Building Technology

20A01505
Unit-1

What Is Building?

Any enclosed or open space with a roof, sidewall, foundation, W.C. & bath, etc., is called a Building.

In these Tents, tarpaulin shelters and slums without foundations, walls, and rigid roofs erected
for temporary and ceremonial occasions shall not be considered buildings, even when they
are used for longer periods.

The building is classified as follows,

1. Residential buildings
2. Educational buildings
3. Institutional buildings
4. Assembly buildings
5. Business buildings
6. Mercantile buildings
7. Industrial buildings
8. Storage buildings
9. Hazardous buildings

1.Residential buildings

Residential buildings are those in which at least a sleeping facility is provided for normal residential
purposes, with or without cooking and dining facilities (except institutional buildings).

It includes single or multi-family dwellings, apartment houses (flats), lodgings or rooming houses,
restaurants, hostels, dormitories, and residential hotels.

2.Educational Buildings

These include any building used for school, college, or day-care purposes involving assembly for
instruction, education, or recreation and which is not covered by assembly buildings.

3.Institutional buildings

Institutional buildings are used for various purposes such as medical treatment other treatment or care
of persons suffering from physical or mental illness, disease or infirmity, care of infants or old
age persons care, and for penal or correctional detention in which the liberty of the inmates is restricted. The
institutional buildings are major including sleeping accommodations for the occupants.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
They include hospitals, sanitoria, custodial institutions, or penal institutions like jails, prisons, and mental
asylums.

4.Assembly buildings

These are the buildings where groups of people meet or gather for amusement, recreation, social,
religious, political, civil, travel, and similar purposes; such as theatres, motion picture houses, marriage
halts, town halls, auditoriums, exhibition halls, assembly halls museums.

Also Included skating rinks, city halls gymnasiums, restaurants (also used as assembly halls), places of
worship, dance halts, dub rooms, passenger stations, terminals of air, surface, and other public transportation
services, recreation places and stadia, etc.

5.Business buildings

These buildings are used for the transaction of business (other than that covered by mercantile buildings),
for the keeping of accounts and records, and for similar purposes; offices, banks, professional
establishments, courthouses, and libraries.

The major activities in this type of building are the transaction of public business and the keeping of books
and records.

6. Mercantile buildings
This type of building is used for selling a small product in which small shops, stores, markets, for display
and sale of merchandise either wholesale or retail, office, shops, and storage service facilities incidental to
the sale of merchandise and located known as Mercantile building.

7. Industrial buildings
Type of building in which raw material process and material fabrication, processing or assembly
plants, laboratories, dry cleaning plants, power plants, pumping stations, smokehouses, laundries,
gas plants, refineries, dairies, and sawmills.
8.Storage buildings

Storage buildings are those in which material is stored or sheltering facilities are provided
for goods like wares or merchandise.

This building is also being used for handling highly combustible material in warehouses, cold storage plants,
freight depots, transit sheds, storehouses, trucks, marine terminals, garages, hangars (other than aircraft
repair hangars), grain elevators, barns, and stables.

9.Hazardous buildings

The hazardous building is used for the storage of such materials or chemicals that are highly dangerous to
humans or it may pollute the environment.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
They have majorly used storage, processing of highly combustible material handling, manufacture
or explosive materials or products which are liable to burn with extreme rapidity and poisonous elements,
manufacturing or processing of highly corrosive, toxic or noxious alkalies, acids or other liquids or
chemicals producing flame, Poisonous, irritant or corrosive gases.

Components of Building
Following is a list of building components,

Foundation

The foundation is the lowest load-bearing part of a building. The foundation is usually concrete, and it is the
first component built. The foundation distributes the weight from the structure on top evenly onto the soil
underneath it.

A well-made foundation can prevent common construction problems for a building that can develop over
time, like a cracking foundation or uneven load-bearing. A foundation's success depends on how well it
transfers weight to the soil underneath it, so construction teams may study the behavior of the soil in the
construction area to construct the right foundation that can work with the soil and prevent sinking.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
Plinth

The plinth is the structure component built directly on top of the foundation. It is typically a rectangular wall
of stone that goes along the outer dimensions of the structure. The plinth raises the floor of the building to a
few centimeters above the level of the soil outside the structure in order to prevent groundwater from getting
into the building. This component separates the substructure of the foundation from the superstructure of the
rest of the building.

DPC or Damp Proof Course

A damp proof course is a layer of waterproof material that works to keep out any moisture from entering the
building and compromising the materials. This layer typically goes on top of the foundation. A plinth works
as a DPC, but where there is not a plinth, you can use asphalt or waterproof cement. You can build the rest
of the structure on top of this layer.

Plinth Beam

A Plinth beam is a beam that runs horizontally along the foundation from one side of the plinth to another, to
support the weight of a wall that will go on top of it. Plinth beams can be concrete or stone.

Floor

The floor is a flat horizontal surface that supports people and furniture. Flooring goes on top of the DPC
level, and there are a variety of materials you can use. The purpose of flooring is to provide a dry and
hygienic ground to your structure. Depending on the type of building, you can have multiple floors. Any
floors below the soil level outside of the building are basement floors. Floors at or slightly above the outside
soil level are ground floors. Structures that have multiple levels above the ground number their floors based
on their relativity to the ground floor.

Slab

A slab is a vertical base component that works as a floor and a ceiling. In a one-story building, the slab is the
roof. In structures that are multiple stories, the slab is the ceiling of one story and floor of the story above it.
The slab transfers the weight from the story above it vertically to the walls and columns that support the
structure.

Wall

Walls are vertical structure components that support the roof. They also provide security and protection from
outside weather. You can use a variety of materials to construct a wall, depending on whether it is an
exterior or interior wall.

Exterior walls line the perimeter of the structure and can protect the inside of the structure from weather and
moisture, as well as provide privacy. Interior walls make up the design and spatial structure of the interior of
the building. Some interior walls are necessary to hold the weight of the roof, but some walls are only used
to segment off space.

Shear wall

A shear wall is a vertical component that is reinforced to withstand earthquakes or storms. They work by
adding additional support to the wall by transferring additional pressure caused by strong winds or shaking
from the vertical wall to the horizontal foundation.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
Column

A column is a vertical load-bearing component that supports the roof by connecting it to the floor. It does
not protect from weather or provide privacy because it is typically as thick as it is wide and strategically
placed within a structure to support weight.

You can use a column to support weight instead of a wall, as long as the column is big enough to withstand
the weight of the roof and any additional weight you place on it. You can also use a column as a visual
feature if it is not carrying weight.

Roof

The roof is the uppermost structural element of a building. It provides covering for the rest of the structure to
protect it from weather. You can construct a flat or sloped roof out of a variety of materials, depending on
what is best suited for the weather of the region. The roof is a weight that rests on other load-bearing
structures. The load that the roof bears is mostly its own weight, as well as any additional pressure from
weather.

Staircase

A staircase is made up of a collection of steps that allow movement from one floor to another. It has to bear
its own weight and anyone walking on it. You can consider the space available when deciding the layout of
the staircase, as well as the materials used.

Tie beam

A tie beam runs between columns to support the weight the columns carry. These are typically used to
support columns that are holding up tall ceilings. Columns that are too long need to be reinforced to prevent
buckling under the weight of the high roof.

Lintel

A lintel is made of a slab of concrete or metal that goes above an opening in a wall, like a window or a
doorway. The lintel supports the piece of wall above the opening, distributing the weight to the stronger
sides of the wall on either side, and reinforcing the wall where it is weak, above the opening.

Sill

A sill is a part of a wall just under an opening like a window. You can reinforce the sill to support the weight
of the window frame.

FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING

1. Aspect
2. Prospect
3. Groping
4. Furniture Required
5. Roominess
6. Circulation
7. Flexibility
8. Privacy

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
 9. Economy
10. Elegance
11. Sanitation
12. Practical Consideration

1. Aspect

Aspect means the peculiarity of the arrangement of doors and windows in the outer walls of a building,
particularly of residential buildings, which allow the occupants to experience the natural gifts such as
sunshine, breeze, scenery etc.

The aspect creates a pleasant and hygienic atmosphere in the building. It is necessary that air movement
should occur in building at the level of occupancies and use.

As per rule, every habitable room shall have opening directly to the external air or into an open verandah,
excluding doors inclusive of frames shall not be less than:

(a)One-tenth of the floor area for dry hot climate ;

( b ) One-sixth of the floor area for wet hot climate ;
( c ) One-eighth of the floor area for intermediate climate ;
( d ) One-twelfth of the floor area for cold climate, and cross ventilation using windows shall be effected
either by means of windows in opposite walls or if this is not possible or advisable, then at least in the
adjoining walls.

Below we have given some ideas for different rooms and their aspect

i. The living room should have southern or south-east aspect.

ii. All the bedrooms should have either the west or south-west aspect, This is because the air required in
summer would blow from this direction.

iii. The kitchen should have an eastern aspect so as to allow the sun to refresh and purifies the air in the
kitchen with its first ray. The kitchen would remain cool during the later part of the day.

iv. The storerooms should have a northern aspect as there will be no sun from the north side.

v. The study rooms, classrooms, etc., should have north aspect as light received from both will be diffused
and evenly distributed.

2. Prospects

Prospect is the views as seen while looking through the windows and doors from a certain room of the
house.

Everyone expects that the scene around their house will be beautiful and pleasant to look at. However, it is
not always possible that the views of every side from the house will be beautiful and pleasant.

Thus, the doors and windows should be located in such a way that occupants can enjoy the outside views
while looking through those doors and windows, and toward unpleasant views, the opening should not be
provided.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
But doing so the quality of aspect may hamper. In such circumstances experienced planner may minimize
the conflict between aspect and prospect i.e., opening in external walls shall be provided for a cheerful
atmosphere in the room but pleasant views remain concealed.

3. Grouping

Grouping is the arrangement of various rooms regarding their function. The relationships of the spaces
should be such that there is a feeling of invitation and transition, rather than a feeling of abrupt change. For
the residential building, planning should be grouped as (a) Living area; (b) Sleeping area; (c) Service area;
and (d) Circulation area.

4. Furniture Required

Furniture silently tells us what this room is made for because the requirements of furniture for different
rooms are also different.

During planning the location of furniture and other utility articles should be so arranged in the respective
rooms as to give maximum area for movements, convenience for operating door and window shutters and a
comfortable breeze to bed.

It is better to create a sketch plan showing furniture positions so that it can be made sure that doors,
windows, and circulation space do not preclude the placing of a sufficient number of pieces. In such plans,
positions of beds, heavy furniture pieces such as sofa, big furniture, chest of drawers, etc. should be shown.

5. Roominess

Roominess is the accomplishment of the economy of space. Planning should be such that maximum benefit
can be obtained from the minimum required for the functions expected to be available from the space.

For utility, a rectangular room is better than a square room of the same floor area. Accordingly, the length
and breadth ratio should be 1.2: 1 to 1.5: 1. If the ratio is one and half (1: 0.5) then again a bad effect is
created. A room having its length twice the width is objectionable as it creates a look like a tunnel.

Skill is essentially required for making use of available accommodation by proper arrangement of the rooms,
by locating the doors, windows and passages in such a way that the utility, live-ability, privacy are not
adversely affected.

6. Circulation

For movement and access to various rooms, a certain amount of free space is needed, which is known as
circulation or free space area. This includes passages, corridors, porches, halls, lobbies, staircases, etc. The

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
circulation should be designed in such a way that this will preserve every room’s privacy and not disturb any
householder.

7. Flexibility

The term flexibility means a provision in the original plan for its future extension or change in inside
planning of a room, bathroom, w.c. etc., by changing the position i.e., flexibility can be availed of. Future
extend or development in public buildings like schools, hospitals, hostels, etc., becomes necessary stage by
stage. So, the present planning for such cases should be flexible to provide the future demand.

8. Privacy

Privacy is the most important part in case of building planning. It has a very significant role, particularly for
residential buildings. Unless optimum privacy is secured, all the principles of planning of a building are
bound to fail.

The privacy of a building is two types

i. External privacy

External privacy of the whole building regarding the surrounding buildings and road can be guarded by
placing window sills, which can cut the vision of outsiders to the bed in the bedroom. A businessman would
like to have for his office necessary privacy and at the same time, he would like to have his concern easily
spotted.

ii. Internal Privacy

In modern planning, it is often seen that a big central hall is provided to serves as drawing-cum-dining room.
Bedrooms, kitchens, water-closet and bathrooms are arranged along two long sides of the drawing-cum-
dining room. Such planning of rooms often can’t satisfy the factor of privacy. Proper positioning of rooms,
lobbies or screens can grant necessary internal privacy.

9. Economy

The economy is a vital factor in building planning. While planning, the following points should be carefully
considered

(a) The shape of a square building is most economical, since it provides the maximum amount of floor area,
with the least amount of wall area.

(b) Cost for bigger rooms are lesser. For the same floor area, a number of smaller rooms will incur more cost
than a bigger room.

(c) Minimum offsets should be provided to satisfy architectural and other practical considerations, because
the cost of constructions for corner walls is comparatively more than straight walls.

(d) The economy in construction can also be affected by using as many common walls as possible by
arranging two rooms side by side.

(e) Detached building costs more in comparison to that of a semi-detached one.

(f) Planning on a modular basis:- Dimensions of all rooms, door and window openings, the wall between
to openings etc. should be multiples of available brick sizes.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
(g) Sizes of rooms:- Considering the positions of doors, windows and furniture, a greater economy can be
achieved by reducing the sizes of rooms without affecting the crowding.

(h) Free space area:- To lower the cost of a building such common paces should be reduced to the
minimum.

(i) Reducing structural cost:- The foundation and other construction should not be designed to be
unnecessarily strong by assuming a large volume of loads and low value for the working stresses.

(j) Economy in using building material:- As much as possible local materials should be used in the
construction.

10. Elegance

In simple words, elegance means the external appearance of a building produced by elevation. It depends
upon the several factors like; the proportion of width and height, the position of doors and windows and also
the choice of materials. During the planning of a building architectural design and composition should be
visualized to create an elegant structure.

11. Sanitation

Sanitation term embodies not only sanitary convenience such as w.c., urinals, bathroom, sinks but also
lighting and ventilation of the building as a whole. Sanitation means the environment of the house and
includes;

a) Lighting
b) Ventilation
c) Cleanliness
d) Plumbing services

The Health and happiness of the dwellers depend upon the sanitation of the house and such this
consideration plays an important role in building planning.

Lighting and ventilation may be done by naturally or artificially. Good ventilation is an important factor
conductive to comfort in buildings. Ventilation is the change of air in the room. Air conditioning is nothing
but forced or induced ventilation under controlled humidity and temperature conditions.

12. Practical Consideration

In addition to all of the basic principles of planning discussed, the following practical points should also be
taken into account.

Future Extention: Future extension is a very important point, and that should consider before creating any
planning. The planning should be done in such a way that future extension should be possible without
affecting the existing building.

Comfort: The first and last priority is always to provide comfort to the occupants. The plan should be such
that it does not affect the comfort of the occupants.

Size of the Room: The room sizes should be kept as large as possible. A large room can be shortened by
providing partition walls, but a small room cannot be simply expanded.

Elevation: As far as possible the elevation of the building should be made simple but attractive.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
 Stability: The building should be strong enough to withstand the adverse effects of rain, wind, storm, snow,
etc.

Grouping and Circulation

Grouping is the arrangement of various rooms regarding their function. The relationships of the spaces
should be such that there is a feeling of invitation and transition, rather than a feeling of abrupt change. For
the residential building, planning should be grouped as (a) Living area; (b) Sleeping area; (c) Service area;
and (d) Circulation area.

(a) Living Area

The living area is the area for general use and should be next to the front Varanda and near the entrance.

Drawing room or guest room should not provide direct Passage to the bedrooms but should be adjacent to
the dining room. At the same time kitchen should be kept away from the living room to avoided smoke and
smells.

The living room should be sufficiently ventilated and spacious in order to accommodate furniture. It should
get an attractive view of the surroundings and garden etc.

In extreme cases, the living room may be located at the centre and accesses or approaches to various units
and apartments may radiate from it.

(b) Sleeping Area

This is the area of bedrooms and should be located so as to guard privacy. The site should be sufficient to
accommodate beds, dressing tables, etc. Attached toilet to the bedroom should be preferred.

c) Service Area

This includes the area of the kitchen, dining rooms, bathrooms, and toilet. The dining room should be close
to the kitchen. This will make it much easier to carry food. The kitchen room should be avoided near the
living room, bedroom, and study room to avoided smoke and smells.

d) Circulation Area

This is an area for passage, lobby, corridor, etc., It should be minimum but well ventilated and lighted.

e) Other Area

Other areas such as study room, Puja room, etc., may be located near the living room or bedroom

Circulation

The term 'circulation' refers to the movement of people through, around and between buildings and
other parts of the built environment. Within buildings, circulation spaces are spaces that are predominately
used for circulation, such as entrances, foyers and lobbies, corridors, stairs, landings and so on.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
Circulation spaces may be categorised as those facilitating horizontal circulation, such as corridors, and
those facilitating vertical circulation, such as stairs and ramps. They may also be restricted to
specific users groups, for example, in buildings used by the public there may be public circulation spaces,
and also, restricted access private circulation spaces. They may be closed spaces such as corridors, or open
spaces such as atria and in some cases may serve multiple functions.

The size of circulation spaces may be determined by factors such as; the type of use, the numbers of people
using them, the direction of travel, crossing flows and so on. In complex buildings such
as hospitals or transport exchanges, signage or other forms of wayfinding may be necessary to help people
navigate circulation spaces.

Some circulation spaces may have very specific uses, such as for the movement of goods, or for evacuation.
According to Approved Document B, Fire Safety, a circulation space (in relation to fire safety) is:

Where a protected stairway is a stair discharging through a final exit to a place of safety (including any exit
passageway between the foot of the stair and the final exit) that is adequately enclosed with fire-
resisting construction. And a compartment is a building or part of a building comprising one or
more rooms, spaces or storeys constructed to prevent the spread of fire to or from another part of the
same building or an adjoining building.

Ventilation
Ventilation moves outdoor air into a building or a room, and distributes the air within the building or room.
The general purpose of ventilation in buildings is to provide healthy air for breathing by both diluting the
pollutants originating in the building and removing the pollutants from it.

Building ventilation has three basic elements:

• ventilation rate — the amount of outdoor air that is provided into the space, and the quality of the
outdoor air
• airflow direction — the overall airflow direction in a building, which should be from clean zones to
dirty zones
• air distribution or airflow pattern — the external air should be delivered to each part of the space in
an efficient manner and the airborne pollutants generated in each part of the space should also be
removed in an efficient manner.

Depending on your building and its supply of natural air, different types of ventilation will be needed to
provide a healthy breathing environment for inhabitants. In some cases, notably in relation to commercial
and public buildings, an operational ventilation system is actually required by law.

NATURAL VENTILATION

Drawing an ongoing supply of clean air from natural sources is the ideal source of ventilation. However, as
modern day homes are sealed to become energy efficient, it pays to incorporate a natural ventilation
solution so an ongoing supply of oxygen can be harvested.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
window controls, designed to utilise outdoor air pressure generated by the building and its
surroundings. Electric controls are especially useful in public buildings as they can feature smart technology
able to recognise weather patterns and fire alarms, opening or closing as necessary.

MECHANISED FANS

In some cases, a natural ventilation solution isn’t possible due to the design and location of building.
Therefore, mechanised systems are required to inject clean air and expel stale oxygen.

Mechanised fans are typically installed directly into windows or air ducts. Internal air is extracted via the fan
in a controlled manner, adjustable to the required climate if desired. For example, infiltration of particles
needs to be reduced in humid conditions, whilst exfiltration needs to be prevented during colder periods to
minimise condensation.

EXHAUST VENTILATION

Exhaust ventilation systems operate by depressurising the building, reducing the inside air pressure so it’s
below outdoor air pressure. The stale air is sucked out via the exhaust mechanism and through a ducting
system outside. It‘s then replaced by fresh air from a different source, usually another air vent.

They are most commonly found within the bathroom, kitchen or utility room to ensure a build-up of steam
and humidity doesn’t become too prevalent. It’s most effective to position them in localised spaces near to
where steam builds up, although larger rooms may require additional systems.

SUPPLY VENTILATION

Conversely, supply ventilation works by pressurising the building, forcing external oxygen particles inside
via a fan. Air will then escape via cracks in the building, doors and windows, or purpose-built ducts and
vents.

Commonly found within living rooms and bedrooms, their design allows a better quality of air into the
house, filtering out dust and other pollutants. However, if not correctly installed, they can also cause
excessive moisture in colder temperatures.

BALANCED VENTILATION

To counter the potential cons of exhaust and supply ventilation, more balanced designs can be implemented
that neither pressurise or depressurise the building. Instead, they seek to inject and exhume the same level of
air by positioning at least two fans and two duct systems in the most effective positions around the room.

SMOKE VENTILATION

In relation to public buildings in particular, it is necessary by law to provide smoke ventilation in the event
of fire. Doing so helps in the removal of thick, condensed smoke – the biggest killer when a fire breaks out –
and provides a clearer escape route for trapped inhabitants. This is something we can implement at LJ
Pratley, along with a wide range of other natural ventilation systems as noted above.

Lighting

Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural
illumination by capturing daylight. Daylighting (using windows, skylights, or light shelves) is sometimes
used as the main source of light during daytime in buildings.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/
Lighting is classified by intended use as general, accent, or task lighting, depending largely on the
distribution of the light produced by the fixture.

• Task lighting is mainly functional and is usually the most concentrated, for purposes such
as reading or inspection of materials. For example, reading poor-quality reproductions may
require task lighting levels up to 1500 lux (150 footcandles), and some inspection tasks
or surgical procedures require even higher levels.
• Accent lighting is mainly decorative, intended to highlight pictures, plants, or other elements
of interior design or landscaping.
• General lighting (sometimes referred to as ambient light) fills in between the two and is intended
for general illumination of an area. Indoors, this would be a basic lamp on a table or floor, or a
fixture on the ceiling. Outdoors, general lighting for a parking lot may be as low as 10-20 lux (1-
2 footcandles) since pedestrians and motorists already used to the dark will need little light for
crossing the area.
•
Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural
illumination by capturing daylight. Daylighting (using windows, skylights, or light shelves) is sometimes
used as the main source of light during daytime in buildings.

https://hemanthbana.wordpress.com/