Free Practice Questions for NCARB Project-Planning-Design Exam

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

A geothermal system is highly efficient for climates requiring balanced heating and cooling, such as temperate coastal zones. It provides stable, efficient temperature control and good indoor air quality.

Hydronic convection (A) and CAV systems (C) are less efficient and have slower response.

Evaporative cooling and Trombe walls (D) are best for dry climates.

Geothermal HVAC systems support sustainability goals in schools with fluctuating heating/cooling needs.

For multistory residential buildings such as student housing with light wood framing, HVAC system selection must balance space constraints and occupant comfort. The requirement to minimize floor thickness and maximize ceiling height typically rules out bulky ductwork or ceiling-mounted systems.

Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners (PTACs) provide individual room control and require wall penetrations, conflicting with the "no individual HVAC room controls" and likely leading to more complex maintenance.

Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems typically require extensive ductwork and ceiling space, contradicting the goal to minimize floor thickness and eliminate exposed ductwork.

The Four-pipe fan-coil system is an efficient choice for this application: it uses small fan coil units within the ceiling or wall cavities with chilled and hot water supply pipes running vertically. This system minimizes the thickness of mechanical floors and allows centralized control rather than individual room controls. The fan coil units can be concealed, addressing the "no exposed ductwork" criterion.

This approach aligns with NCARB's guidance on HVAC system selection for multifamily and residential occupancies where ceiling height and floor thickness are critical constraints, and centralized control systems are preferred for ease of maintenance and energy management.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

For stairs serving 100 occupants, building codes such as IBC require a minimum clear width of 44 inches to accommodate occupant egress.

36 inches is typical minimum for stairs serving smaller occupant loads.

Wider widths like 48 or 60 inches are required for higher occupant loads.

Handrails and projections may reduce nominal width but are not included in minimum clear width measurements.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Using vertical steel trusses in the external walls (B) allows for efficient lateral load resistance by creating a stiff, braced perimeter that resists wind and seismic forces with less material compared to internal bracing or heavy columns.

Heavy steel columns and rigid connections (A) require more steel and complex joints, increasing cost.

Light steel columns with flexible connections (C) provide less stiffness and require more members.

Internal steel trusses (D) reduce usable space and complicate architectural layouts.

External vertical trusses optimize structural efficiency and cost, as supported in NCARB PPD guidelines for high-rise construction.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Architects have the most influence on seismic performance through building form and configuration, including the plan and cross-sectional layout. A regular, symmetrical, and well-configured building reduces torsional forces and stress concentrations during seismic events.

Structural components and connections (A) are primarily the engineer's responsibility.

Interior partitions (B) affect non-structural behavior but are less critical to seismic response.

Site location and orientation (D) influence seismic forces but are often fixed or limited by client and site constraints.

Thus, architects significantly improve seismic safety through thoughtful spatial and structural configuration design.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Changing from a pier-and-beam system with an open crawlspace to a slab-on-grade floor has several impacts:

Warmer floors in the evenings (A): Concrete slab-on-grade floors have high thermal mass, which can absorb heat during the day and release it slowly, resulting in warmer floors at night, particularly beneficial in cold climates.

Limited future plumbing flexibility (C): Plumbing embedded in or beneath slabs is difficult to access or modify after construction, unlike crawlspaces that provide easier access to underfloor plumbing for repairs or modifications.

More steel reinforcing (B): While slabs do require reinforcement, this is often comparable or less than the framing required for pier-and-beam floors, so this is not necessarily an impact.

Flooring finishes (D): Slab floors can accommodate many finishes; thus, limitations are generally minimal.

Better moisture control (E): Slabs require moisture barriers and careful detailing to control moisture; crawlspaces can sometimes be easier to ventilate but may allow moisture intrusion if not properly designed.

HVAC ductwork installation (F): Crawlspaces allow ducts to be located under the floor; slabs typically require ducts to be placed above or within conditioned spaces.

Thus, the most significant impacts are warmer floors and reduced plumbing flexibility.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Curtain wall systems are designed to accommodate building movement, including deflections from wind and seismic loads, and provide an air and moisture barrier without carrying structural loads.

Replacing the curtain wall with a steel stud framing covered with stucco, which is rigid and brittle, will not accommodate differential movement between the frame and cladding. This is likely to cause stucco cracking as the steel framing and concrete frame move differently under lateral loads.

The wind load will not necessarily overload the concrete frame (A), as loads are transferred properly in both systems.

The substitution may save initial cost but will cause durability and maintenance problems (B).

Dead load increase (D) is minimal compared to structural effects of cracking.

NCARB guidelines stress proper cladding systems that can accommodate structural deflections to prevent damage.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

For shading design on west facades:

Height of the wall (A): Determines the scale and proportion of shading devices.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of glazing (C): Influences how much solar radiation passes through windows.

Spacing and depth of vertical louvers (D): Controls shading effectiveness against low-angle afternoon sun.

Low-E glazing (E) helps but is glazing performance, not shading design.

Annual temperature (B) is climatic but less directly relevant.

Adjacent building heights (F) influence shading from surroundings but are secondary.

Per building and accessibility codes (such as ADA and IBC), raised platforms or stages in assembly areas like gymnasiums are limited in height to ensure safe access and egress. A maximum height of 1 foot 6 inches (18 inches) without requiring additional stairs or ramps is common to allow easy transition and avoid additional egress requirements.

Heights above 18 inches typically require stairs or ramps per ADA.

1'-9" or 2'-6" exceed these limits and would trigger additional code requirements.