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A

 Artificial lighting Lighting from man-made lighting sources which rely on electricity.

B

C

 Circulation Spaces that allow people to move easily around a building.
Context The surrounding conditions of the area - these might include the height of existing buildings, materials, the position of the main road and access, orientation, direction of south.

D

 Design Process of developing ideas.
Decoration Elements added to the building to give it a particular ‘look’ or feel.
Durable Long-lasting.

E

 Elevation Views of the front, back and side of a building.

F

 Function Use or purpose.

G

H

 Hierarchy Is an order of objects or spaces according to their importance.

I

 Insulation The ability of a material to prevent the passage of heat. Materials therefore have an impact on how much heat the building retains and loses.

J

K

L

 Load bearing An element of the structure that supports the weight above.

M

N

 Natural lighting Lighting from the sun.

O

 Orientation The direction in which a space and its windows face. This affects the amount and quality of light that reaches inside spaces. In the northern hemisphere:
  • East and west facing rooms receive lower-angled, direct sunlight, leading to changing lighting levels and producing glare.
  • North facing rooms receive indirect sunlight, and therefore a constant softer light without glare.
  • South facing rooms receive direct sunlight for the longest period during the middle of the day. The light levels in these spaces will be the strongest meaning they are the most likely to overheat or experience glare.

P

 Plan A drawing showing the layout of a building (a bird’s eye view).
Prospect Views from the building.

Q

R

 Re-use To use old materials for new purposes.
Recycle To break down old materials and use their components to manufacture new elements.

S

 Scale Is the size of one space in comparison to another space or element.
Structural Frame A steel or concrete frame that supports the building.
Shading Helps control the level of light within a space and the temperature, aiming to diffuse light, prevent glare and keep the temperature constant.
  • External shading: devices which prevent light from entering the space on the OUTSIDE of the glass (more effective than internal shading as it prevents the entry of radiation into the space which can cause it to overheat).
  • Internal shading: devices which prevent light from entering further into the space on the INSIDE of the glass.

T

 Three dimensional Not flat, but with height, width and depth.
Thermal mass A building’s ability to retain heat that it has absorbed during the day and to release it at night. In this country buildings that use their materials to stay warm in the colder weather and cool in the warmer weather use less energy and help protect the environment. The ability to absorb warmth during the day and then release it during the evening when the weather is cooler is called “thermal mass”.

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