers Coordination Meeting Agenda
from the design teams to discuss design coordination. Tuesday 8th May
In pairs, explain the items on the meeting agenda and Conference room 9.30am _ 11 .ooam
suggest what kinds of issue might be discussed. To: RN, LG, SB, CW, SH

b .... 4.4 Listen to three extracts from the meeting and Item
match each extract (1-3) to an agenda item (a-c). a Design interface (mechanical,
J __ 2 __ 3 __ electrical)

C .... 4.4 Listen again and make notes about the problems b Design and information flow procedure
discussed in the meeting. In pairs, discuss some (structural, mechanical, electrical)
possible solutions to the problems. c Inter-team communication _
formal and informal
d .... 4.5 Listen to Leo summarising the solutions that
have been agreed in the meeting. What has been decided
regarding the following points?
1 The decision that the senior engineer in each team must make, regarding
drawings
2 The circulation procedure that will be used for each drawing
3 The role of the M&E coordinator in relation to the senior engineers and the
project manager
4 The arrangement that will make informal communication easier

e In pairs, discuss how the design procedures discussed in the meeting will
work in the following situations.
Issuing the first draft of a specialised hydraulic hose drawing for the ski lift
2 Designing an electrical supply system for some water-cooling equipment
3 Revising the connection details between some ski-lift machinery and its
concrete foundation

Unit 4 Engineering design 35

20
- Resolving design problems
12 In pairs, discuss problems that can arise when different drawings that
make up a design are not properly coordinated.

13 a The following records are from the indoor ski complex project. They show
correspondence between the design team and construction team . Read
through the texts quickly and answer the following questions.
1 What is the general subject of the correspondence?
2 What is meant by query and instruction?
3 Some queries refer to earlier conversations. Suggest why these have been
followed up in writing.
4 What is meant by dwg and dims?

CONTRACTOR' S QUERY No. 867 ENGINEER' S INSTRUCTION

Following our telephone conversation today, we We confirm the correct dimension is on dwg 76E .
note that there is a discrepancy between dwgs 76E Please disregard the dims on dwg 78E .
and 78E , which indicate conflicting dimensions for
the width of the roof opening . Please clarify which
dimension is correct.
CONTRACTOR' S QUERY No. 868 ENGINEER'S INSTRUCTION
As d iscussed this morning on site, we confirm there Please work to attached sketch S3 3 .
is a clash between the proposed cable tray (dwg Revision of dwg E56 to follow.
E56) and air-cond ition ing ductwork (now installed
as per dwg M 118) in the ceiling void at Grid D 14.
Please advise on an alternative cable route .
CONTRACTOR'S QUERY No. 869 ENGINEER' S INSTRUCTION
A note on dwg l l A specifies black bolts at the Please provide further details of the HSFG bolts you
base of the ski lift cable support. Th is contrad icts the are proposing .
specification, which states that all joints to comprise
High Strength Friction Grip bolts . We propose using
HSFG fixings at th is location .
CONTRACTOR' S QUERY No. 870 ENGINEER' S INSTRUCTION
Further to Query 869, the proposed HSFG bolts are Approved .
as per those specified for all other bolted joints on
the ski lift supports. Our intention is to use a single
bolt spec to facil itate assembly.

b Read the correspondence in detail. Write the query numbers in Exercise

13a next to the descriptions (1-5). You will need to refer to some queries
more than once.
An installation that won 't fit, as components are in each other's way
2 A response from the engineer asking for more information
3 Qu eries that suggest a solution , which will requ ire the engineer's approval

4 Requests to the engin eer to instruct the contractor or make something clear.

5 Separate documents referri ng to deta ils that don't correspond with each
other _________

36 Unit 4 Engineering design

21
 C Complete the following pairs of sentences using the verbs in the box.

advise clarify clash propose request

1 The components are in each other's way. = The components _ _ __

2 Please ask for more information . = Please more information .
3 Can I suggest a solution to the problem? = Can I a solution?
4 Please instruct the supplier to send the parts to this address. = Please
____ the supplier.
5 Any conflicting details must be queried. = You must any
conflicting details.

4- a In pairs, look at the following plan and sections from a drawing on the ski
complex project, showing steelwork details on part of a ski lift. Examine
how the rectangular plate is bolted to the T profile below it. Can you
find the discrepancy between the details, and the clash preventing the
connection from being assembled?
..... ·························-··· ··-·-·-······..-·.-·.. ·--··- .......
B

0 0 0
A
0 0 A
Section A-A
0 0 0 Section B-B

B
Plan
·---·-···---··-·· -··----··· ·-·-·--·

b Chen, a technician, is explaining the problem in Exercise 14a to Ron, an

engineer. Complete the conversation using the words in the box.

alternative as per clarify clash confirm contradicts di5ereJli1Re:y propose

Chen : There 's a [ 1) between these details that you might be

able to (2) straight away. On the plan of this plate, it
shows eight bolts. But on section A, here, there are no bolts shown in the
middle. So there would only be six, which obviously (3) the
plan. But as you can see, this plate's going to be bolted to a T profile.
So we couldn 't put a row of bolts down the middle, because they 'd
(4) with the flange running along the middle of the T So I'd
(5) just going for two rows of bolts. The (6) _ __ _ _
would be to redesign the T section, which would obviously be a bigger
job.
Ron: Yes. Let's go for two rows of bolts, (7) _ _ _ _ _ the sections.
Chen: OK, fine. Will you send an email to (8) that?

C ... 4.6 Listen to the conversation and check your answers to Exercise 14b.
How does the explanation compare with your description of the problem?

d Write an email from Ron to Chen, confirming the revision agreed in the
discussion above.

Unit 4 Engineering design 37

22
1.5. BUILDING ELEMENTS

Foundations
1 Read the text and then answer the questions below.

The foundations, walls, floor, stairs and roof are some of the building
elem ents that all types of building have in common.
Foundations are structures that transfer weights from walls and columns
to the ground. There are two types of foundations: shallow foundations
and deep foundations. Shallow foundations are usually embedded a
m etre into the soil, whereas deep foundations are embedded m ore in
depth. They are recommended in case of very large design loads, a poor
soil at shallow depth or site constraints, such as property lines. There are
different types of deep foundation s and they can be m ade of tim ber,
steel and reinforced or pretensioned concrete.
Geotechnical engineers design foundations to ensure that they have an
adequate load capacity with limited settlement. When designing
foundations, it is also important to consider scour (when flowing water
removes supporting soil from around a foundation) and frost heave
(when water in the ground freezes and forms ice lenses).

1 Wh at are foun dat ions? How many types of 4 What do geotechni cal engineers
found ation s are there? design?
2 Wh at are the main featu res of shallow foundations? 5 What must be considered?
3 Wh at are the ma in featu res of deep foundations ? 6 What are scour and heave?

Walls
t"".-
. .
2 Read the text and decide if the sentences below are true (T) or false (F).

Building walls support the superstructures of build ing (roofs and ceiling s), separate space and
give protection against intrusion and the weather. They usually have about three separate
components : structural elements, insulation , finish elements or surface .
Walls can be loadbearing or non load bearing depending on the ir providing structural support to
the bu ildi ng or not. Exterior loadbearing walls carry cei ling, roof or upper loor loads to the
foundation. Som e bearing walls are inside buildings : th ey support joists id span an d transfer
loads down to the foundation .
Usually conventional house walls have an inner wooden framewo r :ra: Llpport part of the
house , but does not support wall coverings, windows and doors : e BC rical wiring , plumbing ,
insulation, and other utilities.

1 Wal ls ca n defi ne and protect area s, support 2

of buildings and del ineate a space.
2 There are two kinds of struct ura l a Is.
3 Exterior boundary wal ls give pro' ec'::::- 2g2 -5: -:'_5:- ,,-: . ::,,:-2'.
4 Loadbearing walls can onl e e :e' :' ,',::; 5
,... ..... _ - ::: - .::. .::.,-- .... -:;:
on en ional ouse t a s us,,;:: ..........
) -- - --- --

23
Floor
3 () 6 Listen and complete the text with the words from the box.

elect ri ca l wood surface cover in g underfloor st reng th

Floor structure contributes to the general (1) of the building system. It is formed of a
steel I-beam frame with a horizontal upper (2) to which a number of adjacent
composite floor panels is fastened firmly.
Floors consist of a subfloor for support and a floor (3) used to give a good walking
surface. In modern buildings the subfloor often has (4) wiring, plumbing, and may
provide other services bu i It in, like (5) heati ng.
There is a wide variety of floor covering materials: carpet, ceramic tiles, (6) floor ing ,
laminated wood or stone.

Roofs
4 Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).
Roofs can be divided in cut roofs, w here a carpenter measures, cuts and places every length of wood needed
for the frame ; and fixed roofs , made of pre-built and assembled trusses. Trusses are custom-designed by
computer so as to adapt to the typical weather conditions of the house. As they generall y rest only on ou tside
walls, they leave the inside free to move walls and to accommodate different room sizes.
When the frame of the roof is ready, a waterproof membrane is placed over it and it is held in place by battens
(long pieces of wood) that are nailed into the truss and are the supporting syste m for the t il es. Ti les are the n
nailed to the wood. The top of the roof is finished off w ith ridge tiles that cover both sides of the roof 's top ro
of tiles. Then the end of the wood at the bottom of the roof is covered by a fasc ia. The fascia allows air to flo
safely through the membrane. To take away the water from the bui lding, guttering is attached to the ' ascia.
heat can go straight out of the roof, insulation is also necessary.
When designing the roof structure it must be remembered that all the load on the roof has to be :
the supporting beams, bearing walls, building foundation and the earth.

Trusses are designed to adapt to the typical weather conditions of the house.
2 Battens are long pieces of wood supporting the tiles .
3 The top of the roof is finished off with a waterproof membrane.
L Then the end of the wood at the bottom of the roof is covered by the guttering.

25
24
Stairs
5 Read the text and say what the stairs in the picture are like.

Staircases are powerful design

elements and an opportunity for
creative expression. They can be
spiral (twisting around a centre
pole with steps radiating out of it),
straight (they stretch from lower

circular (sweeping
to upper level in a broad
in one straight run),
curve from one level to another) or
they can have other shapes. They
can be wide or narrow, steep or
gradual, return (dividing the run,
reversing direction 180 degrees at
a landing) or 'L' stairs (making a
90 degree turn at a landing).
Their design is influenced by
their function and their style
\'aries according to how their parts
are built and combined. Staircases
are built according to rules that
are im portant for safety, indicating
he heights of risers, depth and
\\idth of treads and placement of
handrails . The first measurement to take when building a staircase is the distance between the two
finished floors. This determines the height of the staircase. Its riser must not exceed 22 cm in residential
building_. The a\'erage width is 80 cm, and anyway it should not be less than 60 cm.

6 Work in pairs: use your own words to explain which kind of stairs you would choose for your home and why.

7 Think about the stairs in your house or a building you know well. Write a short paragraph answering the
questions below.
• What kind of stairs are they? • Would you replace them with another kind
• Do you think this is the best solution? Why/Why not? of stairs? Why/Why not?

MY GLOSSARY
average /'rev;:md3/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ row _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
batten /'bretn/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ run IrAn/ - - -- - -
carpenter /,ko:pmt;::,(r)/ _ _ _ _ _._ _ _ _ __ scour /'skam(r)/ _ _
constraint Ibn'stremt/ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ settlement /'setlm;::,nt/ _____
electrical wiring II'lektnkl 'waI;::,rm/ _ _ _ _ _ __ shallow /'Jrej;::,u/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
embedded I lm'bedrd/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ span Ispren/ _ __
framework /,frermw3:k/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ firmly /,f3:mli/ _ __
guttering /'gAt;::,nl]/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ steep Isti:p/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
handrail /,hrendred/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ to stretch It;::, stretJ/
hea\'e I hi:v/ to sweep It;::, swi:p/
:-beam albi:m/ tile I taIl/
:o:s d:) Ist/ tread I tred/
.3..: c i::g IrendnJl trus s I trAs/
;-:c:;:; ji;:g pi \n111]/ turn I t3:n/
:-;c.ge ::':e nd:) [;:>Ii utility Iju:nlni
nil r waterpro of membrane /'w::l:t;::,pru:f 'membrem/ _ __

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1.6. HOUSE SYSTEMS

Plumbing systems
1 Read the text and answer the questions below.

The plumbing system, consisting of pipes and fixtures,

concerns the distribution of tap water and the removal
of waterborne waste in a building.
Plumbing installation must follow some regulations to
ensure safe, quality construction.
Water systems of ancient times used pipes or channels
made of clay, lead or stone. Today water supply systems
use high pressure pumps and pipes made of non-toxic
materials, such as copper, brass, steel, cast iron and
plastic. The domestic hot water supply is provided by
means of water heater appliances, or through district
heating.
Used water and wastes are carried away by the drainage,
waste and vent system.

1 What does a plumbing system consist of?

2 What materials were used in water systems of ancient times?
3 What materials ar.e used in water systems today?

Electrical systems
2 Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).
An electrical system includes the electrical service ,
lighting outlets and hard-wired appliances. The
electrical service is usually between 100 and 200
amps. Electrical lines run from the street to a meter
box (situated outside the house), then to the electric
panel board which contains the switches to control
the electricity in each room of the house. It is there
that the amps are divided up across circuits to supply • • tD
the different areas of the house with electricity.
Electrical systems must follow a number of safety
measures including, for example, circuit breakers,
ground fault circuit interrupters and smoke alarms.
If you have specific needs, you can ask you r electrician
for advanced w irin g systems, w hich may also include
modern computer lines to help you work at home .

1 An electrical system and an electrical service are the sa me t hing.

2 A meter box should not be placed inside the house.
3 There is an electric panel board in each room of the house.
4 There are many circu its for supp lying the different areas of the house w ith electricity.
5 Modern computer lines can be installed by an electrician.

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Heating systems
3 Read the text and label the pictures with the expressions in bold.
All cli mate-control devices or systems have three basic components: a source of warmed or cooled air, a means of
distri buting the air to the rooms being heated or cooled, and a control used to regulate the system (e.g. thermostat).
A va riety of technologies are available for heating your house:
• In a central heating system a furnace or boiler consumes the fuel (e.g. gas, oil, or electricity) that powers it.
As fuel is burned, pipes take hot water to radiators. You get hot water at the same time as heating,
depending on how you set the controls.
• Electric heat pumps remove heat from outdoor air, ground, surface water or the earth and move heat from
one place to another. They can also be used as air conditioners when the weather is warm. The thermostat
w ill also include controls for air conditioning.
• Radiant skirting board heaters are long, metal units with electrical elements inside. They are sometimes the
only source of heat in a house, or they can be an extra heating device in cooler rooms.
• Radiant ceiling or floor systems are installed in floors, ceilings or (occasionally) walls. They warm objects in
much the same way as the sun does.
• In hydronic heating a boiler warms the circulating water and hot water flows through tubes under the floor or
th rough units that are similar to skirting board heaters . They can also be installed in ceilings. They are
somet im es used under concrete in driveways to keep snow and ice from accumulating.
• Portable space heaters are either freestanding or attached to a wall and work with electricity, gas or
kerosene . Th eir area cannot be qualified as heated living space.

4 Read the text again and complete the table. More than one answer is possible.

Your demands What can you use?

1 I want a freestanding heater. a portable space heater

2 I have a cool room downstairs.
3 I want to install heating in the ceiling.
4 I need to move heat from one place to another.
5 I w ant to install a radiant element in the floor.
6 I need an extra heating device.
7 I wa nt to use my heater as an air conditioner too .
J
5 Wha t kind of heating system is used in your home? Work in small groups and discuss the advantages
2 d disa dvantages of each system thinking of the costs of installation, maintenance, efficiency.

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Solar heating
6 Do you know the difference between the solar photovoltaic system and the solar thermal system?
Label the pictures.

7 () 7 Complete the text with the words from the box . Then listen and check.

( tank roof comm on po llut io n sun ligh t sto ring

Solar energy is the electricity produced from the sun's rays and captured by means of solar panels, which are becoming
increasingly (1) _ nowadays. The two types of solar panel systems are solar photovoltaic syste ms and solar
thermal system .
In the solar photovoltaic systems the solar thermal panels contain cells whose semiconductors react with (2) _ _ __
Electricity is produced when sunlight hits them. This kind of technology is still quite expensive and its disadvantage nowadays
is the problem of (3) energy.
In the solar.thermal system solar energy is used for water heating. The panels arepositioned eitner on ms -.:
or a wall facing the sun and contain flowing water. When the th ermal collectors in the panel are exposea lO 0s :ns}
the water (stored in a hot water cylinder) that is either pumped or driven by natural convection throug n
: s::::-2.gs
(5) is mounted immediately above or below the solar collectors on the roof. This systel:" .S :-:: : •
expensive and offers a number of advantages, including being renewable, creating less environmental (6)
reducing costs and maintenance and saving resources. Hot water can be produced for most of the year.
A conventional boiler can be used to make the water hotter, or to provide hot water when solar energy is not avai lable.

8 Read the text again and then match the two parts of the sentences.
1 Solar energy a D we can produce energy using solar panels.
2 Thanks to solar thermal systems and b D are conta ined whose semiconductors are able to react
solar photovoltaic systems with sunl ight.
3 The solar thermal panels are usually c D when solar energy is not available or to make water
installed hotter.
4 In thermal panels special cells d D next to the solar collectors on the roof, either above or
5 Water is heated by below.
6 The storage tan k is mounted e D hot water for most of the year.
7 Thanks to these panels you can f D means producing electricity from the sun's rays.
produce g D exposing the thermal collectors in the panel to the sun .
8 Sometimes a conventional boiler is used h D on house roofs.

9 Now answer these questions.

1 How can electricity be produced using the
sun's energy?
2 What do solar thermal panels contain?
3 How is electri city created?
4 What are the two main disadvantages of
this energy?
5 What is solar energy also used for?
6 What happens when the thermal collectors are
exposed to the sun?
7 Can you name some of the advanta ges of this
system?
8 What can a conventional boiler be used for?

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Ventilation and air conditioning
10 Read the text and label the pictures with the words in bold from the text.

Ventilation - the exchange of indoor air with outdoor air - is important to reduce indoor moisture, odours, and
other pollutants.
Contaminants such as volatile organic compounds, and radon (that may cause health problems) can accumulate
in poorly ventilated homes. Excess moisture needs to be removed before high humidity levels lead to physical
damage to the home .
There are three main types of ventilation:
• Natural ventilation which is uncontrolled air movement through cracks and small holes (infiltration) and
through vents such as doors and windows. The disadvantage of this is that it is uncontrollable.
• Spot ventilation which means using localised fans in the rooms where contaminant substances are generated
(for example kitchen extractor fans and bath fans).
• Whole-house ventilation is a system that works thanks to fan and duct systems to exhaust stale air and
supply fresh air to the house . Whole-house ventilation systems are usually classified as exhaust ventilation
when the air is forced out of the house, supply ventilation if it is forced inside and balanced ventilation if the
same amount of air is forced inside and outside the house .

. 1'---_ _ _ __ _----'

11 Read the text again and answer the questions.

1 Why is ventilation important?
2 W hat happens if too much moisture is not removed from the inside of your home?
3 W hat is the disadvantage of natural ventilation?
4 What is spot ventilation ?
5 How does whole-house ventilation work?

12 () 8 Listen to this interview with an expert speaking about the imp ortance of vent i lati on and fill in the
gaps.
1 Thanks to ventilation, we can dispose of unwanted . ".:::::: ' .:::::_' :::-: JO ut ion .
2 The amount of ventilation we need is determined by a num ber 0 ' s_: - 2 S he type of
po llution and the number of peo ple who are 'r : -:: -::-
3 Usua ll y modern _ _ _ _ are provid ed with fitt ings ... - :- :.,,- ::-- :'" • :::-: =: ' ce ou t air.
4 Thanks to heat w arm air ca n be sa ved.
5 To attain cross , yo u can use contro ll ab e : ':.:: ::-: ::-: -:: :::-: '-om .
6 Mech anica l extractor fans are control led by a __

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Passive solar building
13 Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).
One of the latest trends in energy conservation is passive
solar building design. This means making windows, walls
and floors in such a way that they are able to collect, store
and distribute solar energy (heat) in winter and reject it in
summer. This kind of design implies avoiding the use of
mechanical and electrical devices. The best way to design
a passive solar building is to pay great attention to window
placement, glazing type, thermal insulation, thermal mass
and shading. In most cases these design techniques are
applied to new buildings, but even existing buildings can be
adapted.
If emissions decrease, this will help to reduce climate
change. Energy conservation makes the replacement 0
non-renewable resources with renewable energy easier.
According to the European Union pledges of 2006 , tr €
annual consumption of primary energy in the EU should be
reduced by 20% by 2020.
The EU's SAVE Programme is expected to pro mote energy
efficiency and encourage energy-saving behaviou r. The
European Commission is currently giving financial support
to large-scale research projects that will try to understand
the factorsJor effective energy conservation programmes.

1 Mechanical and electrical devices are used in passive solar building design .
2 These techn iques can only be applied to new buildings .
3 Thanks to the decrease in emissions, climate change can be reduced.
4 By 2020 yearly consumption of primary energy in the EU should be reduced by 10%.
5 The European Commission is supporting some energy conservation research projects.

14 Find the synonyms of these words in the text.

1 tendency 5 promise
2 piece of equipment 6 support
3 decrease 7 plan
4 facilitate

MY GLOSSARY
amp / remp/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ground fault j'graund 'fo: lt/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
appliance / g'plalgns/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ hydronic j'haldr;;mrk/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
brass / bra:s/ _ _ __ lead / Ii:d/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
cast iron /ka:st argn/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ lighting outlet j'lartlll lJ 'aut let/
circuit breaker j'S3:kJt 'bre lkg(r)/ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ moisture j'm::>rstfg(r)/
compound j'kompaund/ _ _ pledge /p1ed3/ _ _ __
driveway /dralywer/ _ __ skirting board /sk3:tllJ b::>:d/ _ _ _ __ _ _ __
to exhaust /rg'z::>:st/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ stale /sterl/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
fan / fren/ _ _ _ __ _ tank / trelJk/ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ __
fixture j'frkstJg(r)/ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ waterborne waste j'w::>:tg(r)b::>:n werst/ - - -
glazing j'glerzI1]/ wiring system j'walgrIl) 'slstgm/ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

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