Building Design and Construction Handbook - Merritt - Ventech!

BUILDING SYSTEMS 1.19
Builder’s Hardware. This is a general
term applied to fastenings and devices,
such as nails, screws, locks, hinges, and
pulleys. These items generally are classified
as either finishing hardware or
rough hardware (Sec. 11).
Plumbing. The major systems for conveyance
of liquids and gases in pipes
within a building are classified as
plumbing. Plumbing pipes usually are
connected to others that extend outside
the building to a supply source, such as
FIGURE 1.8 Example of door and frame. a public water main or utility gas main,
or to a disposal means, such as a sewer.
For health, safety, and other reasons, pipes of different types of plumbing systems
must not be interconnected, and care must be taken to prevent flow from one system
to another.
The major purposes of plumbing are: (1) to convey water and heating gas, if
desired, from sources outside a building to points inside where the fluid or gas is
needed, and (2) to collect wastewater and storm water in the building, on the roof,
or elsewhere on the site and convey the liquid to sewers outside the building.
For these purposes, plumbing requires fixtures for collecting discharged water
and wastes; pipes for supply and disposal; valves for controlling flow; drains, and
other accessories. For more details, see Sec. 14.
Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC). Part of the environmental
control systems within buildings, along with lighting and sound control, HVAC is
often necessary for the health and comfort of building occupants. Sometimes, however,
HVAC may be needed for manufacturing processes, product storage, or operation
of equipment, such as computers. HVAC usually is used to control temperature,
humidity, air movement, and air quality in the interior of buildings.
Ventilation is required to supply clean air for breathing, to furnish air for operation
of combustion equipment, and to remove contaminated air. Ventilation, however,
also can be used for temperature control by bringing outside air into a building
when there is a desirable temperature difference between that air and the interior
air.
The simplest way to ventilate is to open windows. When this is not practicable,
mechanical ventilation is necessary. This method employs fans to draw outside air
into the building and distribute the air, often through ducts, to interior spaces. The
method, however, can usually be used only in mild weather. To maintain comfort
conditions in the interior, the fresh air may have to be heated in cold weather and
cooled in hot weather.
Heating and cooling of a building interior may be accomplished in any of a
multitude of ways. Various methods are described in Sec. 13.
Lighting. For health, safety, and comfort of occupants, a building interior should
be provided with an adequate quantity of light, good quality of illumination, and
proper color of light. The required illumination may be supplied by natural or
artificial means.