Essay
Unit 6 Building Technology in Construction Assignment 2
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Unit 6 Building Technology in Construction Assignment 2
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P5Principles of Superstructure
All buildings consist of two parts the superstructure and the substructure. Below is a brief
explanation of the principles of superstructure design and the underlying principles that influence
the design.
Superstructure: is the part of a building that stands
upon the substructure or foundation. It’s an upward
extension and can be range from 1 to 100 stories tall or
more. The superstructure encases all of the walls, roofs,
windows and doors of a building. A superstructure must
be watertight and will hold all the building services and
upon completion house the furnishings.
Stability: is one of the main principles of a
superstructure. Stability or strength is achieved by the load bearing elements of the
structure i.e. walls, beams and columns. By surpassing traditional construction techniques
like brick and blockwork, materials such as concrete and steel have allowed us to build much
wider and taller buildings. Concrete and steel have also allowed us to have vast open plan
interiors and large glass windows to maximise natural light.
Weather proofing: is another main principle
of a superstructure. This comes from a
combination of elements of the
superstructure mainly the roof. Roofs protect
a building from weather conditions such as
rain or snow and also prevents heat escaping.
Pitched roofs ensure rainwater runs off
without settlement, overlapping tiles allow
for movement with heat expansion and allow
vapour to escape. The eaves should be sealed
with fascia boards and soffits for waterproofing. Downpipes and guttering will transport
rainwater safely away from the building. A combination of these and the roofs natural
overhang will help to protect the walls of the building from rain water. A flat roof should
never be perfectly level as to direct rainwater to the series of gutters and downpipes. This
prevents water settlement. Windows and doors allow for access and for air to flow around
the building when necessary. Window sills are designed to ensure settling rainwater flows
away from the window to avoid any potential damage from damp.
, Comfort: is another crucial element to a
superstructure. Comfort can be
achieved in many different ways.
Thermal comfort is attained by having a
climate control system such as air-
conditioning and heating, either
underfloor heating or using radiators.
Thermal insulation is used on
components such as the roof, the floor
and the walls to attain an adequate U-
value. Air-conditioning is an expensive
technology to operate and maintain for this reason it’s usually exclusive to commercial
developments to allow for cooling. Air-conditioning is more prevalent in warmer climates on
domestic properties. Windows should all be fitted with ventilation gaps that allow for the
movement of air. Natural light is another key to comfort. This is achieved by having large
windows or skylights located in the ideal positions to maximise daylight. This is not only
necessary for comfort it also provides significant health benefits to people who work in
doors all day. Sound proofing is also a necessity in the comfort of a superstructure. This is
attained with the use of dense materials and sound insulation foam. The noise from sources
such as highways, railways, construction or neighbours can cause annoyance to the people
inside a building damaging concentration levels and leading to stress.
Security: is a necessity of any building both
commercial and domestic. Buildings should
be capable of keeping the occupants and
their possessions safe from potential theft or
damage. This is achieved by having high
quality locking windows and doors. Alarm
systems to detect intruders on the premises
are not a necessity but ultimately they help
to deter and protect would be invaders.
Smoke alarms or fire alarms however are a
necessity. They are required by law to be
installed and save lives in the event of a fire. Smoke alarms should be placed inside each
room of a domestic dwelling for maximum protection.
Attractive: buildings are important. Aesthetics
are important to sell a building not only to
potential buyers but to the surrounding
community. Poorly designed or aesthetically
offensive buildings have a negative impact on
residents, workers or people who regularly use
the area around the building. Urban planning
and urban redevelopment can be used to
improve an area with a high crime rate. Areas
with a high crime rate have also been linked to
poorly designed areas. The interior of a building is also important especially in an office or
factory. Workers inside may feel uninspired to work hard and suffer from a low moral due to
poorly designed interiors.
, Safety: is an aspect of a building usually
overlooked by the average person. Buildings
must abide by building regulations and be
inspected as they’re built. They should be
built using fire resistant materials like treated
timbers and plasterboards that repel the
spread of fire. In commercial developments
fire escapes and sprinkler systems might be
required. Staircases in commercial buildings
should have breaks at appropriate intervals to
prevent people falling long distances. Doors should have windows in them to help avoid
collisions with somebody on the other side. Hygiene is also another crucial part to safety
especially in buildings like hospitals and doctor’s surgeries. Surfaces should easy to clean and
toilets shouldn’t join onto living areas or food preparation areas.
In conclusion the superstructure of a building should provide a comfortable environment for people
to inhabit. It should also be safe and abide by building regulations. It should provide a secure
environment for people to live and work and should be aesthetically pleasing to all. These are the
principles of a superstructure that all buildings both domestic and commercial should achieve.
http://www.fesconstruction.co.uk/Level%203%20Unit%206/P5_Superstructure.html
P6
There are many different methods for constructing residential and commercial low rise buildings and
these are traditional brick and blockwork, timber frames, steel frames and concrete frames. Below is
a brief description of each of these.
Traditional Domestic Construction
A typical traditionally built domestic dwelling is built
from brick and blockwork. This brick and blockwork is
held together using mortar. Mortar is a mixture of
sand and cement which is spread between the bricks
and blocks to form a bond. Modern brick building have
a cavity wall which is a gap between the outer leaf and
inner leaf brickwork measuring between 100m and
300mm. This is then filled with insulation to improve
the thermal efficiency of the building. Brick and
blockwork domestic dwellings are generally finished
externally with either the outer leaf facing brickwork
or they can be rendered and painted. Internally the
inner leaf blockwork will be plaster boarded or
plastered. These increase thermal efficiency, protect
and fire and can be painted or decorated to the occupant’s desire. Partition walls are used to
separate the different rooms in the house. These are made up of timber, insulation and
plasterboard.
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