ARE 5.0: PDD flashcards
ARE 5.0: PDD · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Net multiplier
- Net revenue divided by direct labor cost. Comparing it to the break-even multiplier (1.0 plus the overhead rate) shows whether the project or firm is earning a profit.
- Utilization rate
- Direct billable labor hours divided by total paid hours. A measure of staff productivity; firms commonly target roughly 65 to 80 percent, higher for technical staff.
- Break-even multiplier
- One plus the overhead rate. Revenue at this multiple covers direct labor and overhead but yields no profit; billing below it produces a loss.
- Standard of care
- The skill and care ordinarily exercised by architects practicing under similar circumstances in the same locality. It does not require the highest possible skill or perfection.
- Claims-made liability policy
- Professional liability coverage that responds to claims reported during the policy period regardless of when the negligent act occurred, provided retroactive coverage applies.
- Statute of repose
- A statute that bars any claim after a fixed number of years from substantial completion, regardless of when the injury was discovered or the limitation period started.
- Critical path
- The longest-duration chain of dependent activities through the schedule. It has zero total float, and any delay in it delays the project completion date.
- Total float
- The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish; equals late start minus early start, or late finish minus early finish.
- Cost performance index
- Earned value divided by actual cost. A CPI below 1.0 indicates the work performed cost more than budgeted; above 1.0 indicates under budget.
- Construction change directive
- A written directive from the owner, prepared by the architect, ordering a change before the contractor and owner agree on price and time adjustment.
- Fast-tracking
- Overlapping design and construction phases, or overlapping construction phases, to shorten delivery time. It increases coordination risk and often raises cost.
- Floor area ratio
- Total gross floor area of all buildings on a site divided by the site area. Zoning uses FAR to cap the density of development.
- Net-to-gross ratio
- Net assignable area divided by gross building area. It measures planning efficiency; office buildings commonly achieve 70 to 80 percent.
- Occupant load
- The number of people a space is designed to hold, calculated by dividing floor area by the occupancy load factor from the building code.
- Adjacency matrix
- A grid that rates required proximity between pairs of programmed spaces, used to test bubble diagrams and stacking before drawings are developed.
- Zoning building envelope
- The three-dimensional volume within which a building may be built, defined by setbacks, height limit, floor area ratio, and lot coverage.
- Reverberation time
- The time in seconds for sound to decay 60 decibels after the source stops. Estimated with the Sabine formula, T equals 0.05 times volume divided by absorption.
- Sound transmission class
- A single-number rating of how well a wall, floor, or assembly blocks airborne sound. Higher ratings mean more isolation between adjacent spaces.
- Egress width factor
- Code minimum width per occupant: 0.2 inch in sprinklered buildings and 0.3 inch unsprinklered for components other than stairs; stairs are wider.
- Daylight factor
- The ratio of interior illuminance at a point to simultaneous exterior illuminance under an unobstructed overcast sky, expressed as a percentage.
- Passive solar heating
- Using orientation, glazing, thermal mass, and shading to collect and store winter sun while rejecting summer sun, before resorting to mechanical systems.
- Allowable building area
- The maximum floor area permitted per story, from code tables based on construction type and occupancy, increased for frontage and sprinklers.
- MasterFormat
- CSI's standardized numbering system for construction specifications and cost data, organized into divisions such as 03 Concrete and 26 Electrical.
- Three-part specification section
- SectionFormat organizes each specification section as Part 1 General, Part 2 Products, and Part 3 Execution, so requirements appear in consistent locations.
- Order of precedence
- The contractual hierarchy for resolving conflicts among documents, typically agreement, conditions, specifications, and drawings, with drawings governing quantity and location.
- Shop drawing
- A contractor-prepared drawing showing fabrication, installation, or assembly details for a specific product, reviewed by the architect for design concept compliance.
- Level of development
- A BIM classification from 100 to 500 describing how much geometric and information detail a model element contains at a given project phase.
- Performance bond
- A surety guarantee that the contractor will complete the work per the contract; the surety pays the owner's cost to finish if the contractor defaults.
- Substantial completion
- The stage when work is sufficiently complete for the owner's intended use. It starts warranties, allows occupancy, and typically triggers retainage release.
- Punch list
- A list of incomplete, defective, or missing items identified at substantial completion that the contractor must correct before final payment.
- Liquidated damages
- A pre-agreed amount per day of delay deducted from payment, representing the owner's estimated losses; enforceable only if it is not a penalty.
- Addendum
- A written modification to the bidding documents issued before proposals are received, used to clarify, correct, or add information to drawings and specifications.