Project Planning & Design

Understanding microclimates

Solar position and movement

Understanding site specific conditions and requirements

Reading topo maps

What you can and cannot do with historic buildings

Logic puzzles to meet project requirements

Brownfield Sites

• What testing is required from what use

Assessing site specific issues 

• Erosion risks

• Microclimates

Foundation types and uses

• Pier

• Pile

• Slab on grade

• Cantilevered footing

• Micropiles

• Friction piles

• Stepped footings

Understanding how mechanical affects other disciplines 

Pros and cons of different ground cover materials

• Asphalt

• Grass

• Mulched bark

• Wood decking

• Crushed stones

• Concrete pavers

• Compacted gravel

• Pervious concrete

Reading code 

• Code exceptions 

• Fire resistance rating tables

• Occupant loads

• Plumbing occupant loads

• Door swing

Understanding items on budget and cost estimate lists

Calculate pricing and options for different finish options (including energy savings)

Site analysis for best expansion and renovation options for existing building 

Different fire suppression systems and when to use them

• Dry pipe

• Wet pipe

• Deluge

• Mist

• Preaction

Pros and cons of different finish materials

• Flooring

  • Terazzo

  • Carpet Tile

  • Ceramic Tile

  • Roll Carpet

  • LVP

  • Roll Vinyl

Floor / subfloor options

• Raised accessible subfloor

• Underfloor duct raceways

• Floor boxes with acoustic wall panels 

Roof Options

• Treated Cedar Shingles

• Galvanized Standing Seam

• Asphalt Composition Shingsles

• EPDM

• Modified Vitumen

• Four-ply built up roof

Understanding different fire safety systems

• Self Closing doors

• Smoke dampers

Using the most stringent code between conflicting requirements

Use of natural lighting

• Light shelves

• Window sizes

• Window mount locations

Site drainage, water movement

• Area drains

• Slotted concrete pavers

• Subsurface perforated piping

• Brick pavers with open joints

• Retention basins

• Detention basins 

• Drop Inlet

• Catch Basin

• Trench Drain

Waterproofing details

Passive environmental control methods in different climates

• Clusters and rows in cold climates

Understanding roof drainage

• Where to place crickets

Understanding solar panel placement

Water supply systems

• Upfeed Distribution

• Downfeed Distribution

• Pumped upfeed distribution

Floor area ratio and how to apply it

• Max. buildable area

• Max number of floors

Allowable area calcs

Occupant Load Calcs

Plumbing Calcs

Parking Counts

Calculating stair risers required

Structural Member Types

• Steel Open Web Joists

• Engineered Glue Lam

• Solid wood joist and girders

• 2 way conc. Flat Slab

• 2 way conc waffle slab

• 1 way conc. Slab and beam

Structural Systems

• Cross braced frames

• Shear walls

• Rigid frame

• Gang-nail trusses 

• Composite I-joists 

• Glulam beams

• T&G decking

• Heavy Timber

• Plywood decking

• Cast-in-place concrete (reinforced and not reinforce)

  • Columns 

  • Flooring

• Tilt up concrete

  • walls

• Structural steel

  • Girders

  • Beams

  • Joists

  • Steel form deck

Use of louvers and light shelves

Required separation between occupancies 

Advantages and disadvantages of different fixtures and finishes

Analyzing issues resulting from changes

Building shapes that are more or less beneficial in different climates and other issues (earthquake, wind, solar gain)

Efficient room layouts (restroom)

Finishes of metals and their advantages

Passive heating and cooling strategies

• Orientation

• High and low opening spaces

Types of elevators and their advantages

• Geared Traction

• Gearless Traction

• Holeless Hydraulic

• Conventional Hydrolic

Types of portable fire extinguishers and when to use them

Ways to minimize condensation

Geo-exchange heat pump types

• Vertical open loop

• Vertical closed loop

• Horizontal open loop

• Horizontal closed loop

Compare costs of different materials

Identifying where ADA updates are needed

• Calculating ramp lenghts

Egress sizing calcs

Knowing which regulatory bodies are needed for each project

Types of HVAC systems

• Constant air volume

• Variable air volume

• Terminal reheat

• Dual duct

Equipment placement on site or on buildings

Calculate air exchange rate of different systems 

• Mechanical systems

• Windows

Understanding how electrical systems get changed by project changes

What sources to find site info

• USGS maps

• Zoning Maps

• Topo maps

• Geotech investigations

• FEMA maps

• USDA surveys

• FAA docs

Misc stuff / general stuff to be familiar with

• Wire Cable Hanging System

• Geothermal systems

• Photovoltaic systems

• Insulation / R-Value

• Geotech reports

• Solar diagrams

• Stormwater runoff records

• Easements and setbacks