"Building Design and Construction Handbook," Vocabulary from Section 1

This list focuses on building systems.
193 words 374 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. technology
    the practical application of science to commerce or industry
  2. commerce
    transactions supplying goods and services
  3. industry
    the action of making of goods and services for sale
  4. regulation
    an authoritative rule
  5. complex
    complicated in structure
  6. maintenance
    activity involved in keeping something in good working order
  7. innovation
    a creation resulting from study and experimentation
  8. precise
    sharply exact or accurate or delimited
  9. procedure
    a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
  10. principle
    a basic truth or law or assumption
  11. architecture
    the discipline dealing with the design of fine buildings
  12. assemblage
    a system of components put together for a particular purpose
  13. shelter
    covering that provides protection from the weather
  14. equipment
    an instrumentality needed for an undertaking
  15. possession
    anything owned
  16. design
    something intended as a guide for making something else
  17. requirement
    something that is needed in advance
  18. construction
    the act of building something
  19. competency
    the quality of being adequately or well qualified
  20. engineer
    a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve problems
  21. contractor
    someone who is hired to build things
  22. technique
    a practical method or art applied to some particular task
  23. labor
    a social class comprising those who do work for wages
  24. occupant
    someone who lives at a particular place for a long period
  25. evacuation
    the act of leaving a dangerous place in an orderly fashion
  26. plan
    a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be achieved
  27. specification
    a description of design criteria for a piece of work
  28. material
    things needed for doing or making something
  29. analysis
    a detailed investigation or examination of something
  30. synthesis
    the combination of ideas into a complex whole
  31. component
    one of the individual parts making up a larger entity
  32. appraisal
    an expert estimation of the quality of something
  33. feedback
    response to an inquiry or experiment
  34. comparison
    relation based on similarities and differences
  35. system
    a group of independent elements comprising a unified whole
  36. constraint
    a limitation or restriction
  37. restriction
    the act of keeping something within specified bounds
  38. compatible
    able to exist and perform in harmonious combination
  39. essential
    absolutely necessary
  40. performance
    process or manner of functioning or operating
  41. traditional
    consisting of or derived from a practice of long standing
  42. feasibility
    the quality of being doable
  43. structural
    related to the composition of a political or economic system
  44. mechanical
    relating to or concerned with machinery or tools
  45. electric
    using or providing the flow of charge through a conductor
  46. consultant
    an expert who gives advice
  47. specialist
    an expert devoted to one occupation or branch of learning
  48. program
    a series of steps to be carried out
  49. schematic
    diagram of an electrical or mechanical system
  50. conceptual
    being or characterized by ideas or their formation
  51. phase
    any distinct time period in a sequence of events
  52. development
    a process in which something passes to a different stage
  53. preliminary
    preceding or in preparation for something more important
  54. estimate
    an approximate calculation of quantity or degree or worth
  55. negotiate
    discuss the terms of an arrangement
  56. contract
    a binding agreement that is enforceable by law
  57. document
    a written account of ownership or obligation
  58. manager
    someone who controls resources and expenditures
  59. crew
    an organized group of workers
  60. supervisor
    one who has charge and direction of
  61. superintendent
    a person who directs and manages an organization
  62. inspection
    a formal or official examination
  63. standard
    the ideal in terms of which something can be judged
  64. intent
    an anticipated outcome that guides your planned actions
  65. permit
    a legal document giving official license to do something
  66. survey
    plot a map of (land)
  67. schedule
    a list of times at which things are planned to occur
  68. liability
    the state of being legally obliged and responsible
  69. property
    something owned
  70. insurance
    contract or certificate of protection against future loss
  71. budget
    a sum of money allocated for a particular purpose
  72. investment
    laying out money or capital in an enterprise
  73. expenditure
    money paid out; an amount spent
  74. capital
    wealth in the form of money or property
  75. initial
    occurring at the beginning
  76. incur
    make oneself subject to
  77. optimum
    most desirable possible under a restriction
  78. horizontal
    parallel to or in the plane of the horizon or a base line
  79. surface
    the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer
  80. enclosure
    a structure consisting of an area that has been confined
  81. foundation
    lowest support of a structure
  82. continuous
    moving in time or space without interruption
  83. spread
    act of extending over a wider scope or expanse of space
  84. column
    a tall vertical cylindrical structure standing upright
  85. pile
    a column that is driven into the ground to provide support
  86. raft
    a flat float that can be used for transport
  87. joist
    a beam used to support a floor or ceiling
  88. girder
    a beam used as a main support in a structure
  89. brace
    a structural member used to stiffen a framework
  90. rigid
    having a form maintained by a stiff unyielding frame
  91. shear
    become deformed by forces tending to produce a strain
  92. dormer
    a gabled extension built out from a sloping roof
  93. dome
    a hemispherical roof
  94. arch
    a curved masonry construction for spanning an opening
  95. sheath
    a protective covering, as for a knife or sword
  96. thermal
    relating to or associated with heat
  97. insulation
    material reducing transmission of sound, heat or electricity
  98. interior
    situated within or suitable for inside a building
  99. exterior
    situated in the outdoors or outside of a building
  100. durable
    existing for a long time
  101. resistant
    able to tolerate environmental conditions or stress
  102. mason
    a craftsman who works with stone or brick
  103. panel
    sheet that forms a distinct section of something
  104. concrete
    a strong hard building material made with gravel and cement
  105. combination
    an assemblage of separate parts or qualities
  106. transparent
    able to be seen through with clarity
  107. glaze
    furnish with glass
  108. hardware
    tools or implements made of metal
  109. access
    a way of entering or leaving
  110. partition
    a vertical structure that divides or separates
  111. withstand
    resist or confront with resistance
  112. vertical
    at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line
  113. support
    carry or bear the weight of
  114. finish
    a decorative texture or appearance of a surface
  115. passage
    a way through which someone or something may go
  116. conveyance
    the act of moving something from one location to another
  117. utility
    something provided by a company performing a public service
  118. supply
    give something useful or necessary to
  119. disposal
    the act or means of getting rid of something
  120. ventilation
    the act of supplying fresh air and getting rid of foul air
  121. illumination
    the quality of providing light
  122. adequate
    sufficient for the purpose
  123. acoustics
    the study of the physical properties of sound
  124. enhance
    make better or more attractive
  125. reduction
    the act of decreasing something
  126. communication
    a connection allowing access between persons or places
  127. voltage
    the rate at which energy is drawn from a source
  128. circulate
    move through a system and return to the starting point
  129. install
    set up for use
  130. slope
    be at an angle
  131. platform
    a raised horizontal surface
  132. tread
    the horizontal part of a stair or step
  133. intelligent
    exercising or showing good judgment
  134. control
    a mechanism that directs the operation of a machine
  135. adjust
    alter or regulate so as to conform to a standard
  136. value
    fix or determine the worth of
  137. method
    a way of doing something, especially a systematic way
  138. observation
    the act of making and recording a measurement
  139. phenomenon
    any state or process known through the senses
  140. hypothesis
    a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations
  141. accuracy
    the quality of being near to the true value
  142. benefit
    something that aids or promotes well-being
  143. disadvantage
    the quality of having an inferior or less favorable position
  144. scale
    an ordered reference standard
  145. ratio
    relation with respect to comparative quantity or magnitude
  146. interval
    the distance between things
  147. magnitude
    the property of relative size or extent
  148. nominal
    relating to an amount that is not adjusted for inflation
  149. weight
    the relative importance granted to something
  150. economic
    of or relating to production and management of wealth
  151. disbursement
    the act of spending or distributing money
  152. revenue
    the entire amount of income before any deductions are made
  153. salvage
    property or goods saved from damage or destruction
  154. recovery
    the act of regaining or saving something lost
  155. effective
    producing or capable of producing an intended result
  156. elimination
    the systematic rejection of unacceptable alternatives
  157. alternative
    one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen
  158. coordinate
    bring into common action, movement, or condition
  159. goal
    the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve
  160. function
    what something is used for
  161. objective
    the goal intended to be attained
  162. criterion
    the ideal in terms of which something can be judged
  163. code
    a set of rules or principles or laws
  164. variable
    something that is likely to change
  165. repetition
    the act of doing or performing again
  166. delay
    time during which some action is awaited
  167. model
    a representation of something, often on a smaller scale
  168. correspond
    be compatible, similar, or consistent
  169. iconic
    relating to a symbolic figure
  170. resemblance
    similarity in appearance or external or superficial details
  171. symbolic
    relating to or using arbitrary signs
  172. analogue
    something similar or equivalent to something else
  173. parameter
    any factor defining a system and determining its performance
  174. calibrate
    make fine adjustments for optimal measuring
  175. simulation
    representation of something, often on a smaller scale
  176. efficient
    being effective without wasting time, effort, or expense
  177. license
    a legal document giving official permission to do something
  178. alteration
    the act of making something different
  179. provision
    a stipulated condition
  180. promulgate
    put a law into effect by formal declaration
  181. classification
    the act of distributing into categories of the same type
  182. zone
    an area or region distinguished from adjacent parts
  183. combustible
    capable of igniting and burning
  184. capacity
    the amount that can be contained
  185. residential
    of or relating to the act of dwelling in a place
  186. jurisdiction
    the territory within which power can be exercised
  187. density
    the spatial property of being crowded together
  188. dimension
    one of three coordinates that determine a position in space
  189. ordinance
    an authoritative rule
  190. comply
    act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes
  191. review
    a formal or official examination
  192. expertise
    skillfulness by virtue of possessing special knowledge
  193. application
    the action of putting something into operation
Created on Fri Sep 23 06:25:34 EDT 2016 (updated Fri Sep 23 10:38:51 EDT 2016)

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