Architect Registration Examination PDD Passing Score

Glycol-cooled air conditioning systems use a glycol-water mixture as a secondary coolant instead of plain water. Glycol has lower freezing point and better heat transfer properties in certain conditions.

Advantages include:

Longer piping runs without freezing risk, allowing the chiller or cooling unit to be located further away from the computer room, useful for flexible building layouts.

Glycol prevents freezing in cold climates or exposed pipes.

It does not inherently reduce heat exhausted or is necessarily more sustainable than water cooling.

Glycol is generally more expensive than water.

Therefore, the primary advantage is the ability to locate the cooling unit farther from the space being cooled.

The detail shows a metal connector fastening a vertical framing member (stud or post) to a horizontal member (likely a top plate or beam). This type of metal connector—often a hurricane tie or hold-down—is designed to anchor the vertical framing to the horizontal framing to prevent separation caused by uplift forces.

Key points:

Uplift occurs when wind loads or seismic activity try to pull the roof or upper framing away from the wall below.

The connector wraps over and around members, securing them together.

Commonly used in roof-to-wall connections to comply with wind resistance requirements in the IBC and ASCE 7.

This does not primarily resist sliding (shear) or racking (lateral deformation of a frame), nor is it designed mainly for twisting (torsion).

PDD ARE Objective Tie-in:

ARE 5.0 PDD Objective 3.2 – Evaluate and integrate structural systems with architectural elements, ensuring proper load path continuity for resisting vertical and lateral loads, including uplift forces.

In subsurface drainage system design:

The shape, size, and slope of drainage lines are selected primarily to achieve a desired flow velocity that prevents sedimentation and clogging but does not cause erosion.

Minimizing or maximizing flow is not the goal; the system must convey the design flow efficiently.

Velocity must be balanced — too low leads to sediment build-up; too high causes pipe damage.

(Interior climate of the space, Exterior climate of the building location, Thermal resistance properties of the materials, Orientation of the building, Compatibility of the materials with adjacent materials)

Comprehensive Detailed Explanation with all NCARB ARE 5.0 Project Development and Documentation (PDD) Study Guide References:

Selecting thermal insulation and moisture control assemblies requires a holistic approach considering multiple factors:

A. Interior climate of the space: Critical to determine required insulation levels and vapor barrier placement.

B. Exterior climate: Determines heating or cooling loads, moisture conditions, freeze-thaw cycles.

D. Thermal resistance properties: R-value of materials is fundamental in controlling heat flow.

E. Orientation of the building: Affects solar heat gain, exposure to wind-driven rain, and thus moisture control strategy.

F. Compatibility of materials: Important to avoid chemical or physical degradation, ensure proper adhesion, and maintain performance over time.

C. Type of HVAC system is important for overall building performance but not a primary factor in selecting insulation and moisture control assemblies themselves, which are more dependent on physical and climatic factors.

Supporting References:

NCARB ARE 5.0 Review Manual, Environmental Systems and Materials chapters

ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook (thermal insulation design)

Building Science Corporation’s guides on moisture control and thermal envelopes