NCIDQ key terms

The pre-design phase in which the designer gathers and analyzes client goals, user needs, code limits, and budget to produce written and graphic requirements that guide the design.

A simple schematic drawing showing each space as a labeled circle, with lines or arrows indicating required adjacencies and circulation, used to test planning options early in design.

A grid that lists spaces on both axes and rates how closely each pair should be related, turning the client's functional requirements into a checkable planning diagram.

Floor area within a room or space measured to the inside faces of enclosing walls, excluding columns, shafts, and other obstructions; used for occupancy calculations and furniture planning.

Total floor area of a building measured to the outside faces of exterior walls, including corridors, structure, and mechanical rooms; used for building efficiency and code area limits.

A written request from the contractor to the design team asking for clarification of drawings or specifications; the written answer becomes part of the contract documents.

Product data, samples, or shop drawings the contractor sends for the designer's review to confirm that proposed materials and equipment meet the specified requirements.

A drawing prepared by a fabricator or contractor showing how a specified component will actually be made and installed, submitted for review before fabrication begins.

A written amendment, signed by owner and contractor, that modifies the contract sum, contract time, or scope of work after the contract has been executed.

The stage when the work is sufficiently finished that the owner can occupy and use it for its intended purpose, leaving only minor punch-list items to correct.

The degree of skill and diligence ordinarily exercised by competent interior designers under similar circumstances; the legal benchmark for judging claims of professional negligence.

A scaled overhead view of a space cut at roughly four feet above the floor, showing walls, doors, fixtures, and furniture locations.

A drawing that views the ceiling as if it were reflected in a mirror on the floor, so ceiling features appear in the same orientation as the floor plan below.

A scaled, flat view of a single wall surface showing finishes, millwork, and openings, used to document design intent and construction details.

A scaled vertical cut through a building or assembly showing the relationship of floors, ceilings, and structure as seen looking at the cut line.

An enlarged drawing of a small portion of the work, such as a joint or connection, that shows materials and assembly in enough depth to build it.

A table listing each room with the floor, base, wall, and ceiling finishes specified for it, using product identifiers tied to the written specifications.

The drawings and specifications that fully describe the work, forming the legal basis for bidding, permitting, and construction of the project.

A standardized numbering system for construction specifications and related documents, organized into divisions such as concrete, finishes, and electrical.

A specification that states the required results, such as a fire rating or acoustical value, and leaves the means of achieving them to the contractor or manufacturer.

A specification that names specific products, materials, or methods the contractor must use, giving the designer tight control over the finished result.

A full-size sample of an assembly or finish built on site or in a factory for approval before work proceeds, often retained as the quality benchmark.

A number from a standard tunnel test describing how quickly flame spreads across a material's surface, used to limit interior finishes in exits and other regulated spaces.

A scale from 0 to 100 describing how accurately a light source shows colors compared with a reference source; higher values render colors more faithfully.

A unit of illuminance equal to one lumen falling on one square foot of surface, used to compare lighting levels against recommended practice.

A single number from 0 to 1 rating how much sound a material absorbs at speech frequencies; higher values mean less reflected sound in a room.

A single-number rating of how well a wall, floor, or partition blocks airborne sound; higher ratings mean more acoustical privacy between spaces.

The space between a suspended ceiling and the structure above when it is used to carry return air; its use is restricted by code because of fire and smoke concerns.

Chemicals that evaporate from paints, adhesives, carpets, and composite wood, contributing to indoor air problems; many rating programs set low-emission limits.

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

The number of people a space is calculated to hold, found by dividing its area by a code factor; it sets egress width, exit count, and fixture counts.

The measured length of the route from the most remote point of a space to the nearest exit, limited by code according to occupancy and sprinkler protection.

A corridor segment with only one direction of escape, limited in length by code because occupants could be cut off by fire or smoke.

The time in hours that a building assembly holds back fire under a standard test, shown on a tested assembly listing and required by the building code.

A fire-resistance-rated wall assembly, continuous through concealed spaces, that confines fire and smoke and protects openings with rated doors or shutters.

The unobstructed area a wheelchair needs to park, typically 30 by 48 inches, provided at fixtures, appliances, and controls along an accessible route.

The building-code grouping of a space by its use, such as business, assembly, or mercantile, which determines allowable area, exits, and fire protection requirements.

A continuous path connecting accessible entrances, spaces, and elements that meets code requirements for width, slope, surface, and clearances.