This language course book provides the tools to communicate effectively throughout the development of construction projects. It includes the most important vocabulary, grammar and expressions for the successful collaboration in English-speaking planning teams.
The 16 chapters are organised according to the planning phases of a project, introducing essential vocabulary from the brief and feasibility study through to the completion and acceptance of a scheme. The planning and development of a single-family home provides a framework to practise business skills, such as telephoning, writing emails and negotiating. Important grammar structures have been included to offer readers the opportunity to refresh and practise elements appropriate to the phase of construction.
In addition to the book contents, readers have access not only to audios by scanning the QR codes at the conversations but also the Springer Nature Flashcards-App, which can be downloaded free of charge, to learn vocabulary more effectively with 320 digital flashcards.
According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, the level of this book is B2/C1.
Author(s): Sharon Heidenreich
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 329
City: Wiesbaden
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Overview
Abbreviations and Acronyms
Contents
1: Project Basics
1.1 Construction Industry
1.1.1 English in the Construction Industry
1.2 Project Structure
1.2.1 RIBA Plan of Work
1.3 Project Participants
1.3.1 Client
1.3.2 Planning Team
1.3.3 Construction Team
1.3.4 Exercise: Project Participants
1.4 Project Organisation
1.4.1 Design and Build Contract
1.5 Workplace
1.5.1 Grammar: Simple versus Continuous Present
1.5.2 Exercise: Simple versus Continuous Present
1.6 Project Initiation
1.6.1 Collocations
1.6.2 Exercise: Collocations
2: Town Planning
2.1 Basics of Town Planning
2.1.1 History of Town Planning
2.1.2 Urbanisation
2.1.3 Statistics
2.2 Principles of Town Planning
2.2.1 Terminology: Urban Planning
2.2.2 Fixed Factors in Urban Planning
2.2.3 Confusing Words
2.2.4 Variable Factors
2.3 Building Authorities
2.3.1 Rules and Regulations
2.3.2 Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
2.4 Planning Developments
2.4.1 Grammar: Word Order
2.4.2 Exercise: Word Order
2.5 Key Issues in Urban Design
2.5.1 Affordable Housing
2.5.2 Mixed Use
2.5.3 Densification
2.5.4 Public Participation
3: Briefing
3.1 Project Definition
3.1.1 Client’s Needs
3.2 Plot
3.2.1 Site Visit
3.2.2 Comprehension Questions: Site Visit
3.2.3 Exercise: Plot Description
3.2.4 Homophones
3.3 Feasibility
3.3.1 Grammar: Questions
3.3.2 Exercise: Questions and Answers
3.4 Survey
3.4.1 Conversation: Consulting Local Authorities
3.4.2 Comprehension Questions: Consulting Local Authorities
3.5 Communicating with the Client
3.5.1 Writing Emails
3.5.2 Exercise: Writing Emails
4: Concept Design
4.1 Appearance
4.1.1 Presentation Forms
4.2 Sustainability
4.2.1 Energy-Efficient Buildings
4.2.2 Compactness
4.2.3 Orientation
4.2.4 Building Certificates
4.2.5 Exercise: Collocations for Sustainable Buildings
4.3 Consultants
4.3.1 Appointing a Consultant
4.3.2 Standard Telephone Phrases
4.3.3 Exercise: Telephone Call
4.4 Building Costs
4.4.1 Cost Items
4.4.2 Fees
4.4.3 Loans
4.4.4 Cost Management
4.4.5 Exercise: Construction Costs
5: Preliminary Design
5.1 Appearance
5.1.1 Word Families: Size
5.1.2 Exercise: Size
5.2 Numbers and Units
5.2.1 Numbers
5.2.2 Ordinal Numbers
5.2.3 Mathematical Symbols
5.2.4 Units
5.2.5 Exercise: Numbers and Units
5.3 Comparisons
5.3.1 Exercise: Comparisons
5.4 Shapes
5.4.1 Geometry Terms
5.4.2 Design Description
5.4.3 Relations
5.4.4 Areas and Volumes
6: Structural Design
6.1 Structural Systems
6.2 Statics
6.2.1 Loads
6.2.2 Supports
6.2.3 Reactions
6.2.4 Structural Analysis
6.3 Strength of Materials
6.3.1 Modulus of Elasticity
6.3.2 Buckling
6.3.3 Grammar: Capitalisation
6.3.4 Exercise: Capitalisation
6.4 Structural Elements
6.4.1 Bearing Elements
6.4.2 Foundations
6.4.3 Spanning Elements
6.4.4 Truss
6.5 Structures
6.5.1 Exercise: Structure of a Single-Family Home
6.6 Connections
7: Building Components
7.1 Carcass
7.1.1 Walls
7.2 Building Envelope
7.2.1 Prefixes
7.2.2 Exercise: Prefixes
7.3 Roofs
7.3.1 Roof Shapes
7.3.2 Roof Parts
7.3.3 Exercise: Planted Roof
7.4 Doors and Windows
7.4.1 Doors
7.4.2 Windows
7.4.3 Shading Devices
7.5 Circulation
7.5.1 Stair Layout
7.5.2 Stair Design
8: Final Design
8.1 Coordination
8.1.1 Coordination via Email
8.1.2 Meetings
8.1.3 Exercise: Phrasal Verbs
8.1.4 BIM
8.2 Final Design Presentation
8.2.1 Visuals
8.2.2 Plans
8.2.3 Presentation Language
8.2.4 Standard Presentation Phrases
8.2.5 Presentation: Final Design
8.3 Alterations
8.3.1 Exercise: If-clauses
8.4 Planning Permission Application
8.4.1 Building Regulations
8.4.2 Granting Planning Permission
8.4.3 Idioms
8.4.4 Exercise: Idioms
8.5 Fire Safety
8.5.1 Fire Protection
8.5.2 Fire Resistance Rating
8.5.3 Escape Routes
8.5.4 Exercise: Fire Safety
9: Building Materials
9.1 Construction Materials
9.1.1 Material Properties
9.1.2 Environmental Issues
9.2 Concrete
9.2.1 Stressed Concrete
9.2.2 The Cement Issue and Recycling Concrete
9.3 Steel
9.3.1 Steel Members
9.3.2 Exercise: Steel Members
9.3.3 Recyclability and Corrosion of Steel
9.4 Brick
9.5 Timber
9.5.1 Engineered Wood
9.5.2 Exercise: Timber Products and Uses
9.6 Additional Materials
9.6.1 Smart Materials
9.6.2 Combining Materials
9.7 Detail Drawings
9.7.1 Exercise: Details
9.7.2 Conversation: Detail Design
9.8 Technical Standards
9.8.1 U-Values
9.8.2 Example: U-Value Calculation
10: Building Services
10.1 Building Services Engineering
10.1.1 Plant Room
10.2 Plumbing
10.2.1 Drinking Water Supply
10.2.2 Plumbing Fixtures
10.2.3 Water Disposal
10.2.4 Exercise: Plumbing
10.3 Thermal Comfort
10.3.1 Heating System
10.3.2 Fuel
10.3.3 Heat Generator
10.3.4 Solar Collectors
10.3.5 Exercise: Heating
10.3.6 Heat Pump System
10.4 Ventilation
10.4.1 HVAC Systems
10.4.2 Exercise: HVAC Systems
10.5 Electricity
10.5.1 Wiring
10.5.2 Exercise: Electrical Layout
10.5.3 Photovoltaic
10.5.4 Lightning Protection System
10.6 Building Services in Energy-Efficient Buildings
10.6.1 Conversation 1: Building Services
10.6.2 Comprehension Questions: Building Services
10.6.3 Conversation 2: Building Services
11: Procurement Process
11.1 Procurement
11.1.1 Tendering Procedure
11.2 Tender Documents
11.2.1 Specifications
11.2.2 Bills of Quantities
11.3 Language in Tender Documents
11.3.1 Grammar: Active versus Passive
11.3.2 Exercise: Active versus Passive
11.4 Selection of Contractors
11.4.1 Advising the Client
11.4.2 Business Letters
11.4.3 Exercise: Business Letter
11.5 Pricing
11.5.1 Unit Rates
11.5.2 Comparative Analysis of Tenders
11.5.3 Exercise: Comparative Analysis of Tender Prices
11.6 Negotiation
11.6.1 Language in Negotiations
11.6.2 Exercise: Diplomatic Approach
11.6.3 Conversation: Price Negotiation
11.6.4 Comprehension Questions: Price Negotiation
11.7 Building Contract
11.7.1 FIDIC
11.7.2 Contract Terminology
11.7.3 Exercise: Contract Terminology
12: Pre-Construction
12.1 Background to Building Operations
12.1.1 Responsibilities
12.1.2 Grammar: Present Perfect
12.1.3 Exercise: Present Perfect
12.2 Time Management
12.2.1 Time Terms
12.2.2 Exercise: Time Terms
12.3 Construction Programme
12.3.1 Project Bar Chart
12.3.2 Prepositions of Time
12.3.3 Exercise: Prepositions of Time
12.4 Site Set-Up
12.4.1 Construction Site Preparation
12.4.2 Exercise: Setting Out
12.4.3 Construction Site
12.4.4 Prepositions of Place
12.4.5 Exercise: Prepositions of Place
12.5 Site Safety
12.5.1 Exercise: Site Safety
12.5.2 Insurance and Liabilities
13: Construction
13.1 Work Progress
13.1.1 Trades
13.1.2 Exercise: Trades
13.2 Construction Site Management
13.2.1 Site Inspections
13.2.2 Site Meetings
13.2.3 Exercise: Site Work
13.3 Variations
13.3.1 Alteration
13.3.2 Cause and Effect
13.3.3 Exercise: Cause and Effect
13.4 Construction Progress
13.4.1 Reporting on Progress
13.4.2 Exercise: Site Diary
13.4.3 Construction Site Accident
13.4.4 Ceremonies
14: Completion
14.1 Completion Stage
14.2 Delays
14.2.1 Extension of Time
14.2.2 Business Collocations
14.2.3 Exercise: Business Collocations
14.3 Acceptance
14.3.1 Acceptance Process
14.3.2 Acceptance Certificate
14.3.3 Conversation: Acceptance
14.3.4 Comprehension Questions: Acceptance
14.3.5 Defects Liability Period
14.4 Remedial Work
14.4.1 Exercise: Remedial Work
14.5 Payment Procedures
14.5.1 Cost Control
14.5.2 Retention
14.5.3 Fee Calculation
14.5.4 Exercise: Payments
14.6 Close-Out
14.6.1 Commissioning
14.6.2 As-Built Drawings
14.6.3 Project Documentation
15: In-Use and End of Life
15.1 After Completion
15.1.1 Building Operation
15.1.2 Value Depreciation and Appreciation
15.2 Facility Management
15.2.1 International Language Differences
15.2.2 Intercultural Competence
15.3 Upkeep
15.3.1 Maintenance
15.3.2 Servicing
15.3.3 Repairing
15.4 End of Service Life
15.4.1 Comparing and Contrasting
15.4.2 Refurbishment Work
15.4.3 Rebound Effect
15.5 Demolition
15.5.1 Demolition Methods
15.5.2 Exercise: Demolition
15.5.3 Confusing Words
15.6 Reuse and Recycle
15.6.1 Selective Deconstruction
15.6.2 Waste House
16: Education, Registration and More
16.1 Education
16.1.1 Studying
16.1.2 Exchange Programmes
16.1.3 Internships
16.2 Finding Work
16.2.1 Opportunities
16.2.2 Job Advertisement
16.3 Job Application
16.3.1 Cover Letter
16.3.2 Curriculum Vitae
16.3.3 Interview
16.3.4 Exercise: Interview
16.3.5 Outcome
16.4 Practising as an Architect or Civil Engineer
16.4.1 Types of Practice
16.4.2 Registration
16.4.3 Working Abroad
16.4.4 Self-Appraisal
Answer Key
Glossary of Keywords
Biblio graphy
Index
