Higher Nationals

Construction and the

Built Environment
Unit Study Guide
Unit 2: Construction Technology

Higher National
Certificate Lvl 4

Higher National
Diploma Lvl 5

Simon Topliss, Author

Geoffrey Makstutis, Editor

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 Exploring Learning Outcomes
and Assessment Criteria
Through this section of the Study Guide we
will examine each LO in more detail, We will
seek to establish an approach to exploring
the associated Essential Content and how
this may inform our understanding of the
relationship between the Essential Content
and the Assessment Criteria, that will be used
to measure our achievement of the learning
outcome.

This unit contains four learning outcomes as

follows

1. Explain the terminology used in

construction technology.
2. Describe the different techniques used
to construct a range of substructures
and superstructures, including their
function and design selection criteria.
3. Identify the different types of civil
engineering/infrastructure technology
used in support of buildings.
4. Illustrate the supply and distribution of
a range of building services and how
they are accommodated within the
building.

LO1 Explain the terminology used in construction technology.

Essential Content
Topic: Types of construction activity
How do we classify buildings?
How are building types expressed in use or scale?

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 Things to Remember

The construction of buildings can be classified in many different ways, such as:

• low-rise – buildings of only a few storeys in height; for example, a single

family residence, a restaurant, or a small office building
• medium-rise – sometimes defined as buildings of 4–12 storeys; may
include multi-occupancy residential buildings (apartments), medium-sized
commercial or office buildings, or small retail shopping malls
• high-rise – usually considered to be buildings over 12 storeys (such as
skyscrapers); often contain multiple functions such as commercial premises
and office uses, or retail units and residential units.

These definitions will vary depending on the region. Some major cities have
specific definitions for low-rise, medium-rise and high-rise that are used in their
local regulations for planning and building control.

Storey height is the modular system used to define the height between floors. This
will include the structure of the floor above and the space required for structure,
services, etc. Storey heights are sometimes defined by minimum ceiling heights,
as set out by local building regulations. For example, a recent draft of housing
regulations for London states:

“The minimum floor to ceiling height must be 2.5 m for at least 75 per cent of the
Gross Internal Area of each dwelling.”

Building use is also classified in different ways. For residential buildings, we may
find:

• domestic buildings – typically, single occupancy residential buildings, such

as houses (terraced houses, bungalows, semi-detached, detached)
• Multiple Occupancy Buildings or Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
–converted or purpose-built accommodation that contains both common
areas and bedrooms, such as a large house that is occupied by a group of
individuals who form more than one household.

Similarly, for non-residential buildings, we find:

• commercial – cinemas, public houses, fast food outlets, retail parks, office
buildings
• industrial – buildings that support specialised processes, such as factories,
chemical plants and power stations, and warehouses.

! Classifications and terminology may vary with location. For example, a ‘flat’ may be called
an ‘apartment’ in the USA or Europe.
Different types of building will use different types of technology. For example, a domestic
house will, typically, use a different form of wall construction when compared to a large
commercial building. Similarly, the types of foundation for a small building (such as strip
foundations) will differ from those for a tall building (such as pad footings).

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 ! Most construction information is now produced and stored digitally and it is increasingly
common for construction drawings to be viewed on tablet computers, not printed.
Building Information Modelling is rapidly becoming a standard approach for projects. In
many parts of the world, there are now specific regulations that require the use of BIM
processes. Clients are also increasingly likely to request BIM is used in their project, as
the data related to the project will have uses beyond the construction phase.
Many architecture and construction software vendors provide a wealth of free
information related to their products, including CAD and BIM. You may also be able to
obtain free versions of their software for educational use.

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 • Deep strip – This is a strip foundation with a greater depth. As strip
foundations become deeper, steel reinforcement must be added to the
concrete, to prevent damage caused by increased tensile forces.

Deep Piled – A foundation is considered a pile when its depth is more than three
times its width. Piled foundations are typically used where there is a need for very
deep foundations, for example:

• due to weak soil bearing, meaning you must excavate to a very deep level
to find suitable bearing
• in situations where the size of the building (such as a skyscraper) would
exert such extreme forces that a shallower foundation would not provide
suitable support.

A pile is a vertical column of steel or reinforced concrete (or, less commonly,

timber). Piles are driven, bored (a bore hole is removed and the pile is inserted) or
screwed into the subsurface, down to the required depth. Piles provide support
through a combination of friction (over the vertical length in contact with the soil)
and the bearing of the material below the bottom of the pile. There are other
forms of pile, such as sheet piles, geothermal piles and pile walls.

! Soil testing will confirm the ability of a soil to resist loading and prevent settling, which
could cause damage to a structure.
As you travel around your local area, look for building sites. If they are still installing
foundations, what type of foundation is being used? From this, can you make
assumptions about the type of building to be constructed?

Insulation External cavity wall

50 mm thick floor screed

DPC
50 mm insulation

Damp-proof membrane

150 mm thick concrete

Ground ground floor slab
level

150 mm thick
compacted
hardcore
Not less than 1.000 mm

Mass concrete
1:3:6 mix (15–20 N/mm2)

load per m run

Width =
bearing capacity
(min. width = 380 mm)

Deep strip foundation

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 LO3 Identify the different types of civil engineering/infrastructure technology used
in support of buildings
Assessment Criteria Areas for consideration
P6 Describe techniques used for remediating the site In responding to this criterion, you should consider
prior to construction commencing a range of different forms of remediation. This may
include contamination, dewatering, structural and
environmental factors.
P7 Describe the types of substructure works carried Note that this criterion specifically references civil
out by civil engineers engineers. What do civil engineers do? What types of
project might you need to consider in responding to this
criterion?
M4 Compare different types of structural frame used This is a comparison criterion, so you will need to
to carry the primary and secondary elements of the consider two or more types of structural frame. You
superstructure may wish to approach this by creating a table of
different factors and listing how each type of frame
addresses these factors.
D2 Prepare a design report identifying superstructure, Whether you are working in relation to a project
substructure and civil engineering structures assigned to you by your tutor, or a project you have
necessary for a given building construction project selected, your report will need to be detailed and
thorough to achieve this distinction criterion.

Activities
Activity 1

What are the regulations associated with ‘brownfield’ sites in your region? Use your local/
regional/national planning and building regulations to find this information.

Activity 2

Select one permanent and one temporary technique from the following:

Temporary Permanent
Sump pumping Diaphragm walling
Borehole wells Secant piling

Research the techniques you have chosen and compare their advantages and
disadvantages. Consider the conditions under which you might use each technique.

Activity 3

Reinforced concrete superstructures may require column and beam formwork. The latter
is often referred to as a ‘table form’. Investigate the properties and use of a table form.

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 Appendix 1: Glossary of Command Verbs
This is a summary of the key terms used to define the requirements within units.

Term Definition

Analyse Present the outcome of methodical and detailed examination

either:

• breaking down a theme, topic or situation in order to

interpret and study the interrelationships between
the parts and/or
• of information or data to interpret and study key
trends and interrelationships.

Analysis can be through activity, practice, written or verbal

presentation.

Apply Put into operation or use.

Use relevant skills/knowledge/understanding appropriate

to context.

Arrange Organise or make plans.

Assess Offer a reasoned judgement of the standard/quality of a

situation or a skill informed by relevant facts.

Calculate Generate a numerical answer with workings shown.

Carry out To put into execution.

Communicate Convey ideas or information to others.

Compare Identify the main factors relating to two or more items/

situations or aspects of a subject that is extended to explain
the similarities, differences, advantages and disadvantages.

This is used to show depth of knowledge through selection

of characteristics.

Compose Create or make up or form.

Conduct Organise and carry out.

Create/Construct Skills to make or do something, for example a display or set

of accounts.

Critically analyse Separate information into components and identify

characteristics with depth to the justification.

Critically evaluate Make a judgement, taking into account different factors and
using available knowledge/experience/evidence where the
judgement is supported in depth. 63

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 68

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