VICTORIA UNIVERSITY
Batchelor of Engineering / Architectural Engineering.
VAA 3181 – Building Construction and Control 2
Subject Outline
Semester 1, 2015
Lecturer/ Tutor: Chris Walker
1. Subject Summary
VAA 3181 Building Construction and Control 2 aims to give students an understanding of the specialist forms of construction and complex statutory controls that are relevant to multi-unit residential development and high-rise commercial buildings.
The format for this subject each week will be:

1 x 2 hour lecture Tuesday 4pm – 6pm Room D747
1 x 2 hour tutorial Thursday 2pm – 4pm Room D718
Lectorials
The lectorials are intended to furnish the student with a developed knowledge of the design / construction process relevant to larger buildings, and a navigational understanding of the National Construction Code of Australia Volume 1.
The lectorials will comprise of: 'Situations' (brief accounts of building / structural failures), readings from or relevant to the National Building Code, lectures, Question and discussion.
The final assessment for the lectorial will be:
Lecture Question.
At the end of each lecture a question for discussion will be asked. This question does not have to be immediately answered but will be discussed in the lecture . The question may require some research to answer. Answers to questions are to be incorporated into the reflective lecture journal (1 x A3 page per lecture) to be included with the final portfolio submission.
Reflective Lecture Journal
The lecture journal is to be a record of what each individual student gained from the lecture and discussions. Responses to the Lecture Question are to be included. The format is 1 x A3 page per week, and a layout including images, illustrations, sketches and notations as opposed to slabs of text is encouraged.
Tutorials
The Tutorials are of a more practical nature. The task for tutorials will be the schematic design of a multi storey building incorporating retail, office and car parking facilities. Work is to be
documented, laid out and submitted at A3 format using Autocad only. Scaled drawings laid out in Adobe Creative Suite or Word or Publisher will not be accepted either here or in an office you might find yourself working in some time soon!
There will be an emphasis on developing drawing documentation skills (including notation, dimensioning, lightweights and linetypes) in the tutorials.
Tutorial Project Brief.
The thrust of this this project is compliance with the Building Code of Australia, now incorporated into the National Building Code of Australia. Assume all floors are open plan, clear of partitions (where not required by the NCC for fire retardation..) The building must be resolved structurally, and comply with sections B, C, D, E, F and J of the National Construction Code, and can otherwise be schematic. The Code is more important than the aesthetics. This is a functional exercise.
• The Building is to have a rise in storey of 5 (5 storeys above ground level).
• Car parking for 30 cars to be provided in accordance with relevant standards.
• Carparking is to be below ground level.
• Retail is to be at ground floor level.
• Office space is to be from level two to level five.
• Consider circulation – lifts, stairs, fire exits disabled access, fire resistance, Health and Amenity - sanitary facilities, ceiling heights, light and ventilation, sound insulation, Energy Efficiency – heating and cooling the building, passive solar, passive air movement, Services and Equipment – fire fighting, smoke management, Lifts, Emergency Lighting, Access and Egress – provision for escape, construction of exits, stairs , Structure etc. etc. and much more. All this can be found in the National Construction Code call no. 690.099 in the VU library.
'Building Construction Illustrated' (Francis D.K Ching) also dwells in the 690 section of the library, along with many other helpful texts. I recommend a visit.
Site.
The site is located in the car park across Ballarat road from Building D:

2. Marks.
All submitted work to be included in the portfolio. The marks breakdown is:
Lectorial Reflective Journal 10 marks
Lecture Question responses 10 marks (1 per response )
Portfolio submission 10 marks
Tutorial project 70 marks
3. Submission Dates
Portfolios are to be submitted no later than the 2nd June 2015.
4. Attendance
Attendance to both lectures and tutorials is required. A roll will be called at each lecture and at each tutorial, and absence without prior arrangement will be penalised with by the loss of one mark from the portfolio submission component of the marking. This can be crucial when the time comes!
Please contact me with any queries.
Good luck with it.
Chris Walker