T Level Construction: Construction Industry and Sustainability Flashcards

Practice flashcards covering sustainable construction, procurement, statutory compliance, estimation, lean principles, and site evaluation for the T Level Core Paper 2 examination.

What are two examples of pre-construction planning activities that should be completed before a farmhouse refurbishment begins?

1. Obtaining necessary planning permission and building regulations approvals. 2. Undertaking condition and structural surveys alongside energy performance audits.

What is one benefit to a client of owning a property as a sole proprietor?

The owner maintains full control and exclusive decision-making authority over all design choices, refurbishments, and finances without requiring agreement from partners or co-owners.

What is one legal implication for a landowner when a public right of way crosses their land?

The owner cannot block, obstruct, or illegally divert the path (such as by building an impassable boundary wall) and has an obligation to maintain safe, unobstructed public access.

How do energy-efficient heating, lighting, and ventilation systems improve the sustainability of a building?

They lower operational energy consumption, which reduces associated greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use, while also decreasing ongoing lifecycle energy bills.

In the foundation and wall cross-section drawing shown in Figure 1, what construction components or materials are identified by labels (i) and (ii)?

(i) Damp-proof course (DPC) / cavity tray. (ii) Steel reinforcement / reinforcing bar (rebar).

What are the standard drawing symbols used to denote a distribution board and a lighting point on electrical schematic drawings?

A distribution board is represented by a rectangular box divided into hatched or diagonally shaded segments. A lighting point is represented by a circle or an $\times$ symbol indicating the luminaire location.

What is one key benefit to a contractor of undertaking a project under a design and build contract?

The contractor has direct control over both the design and construction phases, allowing them to optimize buildability, integrate value engineering, and manage project scheduling and costs for improved profitability.

What are two benefits to a designer of patenting an automated window opening system?

1. It grants exclusive legal rights preventing competitors from copying, manufacturing, or selling the design. 2. It enables commercial monetisation through manufacturing monopolies or licensing agreements for royalty income.

What is one effective method for a developer to communicate proposed plans for a fast-food restaurant to local residents?

Organising a public consultation meeting or issuing informational leafleting to give residents details on design, traffic, and opening hours while gathering feedback.

Referring to Figure 2, what steps and dimensions are used to calculate the cost of paving the area at a unit price of $£55/\text{m}^2$?

Determine the total surface area of the $2\,\text{m}$ wide perimeter strip by calculating the lengths of the perimeter segments (incorporating the $2\,\text{m}$ corner radii and end returns) and multiplying the resulting total square metres by the block paving rate of $£55/\text{m}^2$.

What are two methods for remediating ground contaminated with toxic chemicals from a former factory site?

1. Excavation and off-site disposal ('dig and dump') of contaminated soil to a licensed hazardous waste facility. 2. In-situ or ex-situ bioremediation, soil washing, or chemical stabilisation to neutralize or extract contaminants.

How can a PESTLE analysis determine the viability of redeveloping a $100\,\text{hectare}$ former airport into housing, a school, and amenities?

It systematically assesses external influences: Political (council development policies), Economic (redevelopment funding and market demand), Social (community educational and healthcare needs), Technological (sustainable building methods), Legal (planning laws and covenants), and Environmental (brownfield decontamination, flood risk, and ecology).

What are two benefits of specifying engineered timber joists rather than traditional solid timber joists for intermediate floors?

1. They have a higher strength-to-weight ratio, allowing them to span longer distances without intermediate supports. 2. They have greater dimensional stability, significantly reducing shrinkage, twisting, warping, and floor squeaks.

What are two benefits to a local authority of sourcing construction timber from a Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) approved supplier?

1. It guarantees the timber originates from sustainably and responsibly managed forests that conserve biodiversity. 2. It demonstrates compliance with public sector environmental procurement policies and corporate sustainability goals.

When producing orthographic projections of the bus stop shown in Figure 3, what primary visual elements should appear in the front and end elevations?

The front elevation should show the two main support columns, curved barrel-vaulted roof canopy, bench seat, central advertising board, and side display unit. The end elevation should show the single-column profile, cantilever roof curvature with supporting brackets, bench seat profile, and side glazing/poster panel.

What are two design features that ensure a new primary school building complies with the Equality Act 2010?

1. Incorporating level or ramped step-free access, automated entrance doors, and wide internal circulation paths for wheelchair users. 2. Installing accessible unisex hygiene/toilet rooms, height-adjustable desks, and high visual/tactile contrast for users with sensory impairments.

What construction site practice can be used to minimise disruption to an adjacent operating secondary school?

Installing acoustic hoarding along site boundaries and scheduling noisy activities and material deliveries outside normal teaching and exam hours.

What are two ways Total Quality Management (TQM) improves building construction?

1. It establishes a 'right-first-time' culture that prevents defects and drastically reduces costly site rework. 2. It actively involves all site personnel in continuous improvement processes to raise workmanship consistency and client satisfaction.

Using the cost breakdown in Table 1, what is the hourly cost to employ an apprentice plumber working $36\,\text{hours}$ per week?

Basic pay per week: $£19,780 / 46 = £430$. Holiday pay: $6 \times £430 = £2,580$. Productivity bonus: $0.05 \times £19,780 = £989$. Total annual cost: $£19,780 + £2,580 + £989 = £23,349$. Total productive hours worked: $46 \times 36 = 1,656\,\text{hours}$. Hourly cost: $£23,349 / 1,656 = £14.10$.

How can the implementation of lean construction reduce the cost of building a new primary school?

By eliminating waste (the TIMWOOD categories), utilising Just-In-Time (JIT) material delivery to prevent damage and site congestion, and adopting standardised off-site prefabrication to speed up assembly and reduce labour costs.

What prominent 1930s architectural and aesthetic features are evident on the converted former cinema building in Figure 4?

The building exhibits distinctive Art Deco characteristics, including a symmetrical stepped central parapet, horizontal curved streamline balconies on the outer bays, vertical fluted pilasters accentuating height, a geometric chevron frieze band beneath the parapet, and faceted geometric wall cladding on the ground floor.

Evaluating the retail unit site in Figure 5, why are rooftop solar PV panels generally recommended over vertical-axis micro wind turbines in car parks?

The large, unshaded, flat roof provides ample area for solar PV without consuming valuable ground space, generating energy quietly with minimal maintenance and zero hazard to vehicles or pedestrians, whereas car park wind turbines create structural obstacles, risk vehicle collision, and suffer from turbulent low-altitude wind conditions.