Greenerade

3. PLUMBING
A. PRINCIPLES
Analyze and design plumbing systems.

Plumbing system consists of providing:
Water, gas, sewer, and storm water drainage to a facility.
Design consists of providing proper fixtures and equipment in addition to associated piping to service the facility. Water and gas are fed under pressure into building, where sewer and storm water are mostly under gravity flow

Plumbing Designers Tasks:
1. Define the work: Definition/scope of the plumbing task varies from site to site and may vary during the course of design.
Tasks are clear: (a) Identify and transcribe step wise scope of work and verify with all teams for its accuracies; (b) List and identify all parties in the project; (c) notify all parties (project managers, architect, …) all work and the delineation of the ending of the work.
2. Construction budget: Verify type of building and provide cost per square ft or complete construction cost. The estimating books and soft wares must be current to the economic conditions and the area being served. There are several available on internet.
3. Authorities having jurisdictions, codes, laws, standards, and guidelines: Identify all local, state, federal, agencies, and amendments are critical. Personnel administering the process are also important: Plan checkers, inspectors, building officials, …. The areas of mechanical, fire, health, sewer, insurance, finance are all related to the plumbing coinstruction and design. There are many national and local codes: International Plumbing Code, Uniform Plumbing Code, American Disabilities Act, International Code Councils are some of the few to mention.
4. Utilities and utility companies: Investigate all local conditions; create site utility plans, water, sanitary, gas, electric, topography (contour lines), right-a-ways or easements, hardscapes or landscapes, capacities, sizes, pressures, and materials. Other groups such as civil engineer, other utilities (electric, cable, …), public works, and other related agencies must be coordinated and notified. Backflow devices may be required.
5. Sewer: Verify all utilities concerns. Verify all point of connections, elevations, pipe inverts, topography, manholes, loading capacities, insurance issues. Final connections, easements and routing must be verified.
6. Water: Verify all utilities concerns. Design issues are: water pressure, meters, valves, hydraulic calculations, backflow prevention devices, pressure capacities for fire, domestic water usage
7. Gas: Verify all utilities concerns. Issues concerning gas piping designs are: Meter, valves, length of pipes, pressures, gas rating consumptions of the building, materials, routing, …

1. Building Design
Apply theory and principles of plumbing systems as a component of building design.

Theories in the plumbing system vary depending on the type of system. Water and gas piping under pressure are based on pressurized closed system, Sewer and storm drain are based on open channel flow theories.

Plumbing Design is sub-divided into:
• Collection of Data as project initial task
• Specifications and design
• Construction Services
• Administration.

2. Implications of Design Decisions
Determine the effects of plumbing systems design decisions and selection on issues such as construction cost, operating costs, construction schedules, and flexibility.

Design of plumbing systems are based on:
• Drainage systems
o Interior drainage- Sewer systems
 Backflow prevention
o Exterior Drainage system- Site work
o Vent piping system
• Domestic Water
o Domestic cold water
o Domestic hot water
 Expansion/contraction
o Backflow prevention
• Storm Water
o Roof drainage
o Site drainage
• Fuel Gas
• Machines
o Sumps/ejectors
o Pumps

B. MATERIALS & TECHNOLOGY
Analyze and design plumbing systems.

1. Building Systems and their Integration
Consider integration and effects of plumbing design principles, systems, and details on the overall design of a building with consideration to technological advances and innovative building products.

2. Construction Details and Constructability
Examine plumbing system details, including the aspects of constructability and thermal and moisture protection.

Cleanout in a system is the location for rooting the clogs’ at beginning or logistically located within the sewer pipes
Not: Vent, drain, or trap
Pressure relief valve in a diagram is a device to allow over pressure or temperature to vent out to approve location

Water closet-Plumbing fixture types is not permitted to connect to a waste stack vent
Not: Bidets, utility sinks, lavatories
Flush control for a handicapped accessible urinal is a maximum of 44” AFF.

Valve upstream of water heater circulation pump is a gate valve to be able to cut off pump and maintain it.
Not: Check valve and not exact use with Angle valve (90 degree bend), and globe valve
Vacuum breaker is not required for plumbing waste-drainage system
Not: Trap, vents, clean-outs are required for waste-drainage system
Plastic has the highest coefficient of thermal expansion.
Not: Steel, cast iron, glass
Air gap is required for refrigerators and sterilizers
Not: Heat recovery units, water closets, bathtubs, waste interceptors

5. ELECTRICAL

Ground rod is a 8 to 10 ft copper rod (1/2” or ¾”) stabbed into earth soil to provide grounding for any electrical metering system.
Not: Breaker, disconnect switch, switch box
For large 16 story building, the best electrical distribution for minimum wire size and voltage drop is 277/480 volts, three phase 4 wire
Not: three wire of any voltage, 120/208 volt 4 way
Lightning protection can be provided by: A system of lightning rods and conductors extended to the ground, an overhead grid of wire conductors extended to the ground, a system of lightning rods connected to the building steel frame and then to the ground

If all electric building has a very smooth electric power profile: Retrofit of this building for lighting is the best reduction of power consumption.
GFI protection is required in residential restrooms
Not: No lower than 4’AFF, below toilet or lavatory fixtures, minimum 6 ft from tub or shower
Brach circuit breakers are in last panels downstream of feeders feeding the appliances.

6. LIGHTING

Coefficient of utilization in lighting level calculations is the percentage of lamp lumens to reach the work plane
Not: Leave the luminaries, the amount lost due to age, lost due to environmental dust
Controlling lights within two spaces is a double switch
Not: Two single-pole, double-throw switch

Contract: PPP ARE

Contract has been awarded, what next: Schedule construction
Not: (1) request for payments, lien release, list materials

AIA C141-1997 (NPP9): Coordinate sequence architect and Consultant Services
Not: Owner, contractor, construction manager

Joint Venture: When two firms work together
Not: Associated firm, partnering, multiple prime

Important factor in success of the firm: Communicate with employees to increase and improve production
Not: Office renovation, purchase equipments, increase benefits

Architect to transfer ownership of CD’s to government
Not: Corporations, commercial, health care

Manger’s first key challenge (Per Architects Handbook of Professional Practice) is to clearly identify the clients expectations
Not: profitability goal, contractual obligations, team members’ judgments and creativity

Geotechnical observation contracts are with Owner.
Not: Architect, Structural Engineer, Contractor

Scope of services is most important part of contract between owner and architect.
Not: Client background check, type of consultant, construction delivery method

Mediation: Architect to resolve the contract disputes first.
Not: Resign contract, refund fees, amend contract

Most efficient construction document phase coordination with consultant is to meet consultants regularly:
Not: call daily, emails, memos

Presentation model for clients’ promotional use is not a “basic Service” in a standard owner/architect agreement.
Not: standard practice, part of design process, not reimbursable

To reduce conflicts between engineers and architects drawings- hold regular coordination meetings
Not: Use in-house engineers, schedule peer review of documentations, owners to review documentations

Codes: ARE PPP

Restroom facilities are controlled by building codes
Not: Deed restrictions, zoning ordinances (bylaws), life safety

Development of project are controlled by regional master plans and zoning ordinances (Bylaws)
Not: Enterprise zones, restrictive covenants, tax incentives, sewer permits

Zoning ordinances (bylaws) used by municipalities control following:
Density development, flood impact, land usage
Not: Project costs

Zoning regulation controls: Densities, setbacks, heights, parking requirements
Not: Life safety requirements

Municipal impact fees such as sewer development fee assessed on proposed project offsets local infrastructure improvement costs
Not: Pay for building permits, distributed to owners in neighborhood, ensures speedy planning board reviews and approval

Building in urban core permitted by floor area and heights in excess of the zoning requirements: because street level functions are regarded as public activities
Not: Clad in materials specified by city, excess vertical transportations, onsite advantage of superior views

Covenants include Deeds restrictions
Not: Topography, Utility locations, benchmarks

Programs: ARE PPP

Architectural Program should include: Budget limitation, Owners’ Goals, Inventory of space required, statement on functional relationships
Not: Soil bearing capacity, structural systems

Programs: CPM, CPM, Gantt, Pert

Objectives of Programming Process is realistic requirements:
Not: Aesthetics, evaluation of materials, Project Financing

Outline Specification during the programming phase is broken down in divisions
Not: Rooms, Costs, Products

Blocking and stacking within programming process is critical for site limitations
Not space requirements, special equipment, building systems

A detailed program during PPP for the project such as courthouse provides a much more efficient building
Not: Aesthetically pleasing, longer construction, higher life cycle building cost

An active public use site to encourage the public for use requires no barriers, obstructions, or elevation change