ARE 5.0: PA key terms

The deliberate alignment of a building on its site relative to the sun's path, so that glazing, entries, and outdoor spaces capture or avoid solar gain at different times of day and year.

A graphic plot, usually a stereographic projection, showing the sun's altitude and azimuth across the day for a given latitude; designers use it to test shading and daylight strategies.

The direction from which wind most often blows at a site during a given season, commonly shown on a wind rose; it informs entry placement, natural ventilation, and windbreak planting.

Rain or snowmelt that flows across the ground rather than soaking in. It increases with impervious surfaces and must be managed through detention, infiltration, or conveyance systems.

The elevation, measured from a stated datum, that floodwater is expected to reach during the one-percent-annual-chance flood; local rules often set minimum building heights relative to it.

Land saturated by water long enough to support water-loving vegetation and hydric soils. Jurisdictional wetlands are regulated and generally cannot be filled or dredged without a permit.

Previously developed property where real or perceived contamination complicates reuse; cleanup liability, cost, and schedule must be investigated before redevelopment is programmed.

A records review and site walk documenting a property's history, past uses, and nearby contamination sources to identify recognized environmental conditions, without sampling soil or groundwater.

A detailed study required for major federal actions that significantly affect the environment; it documents impacts, alternatives, and mitigation before a decision is made.

The local law dividing a community into districts and setting permitted uses, density, height, setbacks, parking, and other standards for each district.

The ratio of total building floor area to the area of its lot. A ratio of 2.0 on a 10,000-square-foot lot permits 20,000 square feet of building.

The minimum distance a building or other improvement must be held back from a property line, street, or other designated feature under zoning or plat restrictions.

An administrative grant of relief from a specific zoning standard for one property because of a unique hardship, without changing the rules that apply to the district as a whole.

A use or structure lawful when built but no longer complying with current zoning. Rules typically limit its expansion and require it to lapse if discontinued.

A legal right held by one party to use another's land for a defined purpose such as utilities, access, or drainage, without owning the land.

A strip of land dedicated or reserved for streets, sidewalks, and utilities; the right-of-way line is often distinct from the private property line.

The calculated number of people a space is designed to hold, based on floor area per occupant for its use; it drives egress width, exit count, and fixture counts.

The continuous, unobstructed path from any point in a building to a public way, consisting of exit access, the exit itself, and exit discharge.

A building classification, Types I through V, defined by the fire resistance of structural elements; the type assigned limits allowable height and floor area for each occupancy.

A detailed boundary survey prepared to national accuracy standards showing ownership, easements, improvements, and utilities; lenders and title insurers typically require one before acquisition.

A line on a topographic map connecting points of equal elevation; the spacing between lines reveals slope steepness and the direction water will drain.

A fixed reference elevation or point from which other heights are measured on drawings and surveys, such as a city benchmark or the project's finished floor.

A soils engineer's study based on borings and laboratory tests that describes subsurface conditions, bearing capacity, groundwater, and foundation recommendations for a site.

A field test measuring how quickly water drains through soil in an excavated pit, used to size septic absorption fields where public sewers are unavailable.

The earthwork practice of removing soil from high areas and placing it in low areas to reach design grades; a balanced site minimizes hauling and import costs.

A drawing showing existing and proposed elevations, drainage patterns, retaining walls, and erosion controls that will shape the site during and after construction.

The triangular area at a driveway, alley, or intersection kept clear of walls, plants, and signs so drivers and pedestrians can see each other before proceeding.

The soil area around a tree, commonly a circle with a radius of one foot per inch of trunk diameter, within which excavation or compaction threatens survival.

Diagrams projecting a proposed building's shadows at selected dates and times to assess impacts on neighbors, open space, and adjacent solar panels.

The written and tabular summary of every space a project needs, listing area, quantity, function, and special requirements; it becomes the basis for planning and cost estimating.

The percentage of a building's total floor area that is usable occupiable space, with the remainder going to circulation, walls, shafts, and mechanical rooms.

A grid that scores how closely each pair of programmed spaces should be located, turning interviews and workflow analysis into a ranked diagram of relationships.

A loose, non-scaled drawing of circles representing programmed spaces, linked to show required adjacencies and relative sizes before any geometry is fixed.

A schematic section-like chart assigning programmed spaces to building levels, used to test vertical relationships, core placement, and total floor count.

The study of human body dimensions and reach ranges, used to size furniture, clearances, counter heights, and aisle widths for the people who will use a space.

Designing environments usable by the widest possible range of people without adaptation, addressing reach, clearance, contrast, and operation for all ages and abilities.

A method comparing options by totaling first cost plus operating, maintenance, replacement, and disposal costs over a set study period, often in present-value terms.

Converting an existing building to a new use, retaining its structure and character while meeting current code; constraints of the existing frame shape the new program.

An early investigation testing whether a proposed project can meet its program on a given site within budget, schedule, and regulatory limits before design proceeds.