Building Construction

The science of building construction is evolving more quickly than ever before. The 2009 Update of this outstanding text builds on the previous version and incorporates the latest updates available. Written by an author team with decades of experience in architecture, building construction, engineering, and teaching, Building Construction: Principles, Materials, and Systems, 2009 Update is a comprehensive and fully illustrated introduction to construction methods and materials. The book’s unique organization—Principles of Construction are covered in Part One, and Materials and Systems of Construction are covered in Part Two—allows for complete coverage of both the basic principles and specific materials and systems of building construction.

Key enhancements in the 2009 Update include:

• Chapters related to health, safety, and welfare issues in building design and construction (Chapter 2, Governmental Constraints on Construction, and Chapter 7, Fire-Related Properties) were updated to the 2009 International Building Code.

• Chapters related to building envelope issues (Chapter 5, Thermal Properties of Materials; Chapter 6, Air and Water Vapor Flow Properties; Chapter 29, Windows and Doors; and Chapter 30, Glass-Aluminum Wall Systems) conform to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code.

• Chapter 10, Principles of Sustainable Construction, was updated to the LEED 2009.

• Coverage of metrics of sustainability of building products and assemblies was expanded.

• State-of-the-art software programs to assess the ustainability of building products and assemblies was covered.

• The Focus on Sustainability features, Margin Notes, and Expand Your Knowledge sections were brought up to  date.