WJEC Vocational Award Constructing the Built Environment Level 1/2

UNDERSTANDING Terminology commonly used in the construction industry varies between regions and sometimes occupations, but the following examples are commonly used and can be applied to all skills, crafts, trades and disciplines. Unless by exception (an exceptionally non-uniform shape), the whole industry aspires to be as true and reflective to these parameters as possible. The industry uses the following terminology as various kinds of destinations (e.g. the height of the windowsill board is 950mm above finished floor level), where working on the same project (building a house, for example). This gives each trade a definitive horizontal or vertical reference point from which to work towards or away from . In the following table, the colours refer to: A detail that is formed (i.e. an Arris) . Used for setting out and checking . A reference point . An aspiration or acceptable standard. Term Symbol Definition Example Arris A The external corner that is formed where two surfaces intersect. This can be any material but is generally referred to when describing masonry and timber materials. Lyn the carpenter has removed the arris from the door lining in the kitchen as it will minimise the risk of children hurting their fingers on the sharp edges of the planed timber. Centre line CL The centre line is the line that is referred to when setting-out materials in relation to a building or room. It can also refer to the actual centre-line of a material of component. The ceramic tiles were positioned on the sill so that they were either side of the centre line, this lined in with the centre line of the new sink. Consistent C (Consistency) is a word generally used as a positive symptom of regularity and uniformity in the construction industry. However, it can also be used in a negative context. The consistency of the gloss paintwork to all the internal doors was first class. The approach to health and safety by John was consistently poor. Datum D This is a fixed point of a scale. On projects where the building is to be newly constructed the datum can be found on Ordnance Survey maps and relates to a fixed horizontal point above sea level. This point will remain the same through the project, so the workforce has a consistent point to refer to. On refurbishment projects, the datum is often set by the site manager and is frequently 1m above a fixed point (a special stud or mark is used to determine this point) on the finished floor. The datum for the project is set to the Ordinance Survey benchmark in the street; it has a value of 22.600m above sea level. The new house has a proposed finish floor level of 22.800m, so it will be 200mm higher that the datum point. The datum point for the refurbishment of the kitchen at Sunnycove Lodge is the top of the ceramic tiles on the windowsill, in the kitchen. The universal symbol for a right angle (90°). KEY TERM Parameters: requirements or measurable aspiration. 87 AC2.4 Prepare for construction tasks