Architect's Pocket Book

321 Pages·2007·6.6 MB·English

Architect’s Pocket Book
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Architect’s Pocket Book
Charlotte Baden-Powell
Second edition
Architectural Press
OXFORD AMSTERDAM BOSTON LONDON NEW YORK PARIS
SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO SINGAPORE SYDNEY TOKYO
Architectural Press
An imprint of Elsevier Science
Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP
200 Wheeler Road, Burlington, MA 01803
First published 1997
Reprinted 1998, 1999
Second Edition 2001
Reprinted with amendments 2002 and 2003
Copyright © 2001, Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any
material form (including photocopying or storing in
any medium by electronic means and whether or not
transiently or incidentally to some other use of this
publication) without the written permission of the
copyright holder except in accordance with the
provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the
Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court
Road, London, England W1T 4LP. Applications for
the copyright holder’s written permission to reproduce
any part of this publication should be addressed to
the publishers
Every care has been taken in the preparation of this book but neither the author nor the
publishers can be held responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any results arising
from such errors or omissions by any person or body using this book
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Baden-Powell, Charlotte, Architect’s pocket book – 2nd ed.
1. Architecture
I. Title
720
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data
Baden-Powell, Charlotte,
Architect’s pocket book/Charlotte Baden-Powell – [2nd ed.]. p. cm.
Includes index
ISBN0 7506 4764 7
1. Architecture – Great Britain – Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title
NA2590 B3 2001
721’.02’1 – dc21
ISBN 0 7506 4764 7
For information on all Architectural Press publications
visit our website at www.architecturalpress.com
Composition by Tek-Art, Croydon, Surrey
Printed and bound in Great Britain
Contents
Preface vii
Acknowledgements ix
1 General Information
Climate maps 1
Metric system 8
Metric units 10
Temperature 11
Imperial units 12
Conversion factors 14
Greek alphabet 17
Geometric data 18
Paper sizes 24
Drawing conventions 28
Perspective drawing 32
CI/SfB Construction Index 34
Uniclass 40
2 Planning
Planning and other permissions 41
Building Regulations 1991 52
Standards – in the construction industry 56
Sustainability, energy saving and green issues 59
Anthropometric data 64
Furniture and fittings data 68
Miscellaneous data 78
Sanitary provision for public buildings 82
Trees for towns 86
Hedges 88
3 Structures
Weights of materials 89
Newtons 93
Imposed loads 94
Fire resistance 99
Bending moments and beam formulae 100
Safe loads on subsoils 102
Timber 103
Brickwork and blockwork 106
vi Contents
Concrete 108
Steelwork 112
4 Services
Drainage 119
Rainwater disposal 122
Water supply regulations 123
Water storage 127
U-, R- and K- values 130
Thermal insulation 132
Heat losses 134
Central heating and hot water systems 136
Ventilation 138
Electrical installation 144
Lighting 147
Sound 164
5 Building Elements
Stairs and gradients 167
Fireplaces 170
Chimneys and flues 172
Doors 174
Windows 180
Security fittings 188
6 Materials
Brickwork and blockwork 191
Stonework 200
Dampness in buildings 204
Plaster and render 205
Metals 211
Roofing 214
Glass 237
Timber 250
Building boards 269
Plastics 276
Nails and screws 278
Paints 280
Addresses 287
Sources 297
Index 300
Preface
‘I know it’s somewhere – but where?’ . . .
. . . any architect, any time
The inspiration for this pocket book was the front section of
the Building Technician’s Diaries which were published in the
1960s and 70s. These small airmail paper pages were densely
packed with useful information for the architect, surveyor and
builder. Obviously concise, often rule-of-thumb but
nevertheless marvellously useful. These diaries are no longer
available and are of course wildly out of date. So it seemed to
me that there is a need for a new small and more complete
compendium which can sit beside the drawing
board/computer and also be carried easily to site.
It is aimed primarily at the smaller practice and is particularly
suitable for small works. The subjects range from general
arithmetic and geometric data through building regulation
requirements, the sizes of furniture, fittings, joists, materials,
U-values, lighting data and much more.
The choice of what to include is necessarily subjective and is
the result of running my own practice for 38 years. The
subjects have been gleaned either from much more
comprehensive works and the more imaginative and useful
aspects of manufacturers’ literature. I have deliberately not
included anything about costs or legal matters as these
change too frequently for the book to be of any lasting value.
The choice of contents is inevitably subjective and I would be
interested to hear from readers of any items which they would
have liked to be included. The blank pages at the end of the
book are provided for personal additions.
viii Preface
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information
given is accurate at the time of publication. When compiling
the book I found many things were incomplete, out-of-date or
plainly wrong. The user should be aware that the information
is concise, in order to suit the small size of a pocket book. Also
that legislation is frequently changing and that the British
Standards and Building Regulations are being constantly
superseded. If in doubt, or further more detailed explanation is
required, consult the source given at the bottom of the page,
with the addresses and telephone numbers at the back of the
book. Where no reference is given, this is because I have
compiled the information from several sources.
This book is not a construction manual, it contains no typical
detail drawings, but is instead a collection of information
needed before such drawings are prepared.
The second edition contains 30 new pages of subjects ranging
from Party Wall Awards and green issues to industrial processes.
The new drawings include information about setting-up
perspectives, wheelchairs, traditional doors and windows,
colour spectrum, etc. Additions have also been made to the
original text. Names and addresses have been updated and
email and websites added.
The aim of the book is to included information from a wide
range of sources. Facts which one knows are somewhere -
but where? I like to think that this is the book I should have
had to hand, both as a student and while running my private
practice. I hope you do too.
Acknowledgements
I am greatly indebted to the following people for their help
and advice:
Choice of contents John Winter (architect)
Bill Ungless (architect)
Geometric data Francis Baden-Powell (architect)
Structural data Howard Hufford
(structural engineer)
David Cook (geotechnical engineer)
Water byelaws Graham Mays (Water Research
Centre secretary)
Electrical wiring Brian Fisher (electrical contractor)
Lighting Martin Wilkinson
(lighting consultant)
Joinery James Toner (building contractor)
General reference data Peter Gunning (quantity surveyor)
Typography Peter Brawne (graphic designer)
I should also like to thank the many helpful technical
representatives of the manufacturers listed at the back of the
book.
My thanks are also due to:
Mari Owen, my secretary, for so patiently struggling with
typing, re-typing and endlessly correcting a difficult text;
Neil Warnock-Smith, my Publisher, for his support and
enthusiasm for the original idea for the book;
Michael Brawne, Professor of Architecture and my husband,
for his wise words, help and encouragement throughout.