*P30*

Pre-Leaving Certi icate Examination, 2023

Name:
School:
Address:
Class:
Teacher:

Construction Studies
Theory – Higher Level
(300 marks)

Time: 3 Hours

(a) Answer any five ques ons from all 10 ques ons.
(b) All ques ons carry equal marks.
(c) Answers must be wri en in ink.
(d) Drawings and sketches to be made in pencil.
(e) Write the number of the ques on dis nctly before each answer.
(f) Neat freehand sketches to illustrate wri en descrip ons should be made.
(g) The name, sizes, dimensions and other necessary par culars of each material
indicated must be noted on the drawings.
1. The sketch shows a por on of an external wall, roof and a
window of a dwelling house. The external wall is a 400 mm
concrete block wall with a full-fill cavity insula on. The roof,
which is slated, is a tradi onal cut roof pitched at 30 degrees.
The ra ers and ceiling joists of 150 mm x 44mm cross
sec on. There is a 50 mm insulated service cavity under the
ceiling joist. The window is a triple-glazed wooden casement
with a thermally broken wooden frame.

(a) To a scale of 1:5, draw a ver cal sec on through the

external wall, window and roof structure. The sec on
should show the typical construc on details from 200
mm below the head of the window, and include the
window. Include four courses of slate on the roof.

Include four typical dimensions of the roof structure.

(b) Indicate clearly on the drawing one method of preven ng thermal bridging at the
junc on of the roof and the wall.

2. (a) The on-site Health and Safety Officer

performs a key role in maintaining a safe
working environment on a construc on
site.

Discuss in detail three responsibili es of a

Health and Safety Officer on a construc on
site.

(b) Discuss in detail one possible risk

associated with each of the following:

• repairing a chimney stack

• overhead electrical cables
• on-site health & hygiene.

(c) Using notes and freehand sketches, outline two specific safety procedures that should
be observed to eliminate each risk iden fied at 2(b) above.

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3. The drawing shows the ground floor plan of a two-storey
semi-detached house and its rear garden. The rear wall A-A is
south facing. The owners require a home office space, which C
will enhance health and wellbeing while working from home.
It is proposed to build a single-storey office space, not greater
than 18.0 m2 in area.

The following op ons are being considered

B
i. building a single-storey extension onto the rear of
the house at B. A A

or

ii. building a detached, free-standing space in the

garden at C.

(a) Discuss in detail two advantages and two disadvantages

of each op on listed at (i) and (ii) above.

(b) Select one of the above op ons and, using notes and
freehand sketches, show a proposed external design
and internal layout for the office space. Show in your
design how the proposed space will enhance the health and wellbeing of the owner
while working from home.

(c) Discuss two advantages and two disadvantages of working from a home office.

4. The sketch shows a row of terraced townhouses built more than 100 years ago. A young
couple have purchased one of the houses and have decided to refurbish it as their family
home.

(a) Discuss the importance of the following

in the eco-refurbishment of an old house
built in the vernacular tradi on:
• respect for local character
• breathable structure
• reuse of materials.

(b) The owners commissioned a survey of

the house which revealed the following:

• tradi onal cut roof with natural slates

• so wood sliding sash windows with single-glazing
• solid external walls of brick construc on, uninsulated and with internal lime
render.

Select any two of the above areas and, using notes and freehand sketches, describe in detail
the steps involved in upgrading each area selected in a manner that respects the appearance
and character of the original townhouses.

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5. The external wall of a house built in the 1990s is of 100 mm concrete block construc on with
a 100 mm par ally filled cavity, as shown.

(a) Calculate the U-value of the wall, given the construc on has the following sequence
and data:

External render thickness 18 mm

Concrete block outer leaf thickness 100 mm
Clear cavity width 45 mm
Polystyrene insula on thickness 55 mm
Concrete block inner leaf thickness 100 mm
Internal plaster thickness 14 mm

Thermal data of the external wall:

Resistance of external surface (R) 0.048 m2 °C/W

Resis vity of external render (r) 2.170 m °C/W
Conduc vity of concrete external blockwork (k) 1.440 W/m °C
Resistance of clear cavity (R) 0.170 m2 °C/W
Conduc vity of insula on (k) 0.037 W/m °C
Conduc vity of concrete internal blockwork (k) 1.440 W/m °C
Resis vity of internal plaster (r) 6.250 m °C/W
Resistance of internal surface (R) 0.122 m2 °C/W

(b) Using the U-value of the wall obtained at 5(a) above and the following data, calculate
the cost of heat lost annually through this wall:

• area of external wall 128 m2

• average internal temperature 22 °C
• average external temperature 9 °C
• hea ng period 8 hours daily for 35 weeks per annum
• cost of oil 154 cent per litre
• calorific value of oil 37350 kJ per litre
• 1000 Wa s 1 kJ per second.

(c) Using notes and a freehand sketch, show best prac ce design detailing that will
prevent the forma on of a thermal bridge at the junc on of the concrete floor and an
external concrete block wall with a full-fill insulated cavity.

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6. The eleva on and ground floor plan of a
house are shown with internal dimensions
of 10.0 m × 4.0 m. The house has two
bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. The
house is of mber frame construc on
throughout, with an external rainscreen
of na ve larch. Central hea ng is provided
using a renewable heat source. The house
is designed to have low environmental
impact.

(a) With reference to the design shown,

discuss, using notes and freehand
sketches, three features of the design
that contribute to the house having a
low environmental impact.

(b) Opera onal energy use is an

important considera on in designing
for low environmental impact. Using
notes and freehand sketches, discuss
two features that could be added to
the house that would further reduce
its energy use.

(c) Discuss one advantage and one

disadvantage of self-build as a
method of building a house.

7. The top por on of an open riser mber stairs is shown

in the accompanying sketch. The first-floor landing
has a suspended mber floor with 25 mm hardwood
flooring on 225 mm × 40 mm mber joists and a
plasterboard ceiling beneath. The newel post is 100
mm × 100 mm.

(a) To a scale of 1:5, draw a ver cal sec on through

the top three steps of the stairs and landing.
Show the newel post, balusters and handrail of
the stairs.

Indicate on the drawing the:

• handrail height to stairs
• handrail height to landing
• spacing between balusters.

(b) Using notes and freehand sketches, show two safety features in the design of an open
tread stairs to ensure that the stairs are safe for all users.

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8. Houses built in rural loca ons have the added expense of tes ng and installing a suitable
sewage treatment unit.
(a) Discuss three considera ons to ensure the proper treatment and disposal of sewage
when selec ng a site for a house in a rural loca on.

(b) The main bathroom located on the first

floor of a dwelling house is shown. Using
notes and a freehand sketch, show the
above-ground pipework necessary for
the safe removal of waste from the
following fi ngs:

• shower
• wash basin
• water closet (W.C.)
• kitchen sink on ground floor.

Include on your sketch typical sizes of the soil and vent pipe (svp) and of the waste pipe
from each fi ng.

(c) Outline two considera ons to minimise blockages occurring in a drainage system.

9. (a) Discuss in detail three considera ons when designing the layout for sockets in the
electrical system of a domes c house.

(b) Using notes and freehand sketches,

show the design of a typical wiring
layout for a ring main circuit, to include:

• distribu on board
• four electrical sockets.

Indicate the typical sizes and colour

coding of the electrical cables.

(c) Using notes and sketches, show two

features that could be incorporated
into the design of a ligh ng system to
ensure the economical use of electricity
in the house.

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10. The sketch shows the proposed design of a Passive House which is to be constructed in a
rural se ng.

(a) Using notes and freehand sketches,

discuss the importance of any two
of the following in Passive House
design:

• space hea ng energy demand

• building form
• thermal bridging.

(b) Using notes and freehand

sketches, discuss the importance of
orienta on in the si ng of a Passive
House. Show the sun path in your
sketch.

(c) Discuss in detail two advantages and two disadvantages of Passive House construc on.

OR

10.
“Worldwide, buildings are responsible for over 40% of the total primary energy use and
related greenhouse emissions. Through standards and energy efficiency programs, several
countries have succeeded in improving the energy performance of new and exis ng
buildings. Designing and retrofi ng electrical power systems to be energy efficient
have been primary components in the effort to reduce energy consump on by the built
environment.”
Adapted from: Op mal Design and Retrofit of Energy Efficient Buildings, Communi es, and Urban Centers by
Moncef Krar . Published by: Bu erworth-Heinemann. ISBN: 978-0-12-849869-9

(a) Discuss the above statement in detail.

(b) Propose three best prac ce guidelines that would ensure all buildings are retrofi ed in
the most sustainable way possible.