INT322SEK

  Floors – Chapter 8 Chapter 8 covered all aspects of flooring from framing to finishes. This chapter identifies the floor-framing systems and the different types of floorings used by interior designer’s; this included hard surfaces, soft surfaces, and resilient flooring. It also discussed how to choose the best sustainable floor finishes and the impact that a floor finish has on the air quality of the space and sustainability. Framing Systems There are a variety of framing systems, however, the most common are wood, steel, and concrete. Within these three are more specific framing systems. For example, wood framing can either be a light frame or heavy timber. Light frame uses multiple wood members to carry a load, whereas heavy timber relies on a structural frame that consists of columns and beams. Steel framing can be structural steel with concrete in metal decking, which is when the system relies on regularly placed columns that support steal beams, or open-web steel jois...

  Chapter 7 – Walls Throughout Chapter 7, many topics were covered including framing systems, insulation, interior substrate materials, interior wall finishing, interior design considerations, doors and windows, and LEED CI rating systems. All of these topics lead to the overall understanding of choosing interior walls finishes that are the most sustainable, identifying the wall types, designing interior walls according to their use, the basic theory of moldings, and interior wall finishes in finish schedules and finish plans. With the knowledge of these objectives, an interior designer is able to make some important decisions in the most efficient way. Framing Systems This section discusses the three main systems of a wall: stud walls, masonry or concrete bearing walls, and column and beam structural frame walls with infill. It also introduces the use of structural panel walls. When diving into stud walls and how they are constructed, we learn that they can either be built ...

  Chapter 5 – Electrical Systems and Lighting After reading Chapter 5, one understands the importance of light – daylight or not – in relation to the communication of space. The fifth chapter covered a wide range of sub-sections relating to lighting such as, effective and sustainable lighting solutions, lamp types and their uses in interior spaces, sustainable lamps and fixtures, and reflected ceiling plans. Electricity and Lighting Starting off with the understanding of electrical current and whether it is in the form of alternating current or direct current, the book recaps the basic knowledge of electricity. It travels through a combination of overhead and underground electrical lines. The rate at which these lines turn electricity into something else is measured in watts. We can use the equation W = V x A in which V is the voltage – in reference to the electromotive force – and A is amperes – measured in current. With this being said, a finished electrical circuit has an ...

Chapter 2 - Site Considerations and the Building Enclosure Diving into Chapter 2 of  Sustainable Building Systems and Construction for Designers  by Lisa M. Tucker, we are introduced to the major building systems that when function in unison, compose a building.  Building Systems/The Site The major building systems include enclosure systems, interior systems, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Each of these systems has a specific role to play in the make-up of a building. The enclosure systems provide protection from water and weather coming into the building, prevent warm and cool air from escaping it, and focus on materials for the foundation, roof, and exterior. The MPE systems (mechanical, plumbing and electrical) are what make the building usable for human beings, while the interior systems consist of the materials that furnish the building. All of the building systems are required to co-exist and respond to the site that the architect...