NCIDQ IDFX flashcards
NCIDQ IDFX · 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.
- Efficiency ratio
- Net assignable area divided by gross building area. It expresses how much usable space a building delivers; typical commercial office values fall between 0.75 and 0.85.
- Adjacency matrix
- A grid scoring required proximity between programmed spaces, usually on a 1 to 4 scale. It documents client priorities before any layout geometry is drawn.
- Stacking diagram
- A vertical allocation study assigning program elements to floors using adjacency weights, structural capacity, and circulation demand. It precedes block planning on multi-story projects.
- Wind rose
- A graphic showing the frequency of wind from each compass direction. Designers use it to place entries, screen winter wind, and plan summer cross-ventilation.
- Bubble diagram
- A loose plan diagram of circles and connecting lines representing spaces and required relationships. It communicates relative position and adjacency, not dimensions or shape.
- Wheelchair turning space
- A clear floor area of 60 inches diameter, or a T-shaped space with a 36-inch stem, allowing a wheelchair to reverse direction within a room.
- Kitchen work triangle
- The path linking sink, refrigerator, and cooking surface. Each leg should measure 4 to 9 feet, and the three legs together 13 to 26 feet.
- Universal design
- Seven principles promoting usable environments for all people: equitable use, flexibility, simple use, perceptible information, error tolerance, low effort, and adequate approach space.
- Dead load
- The permanent, stationary weight of building construction itself, including structure, finishes, partitions, and fixed equipment. It is distinct from occupancy live load.
- Sensible heat equation
- Q in Btu per hour equals 1.08 times airflow in CFM times the dry-bulb temperature difference. It sizes cooling for temperature change, excluding moisture removal.
- NRC
- Noise reduction coefficient, a single number averaging absorption at 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz. Values near 0.05 mean reflective; 0.70 or higher means absorptive.
- Plenum depth
- The ceiling cavity between finished ceiling and structure that carries ducts, conduit, and sprinkler pipe. Rough planning depth is 18 to 24 inches before coordination.
- Occupant load factor
- Floor area per person assigned by occupancy type in the code. Business uses 100 gross square feet per person; unconcentrated assembly uses 15 net square feet.
- Exit access separation
- The required distance between two exits from the same space, typically at least one-half the diagonal of the floor area served, measured in a straight line.
- Travel distance
- The measured path length from the most remote point in a space to an exit. Limits depend on occupancy and sprinkler protection, often 200 to 250 feet.
- Clear floor space
- A minimum 30 by 48 inch unobstructed area at an accessible element, positioned for forward or parallel approach by a person using a wheelchair.
- Lumen method
- Average maintained illuminance equals lamps times lumens per lamp times coefficient of utilization times light loss factor, divided by room area in square feet.
- Sabine equation
- Reverberation time in seconds equals 0.049 times room volume in cubic feet divided by total absorption in sabins. Higher absorption shortens reverberation.
- STC rating
- Sound transmission class, a single-number laboratory rating of how well a partition blocks airborne sound. Higher values mean greater speech isolation between rooms.
- Mass law
- Sound transmission loss of a barrier rises roughly 6 decibels for each doubling of its mass per unit area, so heavy partitions isolate sound better than light ones.
- Reflected ceiling plan
- A drawing viewed as if looking down at a mirror above the ceiling, showing light fixtures, diffusers, sprinklers, and ceiling grid in true plan position.
- Finish schedule
- A tabular drawing-sheet listing each room with its floor, base, wall, and ceiling finishes, keyed to a finish legend and material specifications.
- MasterFormat
- A specifications numbering system organized by work results and trades, such as Division 09 Finishes, used to arrange project manuals and cost estimates.
- Revision cloud
- A scalloped graphic enclosing changed drawing content, paired with a delta symbol and revision number that matches the sheet's revision block.
- AIA B101
- The standard owner-architect agreement defining basic services, compensation, and responsibilities. It is commonly paired with A201 general conditions through the owner-contractor contract.
- Substantial completion
- The stage when work is sufficiently complete for the owner to occupy and use the project for its intended purpose, starting warranties and the punch list period.
- Change order
- A written modification to the contract sum or time, signed by owner, contractor, and architect, issued after agreement on scope and price.
- Construction change directive
- A written order directing a change in work before the owner and contractor agree on price or time, used to keep the schedule moving.
- Standard of care
- The skill and judgment ordinarily exercised by reasonably prudent design professionals under similar conditions. It is not a guarantee of perfect results.
- Retainage
- A percentage withheld from each progress payment, commonly 5 to 10 percent, until final completion, protecting the owner against incomplete or defective work.
- Design-build delivery
- A project method where one entity holds both design and construction contracts with the owner, creating a single point of responsibility and overlapping phases.
- Addendum
- A written clarification or correction issued during bidding, before contract award, that becomes part of the contract documents for all bidders.