conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give me a description for a story titled Fundamentals of Residential Construction about Complete with the genre: Arts & Photography, Architecture.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Complete, authoritative coverage of residential construction materials and procedures
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give me the first five paragraphs for this story.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Fundamentals of Residential Construction
  In CLT construction, panels are commonly seated on top of thin rubber spacers that provide not only acoustical separation but also even bearing (Figure 28.42).
  A wall with a high STC can be made ineffectual by even a small penetration like an electric box, a lighting fixture, or an air leak under the sole plate. Electrical outlets, for example, are a frequent path for unwanted sound, so they must be sealed carefully. A number of products have been introduced to the market to deal with this problem. The perimeter of the wall must be made airtight with acoustical sealant.
  Considerable time and effort are spent in controlling losses due to fire in multifamily buildings. Building codes contain many measures that are designed to eliminate sources of combustion, control the combustibility of the building and its contents, contain the fire within a very limited portion of the building, extinguish the fire automatically, and facilitate the rapid, safe evacuation of inhabitants from of the building if a fire should occur.
  During the formative stages of a multifamily project, before the design is established, discussions about fire protection strategies inevitably occur among the fire marshal, the building official, the owner, the architect, and the engineer. What type(s) of sprinkler system will be employed? Will fire-resistant-treated framing lumber be used? The outcome of these discussions will have a significant impact on the cost of construction and will set the direction of how the building will be detailed. For example, the use of fire-resistant-treated framing (Type III-B construction) can eliminate the need for fire-rated assemblies between units.
  Wood light frame and light-gauge steel construction are not fire safe on their own but can be built to 1- to 3-hour protection levels by adding approved drywall and insulation in various configurations. CLT construction is mainly fire protected by virtue of its massiveness; however, where the amount of flammable surfaces needs to be reduced, drywall can be added to these panels as well.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give me four more paragraphs.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Sprinkler systems in multifamily buildings are generally stand-alone systems that do not interact with the potable water supply system (Figure 15.18). This means that pressurized water stands in the sprinkler pipes for long periods of time, and a check valve must be installed to prevent the backflow of sprinkler water into the potable source of the water. Piping size depends on the size of the system and the available water pressure (Figure 28.43). To be effective, sprinkler heads must be located at all egress routes and within units in all significant rooms. Dry standpipes are also sometimes employed in multifamily buildings. A standpipe system consists of large empty pipes incorporated into the structure of a building such that, when they are connected to a ­pressurized water source in the event of a fire, they deliver large volumes of water to the upper floors, eliminating the need to route fire hoses through stairways.
  With respect to mechanical systems, there is a difference between buildings occupied for extended periods by owners or by renters and those with short-term or group rentals. The former typically employ residential-scale heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems for each unit, while the latter often have large centralized systems. The difference is driven by the utility company's need to bill owners or long-term renters directly for their utility use. For example, condominiums and apartments have residential-scale mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems at each unit, and each is metered. For the convenience of the utility company, meters are usually consolidated into one area of the building (Figure 28.49).
  In hotels and dormitories, it is usually most efficient to have large centralized systems for hot water and sometimes for space heating/cooling. In these systems, the problem is distribution. Hot water can be constantly circulated, making it immediately available at every tap. Where rooms are heated with a centralized system, hot water is usually the vehicle to carry the heat because the piping to carry it can go long distances while consuming very little space.
  Acoustical issues related to systems are much more critical in a multifamily building than in a single-family residence. It is much more annoying to hear your neighbor's plumbing, for example, than that of your own family. Plumbing supply pipes can be isolated from framing, they can be insulated, and quiet valves can be specified. Plumbing drains, when they are adjacent to another unit, are usually made with cast iron piping, which, because of its density and its soft rubber joints, is much quieter than plastic piping (Figure 28.50). Heating systems can also be noisy, so care must be taken with their specification and installation. Electrical outlets on walls between units must be carefully sealed to minimize the passage of airborne sounds.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Delete the first sentence.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: 18). This means that pressurized water stands in the sprinkler pipes for long periods of time, and a check valve must be installed to prevent the backflow of sprinkler water into the potable source of the water. Piping size depends on the size of the system and the available water pressure (Figure 28.43). To be effective, sprinkler heads must be located at all egress routes and within units in all significant rooms. Dry standpipes are also sometimes employed in multifamily buildings. A standpipe system consists of large empty pipes incorporated into the structure of a building such that, when they are connected to a ­pressurized water source in the event of a fire, they deliver large volumes of water to the upper floors, eliminating the need to route fire hoses through stairways.
  With respect to mechanical systems, there is a difference between buildings occupied for extended periods by owners or by renters and those with short-term or group rentals. The former typically employ residential-scale heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems for each unit, while the latter often have large centralized systems. The difference is driven by the utility company's need to bill owners or long-term renters directly for their utility use. For example, condominiums and apartments have residential-scale mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems at each unit, and each is metered. For the convenience of the utility company, meters are usually consolidated into one area of the building (Figure 28.49).
  In hotels and dormitories, it is usually most efficient to have large centralized systems for hot water and sometimes for space heating/cooling. In these systems, the problem is distribution. Hot water can be constantly circulated, making it immediately available at every tap. Where rooms are heated with a centralized system, hot water is usually the vehicle to carry the heat because the piping to carry it can go long distances while consuming very little space.
  Acoustical issues related to systems are much more critical in a multifamily building than in a single-family residence. It is much more annoying to hear your neighbor's plumbing, for example, than that of your own family. Plumbing supply pipes can be isolated from framing, they can be insulated, and quiet valves can be specified. Plumbing drains, when they are adjacent to another unit, are usually made with cast iron piping, which, because of its density and its soft rubber joints, is much quieter than plastic piping (Figure 28.50). Heating systems can also be noisy, so care must be taken with their specification and installation. Electrical outlets on walls between units must be carefully sealed to minimize the passage of airborne sounds.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give me the last four paragraphs.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Inherently, multifamily housing has great potential to be the greenest of all housing types. The simple fact that units are stacked and therefore consume less site area and fewer building materials is significant. Heating and cooling a unit surrounded on several sides by other units requires less energy than the same size unit standing alone. Multifamily units are typically smaller than single-family units, and they are usually in an urban environment where walking and public transport are reasonable options (Figure 28.59). (It is said that residents of New York City consume the fewest resources per capita of any place on the continent.)
  The size of the entire multifamily building often allows green strategies to occur because of an economy of scale. Rainwater catchment, advanced storm water treatment, and gray and even black water treatment become economically feasible when the costs can be spread across a number of units. Passive cooling with large courtyards becomes more practical. The possibility of photovoltaic energy generation at a large scale becomes promising.
  Most of the materials and systems used in the construction of multifamily housing are commonly employed in single-family residences and thus can be found in the MasterFormat references in earlier chapters. Materials and methods that are unusual in single-family construction but are common in multifamily construction are listed below.
  Glass fiber and polymer compounds used in construction for the production of windows, doors, balustrades, cornices, and more.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Swap the first and the last sentence.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Glass fiber and polymer compounds used in construction for the production of windows, doors, balustrades, cornices, and more. The simple fact that units are stacked and therefore consume less site area and fewer building materials is significant. Heating and cooling a unit surrounded on several sides by other units requires less energy than the same size unit standing alone. Multifamily units are typically smaller than single-family units, and they are usually in an urban environment where walking and public transport are reasonable options (Figure 28.59). (It is said that residents of New York City consume the fewest resources per capita of any place on the continent.)
  The size of the entire multifamily building often allows green strategies to occur because of an economy of scale. Rainwater catchment, advanced storm water treatment, and gray and even black water treatment become economically feasible when the costs can be spread across a number of units. Passive cooling with large courtyards becomes more practical. The possibility of photovoltaic energy generation at a large scale becomes promising.
  Most of the materials and systems used in the construction of multifamily housing are commonly employed in single-family residences and thus can be found in the MasterFormat references in earlier chapters. Materials and methods that are unusual in single-family construction but are common in multifamily construction are listed below.Inherently, multifamily housing has great potential to be the greenest of all housing types.