A glossary of building and construction terminology

These pages are intended as a reference source for construction industry terms that are neither uniform nor well established across the industry. Internationally there is a growing
interest in this area and these pages collect relevant definitions from many sources that might help in the rationalization and internationalization of building and construction
terminology.
Many of the terms do not have a consistent meaning or understanding. No attempt has been made here to resolve those differences - each is presented in its original form, along with
the source, leaving you to decide upon the most appropriate definition to your situation. It might be hoped that the terms will in time be refined to become a common standard.
The document is intended to include:
terms that are used in tender documents, agreements and contract conditions, preliminaries, terms related or associated with these front end documents, and those
corresponding terms that are often used in the specification sections!
the terms, their definition, and the source of the definition "where possible#!
to discourage the use of abbreviations or acronyms for any of these words and terms!
some buzz or slang terms associated with pro$ect wor% "eg: punchlist#!
terms used in computer modelling, e-commerce and information technology that are becoming a must %now for any of us!
terms that are technical, materials, products, or installation oriented!
terms normally found in specification sections are increasingly included as the move grows to internationalize the number of construction dictionaries and glossaries that cover
these sub$ects.
&ords, terms, and phrases are presented in alphabetical order. To ease the tas% of referencing and comparing terms, related terms are listed following that term but are separately
listed.
Sources
'(')-*-+-' - ,-./. 0tandard 1orm of +greement 2etween 3wner and .ontractor on the 2asis of a 0tipulated 4rice "'(()# - North +merica.
'(')-*-+-5 - ,-./. 0tandard 1orm of +greement 2etween 3wner and .ontractor on the 2asis of .ost-4lus "'(()# - North +merica
'(')-* - ,-./. 0tandard 6eneral .onditions of the .ontract "'(()# - North +merica.
'(')-'7 - ,-./. 6uide to the 4reparation of 0upplementary .onditions. "'(()# - North +merica
+')' - +I+ 0tandard 1orm of +greement between 3wner and .ontractor - North +merica "'(*7#
+5)' - +I+ 6eneral .onditions of the .ontract for .onstruction - North +merica "'(*7#
+8'' - 6uide for 0upplementary .onditions - North +merica "'(*7#
++., - +merican +ssociation of .ost ,ngineers - 0tandard .ost ,ngineering Terminology, '(() ,dition.
++09T3 - +merican +ssociation of 0tate 9ighway and Transportation 3fficials - 6uide 0pecifications for 9ighway .onstruction - '((: ,dition.
+9,/ - +merican 9eritage ,lectronic /ictionary - ;icensed to 0ystems .ompatibility .orporation.
+I+ - The +merican Institute of +rchitects - 6lossary of .onstruction Industry Terms.
+I2 - <6uide to ,stimating 4ractice for 2uilding &or%< - =th ,dition '((8 published by The +ustralian Institute of 2uilding.
+.2/4 ' - +ustralian .ouncil of 2uilding /esign 4rofessions wor%ing party as outlined in their 2/4 News2rief '' 0eptember 5))'.
+0., - +merican 0ociety of .ivil ,ngineers - >uality in the .onstructed 4ro$ect.
+?4 - <+pplying ?M; and 4atterns<
2.I0 - 2uilding .ost Information 0ervice - @I.0 "?A#
2lac%s - 2lac%s ;aw /ictionary - 8th ,dition, &est.
20 =')) - 2ritish 0tandard =')) <6lossary of 2uilding and .ivil ,ngineering Terms.<
20& - MaB &ells and Aipp Mayer - words and terms used by their firm, 20& International.
.+,0. - .ommentary on +greements for ,ngineering 0ervices and .ontract /ocuments
.2. - .anadian 2uilding .ontracts - 0econd ,dition, 6oldsmith.
.2I - +ssociation for .oordinated 2uilding Information in New Cealand - .oordinated 2uilding Information - '((*.
..+ - .anadian .onstruction +ssociation - 4erformance 0tandards for 4ro$ect Management - '(7: and - + 6uide to .onstruction Management .ontracts - @evised '(7D.
... - .ontracts: .ases and .ommentaries! 0econd ,dition, 2oyle and 4ercy.
../. - .anadian .onstruction /ocuments .ommittee '((D documents and others of latest edition available to the &5.
.I4ME;?ET4E* - 0T,4 - 0tandard for the ,Bchange of 4roduct Model /ata, draft ver. '
.;; - .onstruction ;aw ;etter! 9arvey Airsh and 4aul 0andori.
.M++ - .onstruction Management +ssociation of +merica - 0tandards of 4ractice - '(** ,dition.
.0I - .onstruction 0pecifications Institute - M34 - various chapters - North +merica.
.0I '(D7 - .onstruction 0urveyors Institute - The .onstruction 0urvey 0ystem in the ?0+ - -une '(D7.
/.. - /efence .onstruction .anada and 6overnment of .anada - bid and contract forms and documents, some identified as /.; "/efence .onstruction ;imited# documents, dated
3ctober '((D. +uthors note: the term tender is used throughout their documents.
,-./. - ,ngineers -oint .ontract /ocuments .ommittee - North +merica
1I/I. ())' - <+ guide to the interpretation and application of the I03 ())'-'((D 0tandard for the consulting sector< - 1I/I. draft dated -anuary '((7.
62T - <6lossary of 2uilding Terms< - N.@2, +ustralian 0tandards, 0uppliers IndeB.
690 - <6lobally 9armonized 0ystem of .lassification and ;abelling of .hemicals< - 1irst revised edition 5))8.
9aney - .raig 9aney, @enovation Technology +ssociates - /allas TF and the ?0+ - The 0ecretary of the Interiors 0tandards for 9istoric 4reservation 4ro$ects.
I+I - International +lliance for Interoperability I1. 0pecification /evelopment 6uide
I03 ')*7-'(() Terminology G Hocabulary
I03 ./ 'D87 - <.onstruction drawings - /esignation systems<.
I03 =5D) - <4erformance standards in building - .ontents and preparation< - '(*).
I03 =5D' - <4erformance standards in building - 4rinciples for their preparation and factors to be considered< - '(*).
I03 =7)7-' - International 0tandard =7)7-'
I03 *D)5 - >uality management and Iuality assurance - Hocabulary - '((D
I03 ')))= - >uality Management - 6uidelines to Iuality in pro$ect management - '((7.
I03 T@ ')'57 - <.omputer-+ided /esign ".+/# TechniIue - ?se of computers for the preparation of construction drawings<.
I03 ')5)(-' - <.onstruction documentation terminology - Terms relating to technical drawing<- "'((5#.
I03 ')5)(-5 - <.onstruction documentation terminology - Terms relating "to# pro$ection methods<- "'((:#.
I03 ./ ')5)(-: - <.onstruction documentation terminology - Terms relating to construction documentation<.
I03 /I0 ')5)(-D <.onstruction documentation terminology - Terms relating to construction documentation<.
I03 &/ '):): - <4roduct data representation and eBchange<.
I03 T@ ')=5: - <Technical product documentation - @eIuirements for computer-aided design and draughting - Hocabulary<.
I03 ./ '5))=-5 - <3rganisation of information about construction wor%s - 4art 5 1ramewor% for classification of information< 58E*E'((7. This I03 .ommittee /raft has now been
published as I03 '5))= 2uilding construction - 3rganization of information about construction - 4art 5: 1ramewor% for classification of information.
I03 ./ ':8=7 - <.onstruction documentation<
I03 T@ 'D'77 - <.lassification of information in the .onstruction Industry<. This I03 Technical @eport has now been published as I03 '5))= 2uilding construction - 3rganization of
information about construction - 4art 5: 1ramewor% for classification of information.
-anuary - Mal -anuary, 0ydney, +ustralia "authorEcompiler#
Means - Means Illustrated .onstruction /ictionary - New ?nabridged ,dition - '(('.
N+&I. - .onstruction /ictionary - N+&I. "National +ssociation of &omen in .onstruction# '(7*.
N.@2 - National .ommittee on @ationalised 2uilding "+ustralia#
N/+/4 - National /evelopment +ssessment /efinitions 4aper - -anuary 5))' - /raft paper prepared by The /efinitions Tas% 1orce 6roup of the /evelopment +ssessment 1orum
www.daf.gov.au
N4&. - National 4ublic &or%s .ouncil "+ustralia#
3Bford - 0horter 3Bford ,nglish /ictionary - @evised '((' "the large 5 volume set#. 3r 3Bford .oncise /ictionary.
4&60. - 4ublic &or%s 6overnment 0ervices .anada with selected NM0 references.
@I.0 - @oyal Institution of .hartered 0urveyors "?A#
02. - 0wedish 2uilding .entre
0yam - <+ 6uide to the reIuirements for engineering drawings of structural steelwor%< 0teel .onstruction Holume 5( No. 5 0eptember '((8 - +run +. 0yam, Manager Technical
0ervices, +ustralian Institute of 0teel .ontractors.
Tiula - Martti Tiula, 2uilding Information Institute, 1inland
?M; 2-@(7 - The ?nified Modelling ;anguage, 2ooch, -acobson, @umbaugh.
?0N20 - ?.0. National 2ureau of 0tandards
&5 - &ayne &atson, .I0 and /igicon, .anada
&oestenen% - Aees &oestenen%, 0T+2?, Netherlands
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