Construction and the Built Environment

Exam Details

• The exam is for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in Construction and the Built Environment, Unit 1.
• The exam is 1 hour long and consists of 6 questions.
• The total mark for the paper is 80.

Fig. 1 - Basic Structure

• The basic structure shown in Fig. 1 is a type of timber framed structure.
• Three distinguishing characteristics of this type of structure are:
  • Not specified in the exam text, but timber framed structures often have a skeleton frame, use panels for walls and floors, and have a building envelope.
• Three common materials used in its construction are:
  • Not specified in the exam text, but timber framed structures often use timber, insulation, and cladding materials.

Building Information Modelling (BIM)

• Fig. 1 was produced using BIM compliant software.
• BIM is used in the construction process.

Timber Framed Construction

• Two materials commonly used as external cladding for timber framed construction are:
  • Not specified in the exam text, but could include materials like brick, render, and cladding panels.
• Platform frame and balloon frame are two types of timber frame terminology.
• Advantages and disadvantages of using timber framed construction for domestic housing include:
  • Not specified in the exam text, but advantages could include speed of construction, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness, while disadvantages could include limited design flexibility and potential for water damage.

Resources

• Finance is an important resource required for a project to run efficiently.
• Three other resource considerations are:
  • Labour (workers and skills)
  • Materials (equipment and supplies)
  • Plant (machinery and equipment)

Health and Safety

• The Health and Safety Legislation introduced in Northern Ireland is not specified in the exam text.
• Two duties of the employee on a construction site are:
  • Not specified in the exam text, but could include following safety procedures and reporting hazards.
• The duties of the designer as stated in the legislation include:
  • Not specified in the exam text, but could include ensuring designs are safe and comply with regulations.
• Two pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) that must be worn on construction sites are:
  • Not specified in the exam text, but could include hard hats and safety glasses.

Power Tools

• Three checks that should be adopted before using a power tool are:
  • Check the tool is in good condition
  • Check the tool is suitable for the task
  • Check the user is properly trained

BIM Co-ordinator

• The four main roles of the BIM co-ordinator include:
  • Not specified in the exam text, but could include managing BIM models, ensuring data consistency, and facilitating collaboration.

Construction Cycle

• The commonly used construction cycle is not specified in the exam text, but could refer to the RIBA Plan of Work.
• The year the construction cycle came into use is not specified in the exam text.
• The number of stages in the construction cycle is not specified in the exam text, but could be around 8 stages.
• The stages of the construction cycle include:
  • Preparation and Brief stage: client's requirements are identified and a brief is prepared.
  • Concept Design Stage: the architect develops a concept design.
  • Technical Design Stage: a detailed design is developed.
  • Construction Stage: the building is constructed.

Architect's Roles

• Three main roles of the architect include:
  • Not specified in the exam text, but could include designing buildings, managing projects, and communicating with clients.
• Two main characteristics of town houses that an architect would design and manage are:
  • Not specified in the exam text, but could include factors like sustainability, accessibility, and aesthetic appeal.