AARE key terms

The three-dimensional volume within which a building may legally rise, defined by setbacks, height limits, floor area ratio, and lot coverage rules established in the local zoning ordinance.

The ratio of a building's total floor area to the area of the lot it occupies. A FAR of 2.0 permits floor area equal to twice the lot area, controlling density.

The minimum horizontal distance a building or structure must be placed from a property line, street, or other designated line, as required by zoning or building code.

The percentage of a lot's area covered by buildings or other impervious structures, typically limited by zoning to control stormwater runoff and open space.

Any ground cover that does not allow rainwater to infiltrate, such as pavement, roofs, or compacted soil. Its area is often regulated to limit runoff and protect water quality.

The planning and engineering of systems that control the volume, rate, and quality of rainwater runoff from a site, often through detention, retention, infiltration, or treatment practices.

A constructed depression that temporarily stores stormwater and releases it slowly to a downstream drainage system, reducing peak flows after storms.

The exterior shell of a building, including walls, roofs, windows, doors, and foundations, that separates conditioned interior space from the outdoor environment and controls heat, air, and moisture flow.

A measure of a material's resistance to heat flow per unit area. Higher values indicate better insulation performance; it is the reciprocal of thermal conductance (U-factor).

The overall rate of heat transfer through an assembly such as a window or wall, expressed in Btu per hour per square foot per degree Fahrenheit. Lower values mean better insulating performance.

A material with low permeability installed to restrict the diffusion of water vapor through a building assembly, helping prevent condensation within walls and roofs.

A wall that supports structural loads from floors or roofs above it in addition to its own weight, as distinguished from a non-bearing partition.

A structural system in which vertical posts carry loads to the ground and horizontal beams span between them, allowing walls to be non-bearing and freely arranged.

A structural frame whose connections resist bending moments, providing lateral stiffness without diagonal bracing. Often used in steel or concrete buildings in seismic and wind zones.

A vertical structural element, typically concrete or wood-framed, designed to resist lateral forces such as wind and earthquakes by transferring them to the foundation.

A horizontal force acting on a structure, typically from wind or seismic activity, which must be resisted by bracing, shear walls, moment frames, or diaphragms.

The load on a structure produced by occupancy and use, including people, furniture, and movable equipment, as distinguished from the fixed dead load of the structure itself.

The permanent, stationary weight of a structure's own components, including framing, walls, floors, roofs, and fixed equipment.

The clear width of an exit path, door, stair, or corridor required by code to allow occupants to evacuate safely, based on occupant load.

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

The total number of persons that may occupy a building or portion of it, calculated from floor area and use classification, and used to size egress systems.

A continuous, unobstructed path connecting accessible elements and spaces within a site or building that meets dimensional requirements for width, slope, and surface.

The minimum unobstructed area required for a single wheelchair to approach, maneuver, and use a fixture, control, or element, commonly 30 by 48 inches.

The vertical and horizontal limits within which operable controls and elements must be located so that a person using a wheelchair can reach them, typically 15 to 48 inches above the floor.

A design approach that creates environments usable by the widest possible range of people regardless of age, ability, or circumstance, going beyond minimum accessibility code compliance.

The documented set of client needs, activities, spatial requirements, and performance criteria that defines what a building must accommodate, developed during pre-design and programming.

A planning tool that grids spaces against each other to record and compare desired proximity relationships, helping organize a building program before layout.

A schematic planning diagram using circles or shapes to represent spaces and lines to show required relationships or circulation, used to test program organization early in design.

The first phase of design services, in which the architect develops concept, scale, and general arrangement of the project and presents options to the client for approval.

The design phase following schematic design in which the approved concept is refined, major systems are selected, and drawings and outline specifications are developed.

The drawings and specifications that fully describe the project's design, materials, and construction requirements, forming the basis for bidding, permits, and the contract.

A written document describing materials, products, workmanship, and performance requirements for construction, organized by work section and used together with drawings.

A standardized numbering and titling system for organizing construction specifications and cost information into divisions and sections by work type.

A formal written question from a contractor to the design team seeking clarification or interpretation of the contract documents during construction.

A document such as a shop drawing, product data sheet, or sample that the contractor provides for the architect's review to confirm compliance with the contract documents.

A drawing prepared by a contractor, fabricator, or supplier that details how a specific component will be manufactured and installed, submitted for design professional review.

A written modification to the construction contract, signed by the owner and contractor, that adjusts the scope, price, or schedule of the work.

A list of incomplete or defective items identified during substantial completion inspection that the contractor must correct before final completion and final payment.

The stage when the work is sufficiently complete that the owner can occupy or use it for its intended purpose, triggering warranty periods and release of retainage.

The degree of care and skill ordinarily exercised by members of the profession under similar circumstances, the legal benchmark against which an architect's performance is judged.

Failure to exercise the standard of care owed to another, resulting in harm. It requires a duty, a breach, causation, and damages to support liability.

The written contract defining the architect's scope of services, compensation, schedule, and responsibilities, and establishing the legal relationship between owner and architect.

A relationship in which one party is authorized to act on behalf of another. Architects often serve as the owner's representative for limited purposes during construction.

The use of building orientation, mass, glazing, and shading to collect, store, and distribute solar heat and daylight without mechanical or electrical assistance.

The capacity of a material to absorb and store heat, which helps moderate interior temperature swings when used in floors, walls, or other building elements.

The ratio of interior illuminance at a point to the exterior illuminance under an unobstructed overcast sky, expressed as a percentage and used to predict daylight availability.

The division of a building into separately controlled thermal areas so that temperature and ventilation can be adjusted independently according to occupancy and exposure.

An HVAC system that maintains space temperature by varying the volume of conditioned air delivered, rather than the air's temperature, saving energy at part loads.

The period, in hours, for which a building assembly or element resists fire exposure while maintaining its structural function or containment, as determined by standardized testing.

A situation in which building occupants experience acute health effects linked to time spent in a building, often associated with poor ventilation, indoor pollutants, or moisture problems.

A site investigation report by a geotechnical engineer describing soil conditions, groundwater, bearing capacity, and foundation recommendations for design.

The maximum pressure a soil or rock mass can safely support without excessive settlement or shear failure, used to size foundations.

A scheduling technique that identifies the longest sequence of dependent activities determining the project duration, showing where delays directly affect completion.

A bar chart displaying project activities against a time scale, showing duration, sequence, and progress of work items.

Site planning that minimizes environmental impact through measures such as preserving vegetation, managing stormwater, reducing heat islands, and selecting appropriate sites.

The evaluation of a site's suitability considering access to transit, existing infrastructure, environmental sensitivity, and redevelopment potential prior to acquisition or design.

A set of documents issued to contractors for pricing, including drawings, specifications, bid form, and instructions to bidders, defining the scope to be constructed.

A written modification to the bidding or contract documents issued before bid opening to clarify, correct, or supplement the documents.