Unit 2 Terms & Definitions

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Legal requirements designed to protect the public by providing guidelines for structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical areas of a structure.

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The maximum compressive stress a material can withstand without failure.

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The lower part of a building, which transfers structural loads from the building to the soil.

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The moving of soil to affect the elevation of land at a construction site.

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The energy needed to warm outside air leaking into a building through cracks around doors, windows, and other areas.

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Material used to restrict the flow of heat, cold, or sound from one surface to another.

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The principal pipe artery to which branches are connected.

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The pressure of water at a given point in a pipe arising from the pressure in it.

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The numerical value used to indicate the resistance to the flow of heat.

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Minimum distance that the zoning ordinance requires must be maintained between a structure and property lines or between two structures.

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Consideration of the solar orientation of a building based on the relative position of the sun in order to purposely increase or decrease the amount of light or heat transferred to the building.

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Pressure of a fluid due to the head of fluid above some reference point.

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The maximum stress a material subjected to a stretching load can withstand without tearing.

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The process of heat transfer through a solid by transmitting kinetic energy from one molecule to the next.

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Heat transmission by the circulation of a liquid or a heated gas or air.

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An assembly of structural members joined to form a rigid framework, usually connected to form triangles.

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A measure of the heat transmission through a building part (as a wall or window) or a given thickness of a material (as insulation) with lower numbers indicating better insulating properties.

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A fitting that is used to control the flow of fluid or gas.

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The pipe from the water main or other supply to the water-distributing pipes.