A comprehensive collection of key terms and definitions related to our industry, providing clear explanations to help you navigate technical language and enhance your understanding of the services we offer.
Glossary of Terms
A
- ADA Grading Analysis: An assessment of a site’s grading and accessibility to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for universal access.
- ALTA Survey: A detailed land survey adhering to the standards set by the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). It is used to identify property boundaries, existing improvements, easements, and potential encroachments, often required for commercial real estate transactions.
B
- Boundary Survey: A detailed survey that determines the legal property lines and defines the true boundaries of a parcel of land.
C
- Civil and Site Development Plans: Comprehensive plans that cover all aspects of site preparation, utilities, and infrastructure.
- Conceptual Plans: Preliminary designs that outline the vision of a project, setting the stage for detailed development.
- Cost Estimation: The process of predicting the financial costs associated with a project, including materials, labor, and other resources, to support budgeting.
D
- Due Diligence s Schematic Services: Services that evaluate a project’s feasibility, assess site conditions, and provide initial planning to ensure a successful start.
E
- Earthwork Calculations: The process of estimating the volume of soil to be excavated or filled, optimizing construction efficiency and minimizing environmental impact.
- Erosion s Sediment Control: Designing measures to prevent soil erosion and manage sediment during construction, protecting the environment and ensuring compliance.
F
- Fire Department Connection (FDC): An external connection point on a building that allows the fire department to pump additional water into the property’s fire suppression system, such as sprinklers or standpipes, during emergencies.
- Formwork: Temporary molds used to shape poured concrete during construction, typically made from wood, metal, or plastic.
- Foundation: The lower part of a building or structure that supports and transfers loads to the ground. Types include shallow (e.g., slab, strip footings) and deep (e.g., piles).
- Frost Line: The depth at which the ground freezes during the winter. Foundations must be placed below this line in colder regions to prevent frost heaving.
- Finish: The final surface treatment of a construction material, such as polishing concrete, painting, or tiling.
G
- Floodplain Compensation Modeling: A technique used to design measures that compensate for changes in floodplains, ensuring compliance and protecting surrounding areas from flooding.
H
- Hydraulic Modeling: The simulation of water flow to design systems that optimize water distribution, prevent flooding, and ensure proper drainage.
I
- Infrastructure Report: A comprehensive assessment of existing utilities and infrastructure, providing recommendations for integration with new projects.
- Lighting Analysis (also known as Photometric Analysis): Evaluating lighting designs to ensure optimal illumination for safety, functionality, and compliance with local regulations.
J
- Joint Utility Coordination: Collaboration among various utility providers to ensure proper placement and integration of utilities within a project site.
K
- Keyway Design: A recessed groove or channel in concrete structures to improve interlocking and provide additional stability.
L
- Land Development Plans: Detailed designs that outline how a parcel of land will be transformed for residential, commercial, or industrial use.
- Load Analysis: The assessment of structural loads to ensure buildings and infrastructure can safely bear anticipated weight and stresses.
M
- Master Planning: A comprehensive framework for the long-term development of a site, balancing functionality, aesthetics, and environmental considerations.
- Municipal Approvals: The process of obtaining necessary permissions from local government authorities for project development.
N
- Noise Impact Studies: Evaluations that measure the potential effects of noise from a project on surrounding areas, ensuring compliance with local ordinances.
O
- Occupancy Permits: Legal authorization issued by a local governing body, allowing the use of a building or structure for its intended purpose.
- Off-Site Improvements: Enhancements made outside the project’s primary property, such as roads, sidewalks, or utility connections, to support the development.
P
- Parking Analysis: Evaluating existing parking information to ensure compliance with zoning requirements while addressing user needs effectively.
- Pavement Design (Flexible s Rigid Systems): Designing road surfaces using flexible systems (asphalt) or rigid systems (concrete) based on load-bearing requirements, durability, and site conditions.
- Pavement Design: Designing flexible and rigid pavements based on site conditions and intended use.
- Platting Assistance: Guiding clients through the process of subdivision and land use approvals, ensuring all documentation is properly submitted.
- Platting: The process of preparing and submitting legal documents to divide land into plots for development or sale, in compliance with local regulations
- Pre-application Meeting: Early meetings with authorities to address concerns and streamline the approval process before submitting formal applications.
- Preliminary Design: The initial conceptual design phase where the basic layout and structure of a project are outlined before final development.
- Pump Station Design: Designing facilities for pumping water, wastewater, or stormwater to ensure effective system operation and meet regulatory standards.
Q
- Quantity Take-Off: The detailed measurement and estimation of materials required for a project, ensuring accurate procurement and cost management.
R
- Roadway Design: Creating roadways that prioritize safety, efficiency, and sustainability for better connectivity.
S
- Sanitary Lateral: A small-diameter pipe that connects a building’s internal plumbing system to the main sanitary sewer line, ensuring the proper flow of wastewater from the property to the municipal system.
- Sanitary Sewer: A system of underground pipes designed to transport wastewater from homes, businesses, and other buildings to a treatment facility. This system excludes stormwater or surface runoff.
- Site Investigation Report: A document summarizing findings from site investigations, detailing conditions, constraints, and recommendations to support project development.
- Site Investigations: Detailed assessments of a site to understand existing conditions, identify potential constraints, and collect critical data for planning.
- Site Planning: Designing efficient site layouts that maximize land use while complying with local regulations and promoting sustainability.
- Stormwater Calculations: The process of assessing rainfall runoff to design systems that control stormwater, reduce flood risks, and maintain environmental standards.
- Stormwater Management: Designing systems to manage water runoff, prevent flooding, and meet environmental compliance.
T
- Tailwater: The water that collects downstream of a system, such as a dam, culvert, or drainage outfall. Tailwater levels are important for designing and maintaining efficient stormwater, irrigation, or wastewater systems.
- Tender: A formal invitation to submit bids for a project or contract. Tenders are often issued in construction, engineering, or procurement industries, outlining the scope and terms for interested parties to respond.
Traffic Light System: A project management tool that uses a color-coded system (green, orange, red) to track progress. Green indicates tasks are on track, orange signifies delays or pending information, and red highlights urgent issues or blockers. - Topography: The arrangement of natural and artificial physical features of a site, represented through contour lines, elevations, and terrain details. It provides critical information for site grading, drainage, and construction planning.
U
- Unit Conversion: The process of changing one unit of measurement to another, such as from feet to meters or from square meters to square feet. This is essential for ensuring accurate calculations in various fields like construction and engineering.
V
- Value Engineering: A systematic approach to improving the value of a project by either improving the function or reducing the cost without affecting the quality. It’s commonly applied in construction and manufacturing industries to optimize costs and efficiency.
W
- Water and Sanitary Sewer Design: Planning water and sewer systems to ensure reliable service and regulatory compliance.
- Water Main: A pipe that forms part of a public water distribution network. It carries treated water from a treatment facility to service laterals and hydrants, serving neighborhoods and communities.
- Water Meter: A device installed along a water service lateral to measure and record the volume of water consumption at a property. It is typically used for billing purposes.
- Water Service Lateral: A smaller pipe that connects the water main to an individual property, providing a direct water supply for residential, commercial, or industrial use.
- Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): A hierarchical decomposition of a project into smaller, more manageable components. The WBS helps organize tasks, track progress, and ensure all aspects of a project are covered.
Warranty: A guarantee provided by a seller or manufacturer that promises to repair or replace a product or service if necessary within a specified period. In construction and engineering, warranties often cover defects or performance issues.