CM 2331 ‒ Construction Documents & Sustainable Design: Vocabulary Review

Fifty vocabulary flashcards covering key terms in construction documents, contracts, quality management, sustainability, cost analysis and scheduling for the CM 2331 midterm review.

AIA

American Institute of Architects; publishes standard contract documents such as A201 General Conditions.

CSI

Construction Specifications Institute; develops the MasterFormat and other specification standards.

Project Manual

A bound volume containing technical specifications plus legal/administrative documents such as bidding requirements and contract forms.

Construction Drawings

Graphic documents that show physical relationships, dimensions and locations of building elements.

NIC

Not In Contract; notation indicating work that is excluded from the current construction contract.

Shop Drawings

Contractor- or supplier-prepared drawings that show fabrication, installation, or assembly details of specific components.

General Conditions

Standard clauses (e.g., AIA A201) that establish common rights, responsibilities and procedures for the owner, architect and contractor.

Supplementary Conditions

Provisions added to modify or expand standard General Conditions to fit a specific project.

Division One – General Requirements

Specification division that describes project-wide administrative and procedural duties (submittals, close-out, etc.).

Descriptive Specification

Spec type that gives detailed written descriptions of materials, workmanship and installation methods without naming brands.

Performance Specification

Spec that states required results or criteria the finished work must meet, leaving means and methods to the contractor.

Reference Specification

Spec that cites published standards (ASTM, ANSI, etc.) to define material and workmanship requirements.

Open Specification

Spec that allows multiple acceptable products or manufacturers, encouraging competitive bidding.

TQM

Total Quality Management; a comprehensive management approach focusing on continuous quality improvement.

Quality Assurance (QA)

Proactive measures taken to prevent errors before work is executed (training, mock-ups, procedures).

Quality Control (QC)

Activities that check the completed work or documents for defects before distribution or acceptance.

Flashing

Water-resistant material installed at joints and penetrations to direct moisture to the exterior.

Expansive Soil

Soil that swells when wet, exerting upward pressure capable of damaging foundations.

STC (Sound Transmission Class)

Numeric rating that indicates how well a building element reduces airborne sound transfer.

Sick Building Syndrome

Condition in which occupants experience health issues linked to poor indoor air quality and inadequate ventilation.

Punch List

Document listing incomplete or defective items to be corrected near substantial completion.

Pentagon of Concerns

Five key design priorities—Cost, Function, Aesthetics, Time, and Sustainability.

Life-Cycle Costing

Economic analysis that considers initial, operating, maintenance, replacement and disposal costs over a component’s lifespan.

Matrix Costing

Method that evaluates multiple interacting cost elements across different building systems to reveal trade-offs.

Sustainable Construction

Building practice that uses recyclable/renewable materials and reduces energy consumption and emissions.

LEED

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design; U.S. rating system for sustainable buildings sponsored by USGBC.

USGBC

U.S. Green Building Council; nonprofit organization that develops and maintains the LEED program.

DOE-2

Energy-modeling software developed by the U.S. Department of Energy for analyzing building performance.

First Cost

Initial purchase and installation expense of a building element or system.

Residual Value

Estimated value remaining at the end of a component’s service life; factored into life-cycle studies.

Operating Cost

Expense required to run a building component during use, e.g., electricity or fuel.

Performance Bond

Surety bond that guarantees the contractor will complete the work in accordance with contract documents.

Builder’s-Risk Insurance

Property insurance covering the work in progress against loss or damage during construction.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Coverage that pays benefits for job-related injuries to employees on the construction site.

Schedule of Values

Breakdown of the contract sum by work categories, submitted before the first payment application.

Record Drawings

Updated drawings maintained by the contractor showing actual field-installed conditions (often called As-Builts).

Labor & Material Payment Bond

Bond that protects suppliers and subcontractors on public projects where mechanics’ liens are not available.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

Network-based scheduling technique identifying activities that determine total project duration.

Fast Track Construction

Scheduling strategy that overlaps design and construction phases to achieve minimum project duration.

Contingency

Allowance of time or money set aside to cover unforeseen conditions or delays.

Project Calendar (7/5 Ratio)

Conversion factor translating five-day work schedules into seven-day calendar durations for planning.

Embodied Emissions

Greenhouse gases associated with material extraction, manufacturing and delivery before a building is occupied.

Operational Emissions

GHG emissions generated during the day-to-day use and operation of a building.

RFI (Request for Information)

Formal question submitted by a contractor seeking clarification of contract documents.

QTO (Quantity Take-Off)

Tabulation of measured quantities of materials and labor used as a basis for cost estimating.

CMU

Concrete Masonry Unit; common modular block used in wall construction.

PVC

Polyvinyl Chloride; plastic material widely used for piping and membrane roofing.

MEP

Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing systems within a building.

HVAC

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning; systems that control indoor environmental comfort.

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act; U.S. law mandating accessible design for individuals with disabilities.

AIA A201

Standard form of General Conditions of the Contract for Construction issued by the AIA.

Lien Waiver

Document relinquishing a claimant’s right to file a mechanics’ lien, typically required before final payment.