ESP Construction

ESP Series

Patrizia Caruzzo

English for CONSTRUCTION

ESP Series

FLASH on

English for CONSTRUCTION

for CONSTRUCTION

Audio files in MP3 format are available online at www.elionline.com

FLASH on English

FLASH on English for CONSTRUCTION is specifically designed for students who are studying for a career in the construction industry. It introduces the vocabulary and the language functions specific to this language sector, and includes practice exercises in all four skills.

Patrizia Caruzzo Silvana Sardi

FLASH on

Silvana Sardi

Downloadable MP3 Audio Files

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BN

r fo l. h 8 .r. lis N 0I s ng TIO 97 EL E UC 6-2 on R 53 h ST 8as N -8 Fl CO 978

www.elionline.com

Patrizia Caruzzo

Silvana Sardi

FLASH on

English for CONSTRUCTION

ESP Series

Contents Unit

1

Topic

Vocabulary

Skills

Ecology

Ecology and its sub-disciplines Habitats The ecosystem Food chains

Reading: ecology and the ecosystem, habitats Listening: definition of ecology and explanation of its sub-disciplines Speaking: a short report about ecology

The Environment and Pollution

The human impact on the environment

Reading: the human impact; forms of pollution; the importance of biodiversity Listening: ‘Anthropocene – The Human Epoch’; air pollution; eco-building in the UK Speaking: the impact of humans on the environment; how to improve the biodiversity in your area Writing: a short essay about the sources of pollution in their own areas and the possible solutions

Bio-architecture

Eco-materials Eco- and sustainable design Eco-living

Reading: general definitions of bio-architecture, sustainable materials and design Listening: the sustainable technologies in green construction Speaking: making a list of the energy-saving methods used and comparing them with those of the others Writing: a short paragraph about the energy-saving methods you use at home

Traditional Building Materials

Stone Timber Brick Cement and concrete

Reading: stone, timber, brick, cement and concrete Listening: disadvantages of timber frame; cement and concrete Speaking: presenting the main features of traditional building materials Writing: advantages and disadvantages of traditional building materials

Modern Building Materials

Steel Glass and metals Plastics Nanomaterials Smart construction materials Sustainable and alternative materials

Reading: steel, glass, metals, plastics and synthetics, nanomaterials, sustainable materials Listening: the ecological advantages of plastic materials Speaking: explaining your opinion about modern building materials Writing: an essay on nanotechnology

Measuring and Design Instruments

Mapping Surveying Sketch stage and working drawings CAD Rendering BIM

Reading: explanation of different types of maps; surveying; the different stages when designing a project; CAD; rendering; BIM Listening: CAD Speaking: a presentation on design

pp. 4-7

2 pp. 8-13

3 pp. 14-17

4 pp. 18-21

5 pp. 22-27

6 pp. 28-31

Unit

7

Topic

Vocabulary

Skills

Building Elements

Foundations Walls Floor Roofs Stairs Windows

Reading: building elements Listening: floors; staircases Speaking: explaining which kind of stairs you would choose for your home and why

On the Building Site

Construction machinery Safety signs

Reading: modern methods of construction and construction machinery; safety measures, materials and equipment

House Systems

Plumbing systems Electrical systems Heating systems Solar heating Ventilation and air conditioning Energy conservation Home automation

Reading: how the distribution of potable water and the removal of waterborne waste is carried out; what the electrical system includes, heating systems; solar heating; ventilation and air-conditioning; energy conservation; home automation Listening: the importance of ventilation; the ‘Internet of Things’ Speaking: a presentation on air conditioning; smart technologies

Urbanisation

Urban growth Types of settlements Green cities Town planning

Reading: an overview on urban growth and its consequences; types of settlements; European green cities; town planning and Master Plan Listening: the metropolitan area of London; town planning Speaking: advantages and disadvantages of large urban areas Writing: a short text on a metropolitan area

Public Works

Bridges Roads Schools Airports Gardens and parks Tunnels

Reading: public works Listening: schools; the Channel Tunnel Writing: a short essay about a public work

A Short History of Architecture

Prehistoric, Greek and Roman architecture Roman heritage in Britain The Middle Ages: the Gothic period Norman architecture in England Renaissance architecture in England Georgian architecture The Gothic Revival and Neoclassicism Modern and contemporary masters of architecture

Reading: Prehistoric, Greek and Roman architecture; Roman heritage in Britain; the Gothic period; Norman architecture in England; Renaissance architecture in England; St Paul’s Cathedral; Georgian architecture; modern and contemporary masters of architecture Speaking: talk about a modern or contemporary masterpiece of architecture Writing: a summary on a modern or contemporary masterpiece of architecture

Doors

pp. 32-35

8 9

pp. 36-37

pp. 38-43

10 pp. 44-49

11 pp. 50-53

12 pp. 54-63

audio files downloadable from www.elionline.com 1 MP3

1

Ecology

Ecology: a general overview 1 Read the questionnaire and tick (4) the best answers for you. Then read the text below and check.

1 Ecology is a science.

2 It deals with living organisms.

3 It also deals with the environment of living organisms.

4 Climate, solar insulation and geology influence the environment.

5 Ecology is also called ‘ecological science’.

6 Ecology makes use of other sciences.

Yes No Don’t know

You can say ‘yes’ to every question in the questionnaire above.

Ecology is the science that studies the number of living organisms in the environment and how they are distributed.

It also studies how the quantity and distribution of organisms are influenced and in turn influence their interactions with the environment.

The environment of an organism includes factors such as climate, solar insulation, geology and the other organisms that share its habitat.

Ecology is also called ‘ecological science’ and it is multi-disciplinary: this means that it draws on other branches of science, such as biology, geology, geography, meteorology, chemistry and physics.

2

Read the text again and choose the correct option.

1 Ecology studies...

A the quantity of organisms in the environment.

B how organisms are distributed.

C both of these.

3

2 Ecology is also called...

A meteorology.

B ecological science.

C physics.

3 Ecology makes use of...

A other sciences.

B the environment.

C solar insulation.

Put these words in the correct column. minerals atoms living organisms cells rocks lands history of the Earth chemical bonds rivers

Biology

Geography

Geology

Chemistry

______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ ______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

4

1 Habitat 4 Read the text and choose the correct option (A, B, C or D).

A habitat is the natural home or environment of an animal, plant or other organism.

When an animal chooses its habitat, this environment gives it the possibility to find food and also a partner so that its species can continue to reproduce. Instead, the natural habitat of a plant must have the right balance of light, air, water and soil so that the plant can grow healthily. Different plants need different habitats. Some cactus plants, for example, grow well in desert areas where they need a dry climate, lots of sunshine and sandy soil, while others grow better in cooler areas, with less sunlight and lots of rain. Therefore, the ideal habitat for an animal or plant must satisfy four important aspects: shelter, water, food and space. When speaking of shelter, we refer to what an animal uses to protect itself against predators and the weather. Therefore, a tree, for example, can be a suitable shelter for many animals, while others choose caves or underground tunnels.

Another crucial component to any habitat is water. The amount of water required depends on the type of organism, plant or animal. Dromedary camels, for example, can walk for long distances without needing a drink.

Food is another essential aspect of a suitable habitat and this component may be altered due to extreme weather conditions. If for example there is a drought, plants will die and the animals that live off these plants will face a food shortage, so their habitat will no longer be suitable even if other components like space and shelter have not changed. Obviously, the amount of space an organism needs to grow and increase depends on the type of species. An ant for instance, needs a much smaller space to survive and develop compared to a puma that needs a lot of land to be able to hunt and find a partner.

Plants need the right amount of space too. A tall tree, for example, would never grow well in a small garden with a limited amount of space. On the other hand, it grows strong in a large forest where it has a suitable amount of space.

However, sometimes the natural habitat chosen by an animal can be disturbed if the balance of these four components is altered. This can happen, for example, when humans start to build houses and factories, which reduce the space an animal needs to survive.

Source: www.nationalgeographic.org

5

1 What is the writer trying to do in the text?

A Explain how to grow cactus plants.

B Describe what different animals eat.

C Explain what components make up a habitat.

D Describe the best weather conditions for plants.

3

2 What does the reader learn about the habitat of plants?

A Soil and water are the most important components.

B Every plant needs a lot of sunlight.

C No plants can survive in arid areas.

D Different plants grow well in different temperatures.

4 Which of these sentences best describes the article?

A The different places where animals live.

B How plants survive in different environments.

C How plants grow.

D Animals and plants choose their habit according to their needs.

The ideal habitat of an animal...

A is made up of four components.

B does not take into account the presence of water.

C refers only to the amount of space it needs.

D gives more importance to shelter and food.

Read the texts on pages 4-5 and answer the following questions in pairs.

1 What 2 What 3 What 4 What

does the science of ecology study? interaction does it also study? factors are there in an environment? do we mean by ‘habitat’?

5 What are the most important aspects to be considered when choosing a habitat?

6 Why do animals need shelter?

5

1 Ecosystems 6 Read the text and complete the sentences with the words from the box. role land water gases changes surface rocks balance ecosystems sizes

Our planet Earth has four main spheres that change constantly: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the geosphere and the biosphere.

The atmosphere gives us the gases (nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide) necessary for all living things.

The hydrosphere provides moisture or water, for example in the form of rainwater, but it also refers to water present under the Earth’s surface.

The geosphere is any solid surface where plants and animals can grow, like rocks or mountains and it also includes heat under the surface of the Earth.

The biosphere refers to all life forms like humans, animals, plants, bacteria and other microscopic organisms present on land, in the air and in water. It also includes any organic matter that has not decomposed yet and it depends greatly on the other three spheres. Therefore, the biosphere is a global ecosystem – containing many different kinds of ecosystems – composed of living organisms and non-living factors from which they derive energy and nutrients.

Ecosystems are biological communities of all living things like plants, animals and organisms in a specific area that interact with each other and with the non-living forms present in their environment. They are the foundations of the biosphere and determine the health of all of our planet’s system. In an ecosystem, each organism has its own important role to play that influences the survival of other organisms. This perfectly balanced interaction between different organisms and their environment is very complex and represents the foundations of energy flow and the recycling of carbon and nitrogen. When something changes in the environment, like a rise in temperature or the introduction of a new organism, it can be disastrous for the ecosystem, as it upsets the natural balance of interaction and can lead to the destruction of the ecosystem.

Ecosystems can be all different sizes. We can even say that our planet Earth is one huge ecosystem. Ecosystems are usually divided into three main categories: micro, referring to small ecosystems like ponds, messo, referring to medium-sized ecosystems like a large lake, and biome, referring to a very large ecosystem or group of ecosystems with similar characteristics like an entire rain forest. Ecosystems are also divided into two main groups: aquatic ecosystems that depend on water and terrestrial ecosystems that exist on land.

1 All living things need __________________ that come from the atmosphere.

2 Water can be found under the Earth’s __________________.

3 __________________ or mountains are part of the geosphere.

4 The biosphere includes all life forms in the air, water and on __________________.

5 The interaction of living things with each other and their environment is the definition of _________________.

6 The __________________ of each organism in an ecosystem can affect how other organisms survive.

7 There is a very complex __________________ between the interaction of organisms and their environment.

8 An ecosystem can be destroyed by __________________ in its environment.

9 Micro, messo and biome refer to the __________________ of ecosystems.

10 __________________ is an essential element of aquatic ecosystems.

6

1 7

Read the text about food chains and match the two parts of the sentences.

A food chain shows how energy is transferred from one living organism to another, via food. The 'protagonists' in the food chain are primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers and decomposers. At the basic level there are plants (producers) that produce energy: photosynthesis, in fact, is the beginning of the food chain. Then we find higher-level organisms: herbivores (primary consumers) that eat the products of the photosynthesis process.

These animals are in turn eaten by carnivores (secondary consumers), thus transferring energy and organic compounds from one animal to another.

The final step is carried out by decomposers (microscopic bacteria) that return those elements (such as carbon and nitrogen) initially taken by plants, to the soil in their inorganic state, so that they are recycled through the ecosystem.

1 2 3 4 5

8

A food chain begins Carnivores are Herbivores are When they die, living organisms The chemicals released into the soil

1

a b c d e

release chemicals into the soil during decomposition. help green plants to grow. primary consumers. secondary and tertiary consumers. when plants and trees capture energy from the sun.

Listen to an interview with an ecologist and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

1 A puddle is too small to be considered an ecosystem.

2 Aquatic ecosystems have different characteristics according to their position.

3 Stillwater ecosystems have more oxygen than flowing freshwater ones.

4 A lagoon will have less biodiversity than a river with flowing water.

5 Species like seaweed and crabs prefer shallow water to deep water.

6 Species that can be found in coral reefs use it only to find food.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

9 What have you learnt about ecology? Prepare a short oral presentation (3-5 minutes) following these guidelines.

• What is ecology and what does it study?

• What is a habitat?

• What are ecosystems and how many types of ecosystems do you know?

MY GLOSSARY to affect /tu… ´"fekt\ ______________________________ drought /draUt/ _________________________________ Earth /‰…T\ _____________________________________ environment /In"vaI´r´nm´nt\ _____________________ food chain /fu…d tSeIn\ ___________________________ to make up /tu… meIk øp\ ________________________

rise /"raIz´/ ____________________________________ to share /t´ Se´r\ ________________________________ shelter /"Selt´“r‘)/ ________________________________ soil /sOIl\ ______________________________________ species /"spi…Si…z\ ________________________________ survival /s´"vaIvl/ _______________________________

7

2

The Environment and Pollution

The human impact

Humans are part of the ecosystem and since their appearance on Earth, they have always influenced the environment and caused changes to it. Whenever humans settled in a country, they transformed the landscape, for example, by starting an economy based on agriculture. However, only in recent history, especially after the Industrial Revolution, have these changes had such an effect on our environment that we speak of human impact as a problem for the future of our planet and we are only now beginning to realise how important the quality of water and land is for our existence.

Water is the first vital element: humans, plants or animals cannot live without water. It represents the largest part of the globe, where it is present as oceans, lakes, rivers, glaciers, but also in the form of vapour and gases. A large part of the water we use is groundwater, which is water situated under the surface. The quantity and distribution of groundwater varies, depending on the quantity and frequency of rainfall. It is also present in each living being. We depend on water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, to produce power, for agriculture and other economic activities.

Construction has a big influence on the quality of water, as water is used every day in houses and public places.

Land is also another vital element for our existence. Indeed, we need land to create energy, to grow fruit and vegetables and to bury waste. We also need it for mineral resources, for building houses, factories, schools and hospitals, for transportation, for free-time activities and much more. Land is also a vital habitat for plants and animals.

However, many human activities, such as industry, agriculture, transportation and construction cause pollution that harms the quality of land and water. Contaminated soil also affects the quality of groundwater and can even damage air quality. All these factors have drastic effects on the health of people, plants and animals, as well as altering our ecosystems and consequently increasing global warming.

During the last three centuries, crucial changes have occurred in our lives: industrialisation and consequent urbanisation have caused the birth of large cities; more recently, even smaller urban areas are experiencing intense growth due to the spread of industries.

Architecture can solve these problems creating environmentally-friendly buildings but it is essential to consider that some areas are more at risk of disasters such as earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions or landslides. In many cases, these are natural unpredictable phenomena, but sometimes they are triggered or amplified by the increase of buildings, which modify the aspect of the territory.

In order to prevent disasters, hazard maps* are constantly updated, and restrictive building regulations are adopted for construction or reconstruction in seismic or other vulnerable areas; in case of severe risk, laws may forbid any type of construction.

8

2 1

Read the text on page 8 and answer the following questions.

1 Why are people more worried about human impact on the environment nowadays?

2 Why is water such an important element for humans?

3 How can land become contaminated?

4 How has the location of industries changed over time?

5 What do architects have to consider when creating eco-buildings?

6 What is done to minimise the effect of natural disasters?

2

Read the text again and complete the sentences with the words from the box. contaminated disasters transformed resources element growth

1 Throughout history, humans have always __________________ the environment to suit their needs.

2 Water is a vital __________________ for every form of life, from humans to animals and plants.

3 We need land for mineral __________________.

4 If soil is __________________, it can also affect the quality of the air we breathe.

5 Industries have resulted in the __________________ of smaller urban areas.

6 Earthquakes and landslides are examples of natural __________________.

3

Match these words from the text to their definitions.

1 landscape 2 groundwater 3 waste 4 urbanisation 5 floods 6 landslide

4

a b c d e f

material that is no longer wanted because its valuable part has already been used an area of land as you see it including natural elements and those created by humans when water covers land that is usually dry the movement of earth or rock down a slope when a place becomes more like a city water found under the Earth’s surface

2 Listen to a reporter talking about the documentary ‘Anthropocene: The Human Epoch’ and match the beginnings of the sentences (1-5) with the sentence endings (a-g). There are two sentence endings that you should not use.

1 ‘Anthropocene’ is about the effects that human impact has had 2 The ‘Antropocene era’ means that this effect has been caused by man 3 This documentary took 4 Filming took place 5 The documentary does not just have shocking images, but

a b c d e f g

three years to make. since 1945. also alarming statistics. and not nature. people travelling. on our planet. all over the world.

5 In small groups. Prepare a short oral presentation (3-5 minutes) to explain the impact of humans on the environment and what can be done to minimise this damage. Follow these guidelines: • explain the importance of land and water for all life forms including humans; • describe some consequences of human impact on the environment; • describe how architecture and building regulations can help the situation.

9

2 6

Read the text about the forms of pollution and decide which of these are represented in the pictures.

Pollution is the release of chemical, biological, physical or radioactive substances in the environment.

Among the main kinds of pollution are: Air pollution: due to the release of chemicals and particulates (solid particles forming dust) such as nitrogen oxides that create smog and hydrocarbons.

Other examples of air pollution are carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide.

Water pollution: caused by industrial waste, agricultural drainage and sewage.

Soil contamination: the most significant soil contaminants are heavy metals, hydrocarbons, herbicides and pesticides.

Radioactive contamination: caused by accidents in nuclear power stations and by the production and use of nuclear weapons.

Noise pollution: including roadway, aircraft and industrial noise and high-intensity sonars.

Light pollution: including light trespass and over-illumination.

Visual pollution: referring to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway billboards or open storage of junk and municipal solid waste.

7

Read the text again and fill in the chart.

Type of pollution

Examples

air pollution

carbon monoxide

water pollution

__________________________________________________________________

soil contamination

__________________________________________________________________

noise pollution

__________________________________________________________________

light pollution

__________________________________________________________________

visual pollution

__________________________________________________________________

radioactive contamination

__________________________________________________________________

8 Now answer the following questions.

1 What is the main source of air pollution in the world?

2 Are there any emission controls in the world?

9

3

3 What are other sources of pollution?

4 What are they called?

Listen to an expert talking about air pollution worldwide and complete the sentences.

1 Every year seven __________________ die due to high levels of pollutants in the air.

2 Stoves and fuels produce deadly __________________ that causes indoor air pollution.

3 Over 108 countries now send information to a __________________ regarding air quality.

4 The most dangerous pollutants for our health are sulfate, nitrates and __________________ carbon.

5 The air pollution levels in many big cities are __________________ times higher than recommended levels.

6 The problem of air pollution can be decreased by choosing sustainable transport, the production of __________________ energy and better waste management.

10

2 10 Referring to the listening text and the information displayed on the world map, discuss the following questions about air pollution with a partner.

• What are the unhealthiest places to live and what could be the causes of such high levels of pollution?

• What is the air quality like in Mexico City and what is being done to improve it?

• What areas in the world have the best air quality and how do you think this has been achieved?

Air pollution across the world in 2018

A report carried out in 2018, which measured the amount of air pollution in 3,000 cities around the world, concluded that although South Asian countries and China were the worst affected, air pollution was a global issue.

High levels of air pollution cause millions of premature deaths around the world every year and also have a negative impact on the economy. The ten countries with the highest level of air pollution were all Asian and Middle Eastern countries and every city in the Middle East that was taken into consideration for the report, had levels of air pollution that were well above the World Health Organization’s annual exposure guidelines for fine particulate matter. The map shows the level of pollution in each country according to the US Air Quality Index.

11 Write down a list of the sources of pollution that exist in the area where you live and write a short essay about the possible solutions to these problems.

In my area there is a lot of air and water pollution due to the chemicals the farmers use on their fields...

11

2 THE IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY A report by the Intergovernmental SciencePolicy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) states that up to one million species could become extinct because of human actions and the effects will be as devastating as climate change. This crisis includes the loss of insects necessary for pollinating and the destruction of strong plants that protect us from floods.

The loss of biodiversity is strongly connected to other environmental crises like human population growth, pollution or the presence of plastics in our oceans and it is equally important. The only way to find fast solutions is to deal with these problems altogether and not separately.

So how can we improve biodiversity? Well one idea is to take back land used for feeding animals, which then become meat on our plates, and help this land return to its original wild state. This will not only help biodiversity but will also reduce global warming because land that becomes wild or wet again will capture more carbon than land used for feeding animals.

The youth climate strikes are an excellent example of how the desire for change starting

from one person has grown and spread to others, becoming stronger every day. Recently another non-violent protest group called Extinction Rebellion has had a positive impact on environmental debates in the House of Commons in the UK. All these peaceful efforts are essential to trigger change and make these changes happen faster.

But changing is difficult. Take for example livestock farmers, whose activities cause many environmental problems. Instead of diversifying their business and taking advantage of the vegan market that is growing so quickly, they fight these new social trends. Like all of us, farmers need help to change; for example, governments could offer them low-interest loans to help them diversify their business.

All of us, living in suburbs and cities, have to convince governments to make new laws immediately to improve urban biodiversity and air quality, like making it obligatory to have ponds in industrial areas and bird boxes on new housing developments.

As you can see there are lots of ideas out there to solve problems both worldwide and locally, but the main problem is taking action to make these ideas work as quickly as possible.

12 Read the text and choose the correct option (A, B or C).

12

1 The IPBES reports that...

A climate change has worse effects than the extinction of species.

B this crisis includes both plants and insects.

C plants do nothing to protect us from floods.

4 The youth climate strikes...

A show us how one person’s wish for change can influence others.

B concentrate their campaign on biodiversity.

C are organised by violent protest groups.

2 The loss of biodiversity...

A is not connected to other environmental problems.

B is not as important as other environmental problems.

C will be solved quicker if other environmental problems are considered as well.

3 Land that is returned to its natural wild state...

A will increase global warming.

B will help biodiversity.

C will damage biodiversity even more.

5 Livestock farmers...

A do not damage the environment with their work.

B follow new social trends.

C are not receiving financial help from governments to help them change.

6 The writer concludes by saying...

A people living in suburbs and cities do not need to change.

B governments have already helped improve biodiversity.

C putting ponds in industrial areas would help increase biodiversity.

2 13

4 Listen to an expert talking to The Guardian about tree planting to fight global warming.

While listening, answer the questions using a maximum of 4 words.

1 What kind of scheme has the English government decided to launch? __________________________ 2 What is this scheme fighting against? __________________________ 3 How long do they hope to take to plant 130,000 trees? __________________________ 4 Who will manage the project? __________________________ 5 What do trees store? __________________________ 6 What do trees keep us in contact with? __________________________ 7 What will the grant for planting a tree be organised as? __________________________ 8 What will people be able to consult to see if they can take part in the project? __________________________

14 Talk to a partner about ways of improving the biodiversity in your city or town and how it could be made a greener and more pleasant place to live. Talk about: • making existing green areas more pleasant; • transforming existing concrete areas into places that will encourage biodiversity; • ... (your own idea).

15

5 Listen to a reporter talking about eco-building in the UK. First you will have one minute to study the task below, then you will hear the recording twice. While listening, match the beginnings of the sentences (1-5) with the sentence endings (A-H). There are two sentence endings that you should not use. The first one (0) has been done for you.

0

Most countries are going to build according to...

1

37% of UK developers are now choosing...

2

Less energy is used by adopting...

3

Bloomberg HQ uses...

4

The most innovative energy-saving feature at Bloomberg HQ are...

5

Unusable food waste at Waitrose is converted into...

A

both traditional and innovative sustainability solutions.

B

reusable energy.

C

C high environmental standards. ✔ D

the vacuum-drainage toilets.

E

green design techniques and advanced technology.

F

cold air.

G

the ceiling panels.

H

green buildings.

MY GLOSSARY billboard \"bIlbO…d\ _______________________________ to bury /t´ "beri\ ________________________________ to damage \t´ "dœmIdZ\ ___________________________ drainage \"dreInIdZ\ ______________________________ dust \døst\ _____________________________________ feed /"fi…d\ _____________________________________ groundwater \graUnd"wO…t´r\ ______________________ to grow \t´ gr´U\ ________________________________ to harm \t´ hA…m\ _______________________________ health \helT\ ___________________________________ to increase /tu… In"kri…s\ ___________________________ junk /dZøNk\ ___________________________________

livestock /"laIvstÅk/ _____________________________ loan /l´Un/ ____________________________________ overhead /"´Uv´hed\ _____________________________ particulate \p´"tIkjul´t\ ___________________________ pollutant \p´"lu…t´nt\ _____________________________ pond /pÅnd/ __________________________________ release \rI"li…s\ __________________________________ sewage \"su…IdZ\ _________________________________ to store \t´ stO…(r)\ _______________________________ trespass \"tresp´s\ _______________________________ waste \weIst\ ___________________________________

13

3

Bio-architecture

Bio-architecture: general definitions 1 Try to explain what bio-architecture is, starting from the meaning of its prefix ‘bio-’. Then read the text and check your answers.

The aim of architecture has always been to create ‘healthy’ buildings with hardly any ecological impact, but many materials used for construction have not followed this objective since the Industrial Revolution and consequent mass production.

Energy consumption and the limited amount of non-renewable resources have recently had an impact on architecture.

The aim of sustainable architecture is to create harmony between buildings and nature. This is done by taking into consideration four basic elements of nature: earth, water, fire and air.

Earth: earthing, also known as grounding, deals with balancing the electrical fields around us. Nowadays there is a lot of electromagnetic pollution from electronic devices. By using grounding mats and other simple, effective technologies, these electrical imbalances can be limited.

Water: bio-architecture aims to maintain the natural purity of water and its healthy properties as much as possible.

Fire: this represents light. Bio-architects aim to design buildings that take advantage of natural light sources as much as possible.

Air: the air in a room should be frequently renewed, therefore, bio-architecture uses passive systems of ventilation where the design of a building takes advantage of natural air flow.

Consequently, here are the principles on which bio-architecture is based: orientation (shading, natural illumination); ventilation, cooling and dehumidification – passive ventilation systems (such as ventilated wooden roofs); thermal insulation; protection and recovery of rainwater; elimination of heat loss; solar energy collection (for example through bioclimatic greenhouses that collect and spread its heat).

2

Use the information in the text to complete the sentences below.

1 Bio-architecture aims at reducing __________________ impact to a minimum.

2 Sustainable architecture creates __________________ between buildings and nature.

3 Electronic devices cause __________________ pollution.

4 Natural __________________ sources are an important feature of bio-architecture.

5 Bio-architecture takes advantage of natural air __________________ to ventilate buildings.

6 Bioclimatic __________________ are an example of solar energy collection.

14

3 Eco-materials 3 Read the text about eco-materials. Name two examples of them. What characteristics should

eco-materials have?

The materials used in bio-architecture should be chosen paying attention to the damage (production of toxic gases, water and soil pollution) that they may cause to the environmental ecosystem.

Eco-materials should: • be biodegradable and recyclable; • not be dangerous for our health; • contribute to a more sustainable environmental future.

Examples of materials that can be used in bio-architecture are timber, brick, stone, cork and natural paints and varnishes. It is easy to choose eco-friendly materials thanks to certifications.

Eco-design 4 Read the text and choose the best title for each paragraph.

A New choices in materials and energy B Recent trends in building C Eco-design: a new attitude 1 _________________________________ The objective of new building is increasingly becoming that of searching for environmentally-friendly solutions by finding different sources of energy production and paying more attention to the materials used.

2 _________________________________ Thanks to eco-design, the attitude towards the design of a product takes into consideration the environmental impact of it during its life cycle (which includes its manufacturing, use and disposal). According to ecodesign, not only should the material used to create a product be taken into account, but also the waste, the energy and the final emissions created and their environmental impact.

3 _________________________________ The principles of eco-design used in building design and construction range from the choice of materials to the type of energy system the building will use and the disposal of the materials at the end of their useful life. For example, local materials are less expensive, their transport cost is lower and consequently CO2 emissions are also limited. Recyclable and recycled materials can be used provided they do not create any further waste during their production or at the end of their lifetime. Renewable and unlimited sources of energy or passive energy systems are always considered (such as green roofs to insulate a building or positioning a building in order to use the sun’s rays as a heating method).

5

Read the text again and answer the questions.

1 What are the objectives of new building?

2 What are the stages of a product life-cycle?

3 What are the advantages of local materials?

4 Which are the types of energy considered?

15

3 Sustainable design 6 Match these words with their pictures. solar water heating

A

7

low-flow tap aerator

B

insulation

C

double glazing

D

Read the text and answer the questions below.

The main goals in designing an environmentally-friendly building are: Reduction of energy consumption: one of the strategies used by designers to decrease the use of energy is good insulation in walls, floors and ceiling and energy efficient windows with double glazing. Another approach is to orient walls and windows so as to make the most of the use of natural light (so decreasing the use of electric lighting when daylight is available) and place trees and sun shelters in effective positions to provide shade in the summer. Another way to decrease energy costs is through the use of solar water heating, so the environmental impact of the building can be further reduced.

Reduction of water consumption and protection of water quality: this can be attained through facilities that improve the collection, purification and reuse of water.

Low-flow taps and ultra-low flush toilets can also be used to reduce waste water.

Improving air quality and ventilation systems: indoor air quality can be improved during the design and construction processes by choosing construction materials and interior finish products with zero or low VOC emissions. The control of moisture accumulation, thanks to a well-insulated envelope and adequate ventilation is also very important for the health of those living in a building. The choice of flooring is important too. Wood is hypo-allergenic and, by using smooth surfaces, the creation of unhealthy particles can be avoided.

1 Can you name an efficient way to reduce the use of energy?

2 How can designers make the most of natural light?

3 How can the environmental impact of a building be further reduced?

4 How can the reduction of water consumption be attained?

5 How can the indoor air quality be improved?

6 Why is the control of moisture accumulation important?

16

3 Eco-living 8 Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

There are a lot of very simple ways to save energy.

Employ just a few of the following suggestions and you can cut your annual energy bills considerably.

When you substitute your old domestic devices, choose the most energy-efficient models (AAA labelled ones are very energy efficient).

Turn off domestic electrical appliances (instead of using the stand-by mode).

Use fluorescent light bulbs: they may be more expensive, but they use only ¼ the energy of an ordinary incandescent bulb and last 8-12 times longer.

ake sure your dishwasher M is full before using it.

Turn down your water heater thermostat.

You can even generate your own energy and heat by using wind turbines, solar electricity panels, solar water heating and wood fuel or biomass boilers. If there is a river nearby, you can even create hydroelectricity. These are all renewable sources of energy, so they have a much lower impact on the environment and can help you save money.

1 High energy saving home appliances have AAA labels.

2 Your bills will be lower if you turn off home electronics and use fluorescent light bulbs.

3 In the future we will be able to generate our own energy.

4 Recent technology does not yet allow us to create hydroelectricity if there is a river nearby.

____ ____ ____ ____

9

6 Listen and complete the text about top sustainable technologies in green construction with the missing words.

The aim of green technology in construction is to make buildings more energy-efficient and sustainable.

This objective involves all aspects of the project (1) ____________ from the structure to choice of site, design, construction materials and the systems used to run and maintain the building. Here are some of the most popular sustainable technologies used in green construction nowadays.

First of all, sustainable resource sourcing is fundamental. This guarantees the use of construction materials that are (2) ____________ and can be recycled, and that are obtained from sustainable sources. Rammed earth brick, for example, is an ancient building technique that has recently become popular again.

Biodegradable materials are used for foundations, walls and insulation.

Sustainable construction technologies also aim to create buildings and houses with low-energy or zero-energy consumption. This starts with the choice of building materials like (3) ____________ rather than steel or concrete. It also involves the design of the building, like the positioning of windows and the building itself to maximise airflow and solar energy that provides heating and electricity. Zero-energy construction is achieved when the building is able to generate sufficient power to support its own energy needs. In most cases, (4) ____________ power technology is used to reach this goal. Water efficiency technologies include the reuse and application of efficient water supply systems like dual (5) ____________, grey water re-use and the collection of (6) ____________.

10 Work in small groups. Make a list of the energy-saving methods that you and your family use at home.

Then compare your habits with those of the others.

MY GLOSSARY approach /´"pr´UtS\ ______________________________ biodegradable /ÆbaI´UdI"greIdIbl\ ___________________ bill /bIl\ _______________________________________ boiler /bOIl´“r‘\ _________________________________ certification /s‰…tIfIkeISn\ _________________________ consumption /k´n"sømpSn\ ________________________ cork /kO…k\ _____________________________________ earthing system /‰…TIN "sIst´m/ ____________________

emission /I"mISn\ ________________________________ envelope /"env´l´Up\ _____________________________ heating /"hi…tIN\ _________________________________ low-flow tap /l´U fl´U tœp\ _______________________ shade /SeId\ ____________________________________ to attain /tu… ´"teIn\ ______________________________ varnish /"vA…nIS\ _________________________________ waste /weIst\ ___________________________________

17

4 1

Traditional Building Materials

Look at these materials and match the names with the photographs. stones cement timber bricks

1 ___________________

2 ___________________

3 ___________________

4 ___________________

Building materials can be divided into two main groups: natural and man-made. Stone and timber are natural materials, used by man since ancient times. Man-made materials include bricks, cement, concrete, steel, glass, metal and more modern materials including plastics, synthetics and nanomaterials.

Stone 2 Read the text and then match the two parts of the sentences.

Stone walls are one of the oldest construction methods known to mankind. The first stone walls were made laying up stones without any mortar. With this method stones are held together by gravity. These walls are usually larger at the base. In Ireland and north-eastern UK counties this kind of wall was made by farmers to create fences. It was quite a long and labour-intensive method, but with no costs. When cement appeared, the first mortared stone walls were created, where cement paste fills the gaps between the stones. The first cements were made using burnt gypsum or lime, mixed with water.

Concrete includes Portland cement mixed with sand, gravel and water, which makes it resistant to cracking. To make it even more resistant, steel reinforcing bars can be added.

Most stone walls today are made using this method, because it is fast and cheap.

1 The first stone walls were made 2 When cement appeared 3 The first cements were created using 4 Concrete is Portland cement 5 Steel reinforcing bars can be added a b c d e

18

burnt gypsum or lime, mixed with water. to make concrete even more resistant. the first mortared stone walls were created. without any mortar. mixed with sand, gravel and water.

4 Timber 3 Read the text about timber framing and answer the questions below.

Timber framing and conventional wood framing are two different forms of construction. Timber framed structures use fewer, larger timbers with dimensions from 15 to 30 cm and mortice and tenon or wooden pegs as fastening methods, whereas conventional woodframed buildings have a greater number of timbers with dimensions from 5 to 25 cm, and nails or other mechanical fasteners are used to join the timbers.

Today timber structures are often surrounded in manufactured panels, such as Structural Insulating Panels (SIPs). They are made up of two rigid woodenbased composite materials with a foamed insulating material inside. This method is used because these structures are easier to build and they provide more efficient heat insulation.

Timber-framed construction offers a lot of advantages.

It is kind to the environment (when the wood used is taken from sustainable forests) and the frames can be put up quickly. Its design is elegant and simple, and also both practical and adaptable. It can give a house character, both inside and outside. Thanks to its strength, large open spaces can be created, something which is not so easy to obtain with other techniques. It is very versatile, so timber-framed houses can also be clad with stone or brick. This offers two more advantages: the house can blend in with the surrounding area (both urban and rural) and it is very energy-efficient. Timber is also cheaper than other materials.

1 2 3 4

Do timber-framed structures use larger or smaller timbers compared to conventional wood framing?

Which fastening methods do the two different methods use?

What structures have been recently used? How are they made up?

What are the advantages of this method?

4

7 Listen to an expert speaking about the disadvantages of timber frame and complete the table.

water

Water can be (1) _________________ into the material causing it to rot and mould.

fire

Wood is very (2) _________________.

bugs

Ants and termites eat wood (3) _________________.

environmental Producing boards and beams for timber frame construction requires (4) _________________ trees. impact sound

Wood is an excellent (5) _________________ of sound waves so any noise inside or outside is easily heard.

strength

Timber frames are quite strong up and down but not as strong as other materials (6) _________________.

19

4 Brick 5 Read the text and then write a list of the advantages and disadvantages offered by brick.

Masonry construction is a method that has been used for centuries around the world. It is usually used for walls of buildings, retaining walls and monuments.

The most frequent type of masonry is brick, but concrete block is also becoming more and more popular. Brick was one of the first building materials that man used and has been used since the times of the ancient Egyptians because it offers a great number of advantages. First of all, it has an affordable price and it is made of accessible raw material, which has long durability and good insulating properties. It is a strong material and is perfect for load-bearing systems where the loads are compressive. It is the size of a man’s hand and therefore simple to use.

The appearance of the final work depends on the ability and expertise of the bricklayer. Another advantage of using brick is that, like stone, it offers increased comfort in the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter. Being heat resistant, this material also offers good fire protection.

One of the disadvantages of using this material is that masonry must be built on a firm foundation to prevent settling and cracking, and in the presence of expansive soils the foundation may need to be elaborate. Moreover, this is a heavy material, consequently the structural requirements will have to be increased, especially if the area is subject to earthquakes.

Advantages

Disadvantages

affordable price, _______________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

Cement and concrete 8 Listen to the text and complete it with the words from the box.

6 blocks bricks concrete (x2) ingredient materials mixture walls

The most common type of cement is Portland cement, which is the basic (1) ____________ of concrete and mortar.

It is made of Portland cement clinker (calcium silicates, aluminium and other compounds) and other minor constituents.

Portland cement clinker is produced by heating a mixture of raw (2) ____________ up to 1450° C in a kiln.

There are three production stages: preparation of the raw mixture, production of the clinker, preparation of the (3) ____________.

Limestone is the main raw material for the production of clinker, followed by sand, shale, iron ore, bauxite, fly ash and slag. About 2% gypsum is also added and then the (4) ____________ is pulverised. The resulting powder will react when water is added.

Portland cement is commonly used to produce (5) ____________, which is made of gravel, sand, cement and water.

Blocks of cinder concrete, ordinary concrete and hollow tile are known as Concrete Masonry Units (CMU). They are larger than ordinary (6) ____________ and used for applications where appearance is not very important, such as in factory walls, garages and industrial buildings. One of the advantages of concrete (7) ____________ is that they can be reinforced, grouting the voids, inserting rebar or using grout, so that they are stronger than typical masonry (8) ____________.

20

4 7 Read the text in exercise 6 again and choose the best alternative.

1 Portland cement is the basic ingredient of concrete/aluminium.

2 The main raw material for the production of clinker is brick/limestone.

3 Portland cement is used to produce gravel/concrete.

4 Concrete Masonry Units are larger than ordinary bricks/stones.

5 Concrete blocks can be reinforced/industrial.

6 Reinforced concrete blocks are stronger than masonry industries/walls.

8

Match the words with their definitions.

1 masonry 2 brick 3 concrete 4 mortar 5 limestone

a b c d e

a mixture of cement, sand, small stones and water brick work white rock often used for making cement a mixture of sand, water and cement or lime a reddish-brown rectangular block used to build walls and houses

9 Create four groups. Each group chooses one material from this unit (stone, timber, brick, cement and concrete). Use your own words to describe it to the other groups.

10 Use the information from exercise 9 and the texts in this unit to complete the following table.

Stone

Timber

Brick

Cement and Concrete

Advantages

__________________ __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________ __________________

Disadvantages

__________________ __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________ __________________

MY GLOSSARY bricklayer /"brIkleI´r\ ____________________________ to blend in /t´ blend In\ __________________________ cinder concrete /"sInd´“r‘ "kÅNkri…t\ _________________ clad /klœd\ ____________________________________ compound /"kÅmpaUnd\ __________________________ concrete /"kÅNkri…t\ ______________________________ cracking /"krœkIN\ _______________________________ to fasten /t´ "fA…sn\ ______________________________ fence /fens\ ____________________________________ fly ash /flaI œS\ ________________________________ foamed /f´Umd\ ________________________________ frame /freIm\ __________________________________ gap /gœp\ _____________________________________ gravel /"grœv“´‘l\ ________________________________ grout /graUt\ ___________________________________ to grout /t´ graUt\ _______________________________ gypsum /"dZIps´m\ ______________________________ heat insulation /hi…t InsjU"leISn\ ____________________ hollow tile /"hÅl´U taIl\ ___________________________ iron ore /"aI´n O…“r‘\ _____________________________

to join /t´ dZOIn\ ________________________________ kiln /kIln\ _____________________________________ to lay /t´ leI\ ___________________________________ lime /laIm\ ____________________________________ limestone /laImst´Un\ ____________________________ masonry /"meIs´nri\ _____________________________ mortar /"mO…t´“r‘\ _______________________________ mortice /"mO…tIs\ ________________________________ mould /m´Uld\ _________________________________ nail /neIl\ _____________________________________ peg /peg\ _____________________________________ to put up /t´ pUt øp\ ____________________________ rebar /rI"bA…\ ___________________________________ settling /"setlIN\ _________________________________ shale /SeIl\ ____________________________________ slag /slœg\ ____________________________________ to surround /t´ s´"raUnd\ _________________________ tenon /"ten´n\ __________________________________ timber /"tImb´“r‘\ _______________________________ void /vOId\ ____________________________________

21

5

Modern Building Materials

Steel 1 Read the text and complete the sentences with words from the text.

Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon and is resistant to corrosion, rusting and general deterioration. It can be used both for exterior as well as internal infrastructure.

Compared to conventional concrete buildings, steel buildings offer a longer lifetime and they cause less harm to the environment thanks to the resistance and durability. Because steel buildings are usually prefabricated or made in sections and parts that are assembled on the construction site, they are cheaper than conventional buildings. The quantity of carbon contained in steel determines whether the alloy is hard or soft. Nowadays steel buildings are often appreciated for their design. In fact, the flexibility of this material allows different forms and shapes.

More than any other building material, steel has a high strength-to-weight ratio.

This means that it is easy and cheap to span large distances elegantly eliminating columns. Thanks to this, it is easier to subdivide and customise office and warehouse space.

1 Steel can be used both for the exterior and the interior ___________ of a building.

2 Steel is ___________ to corrosion, rusting and general deterioration.

3 Steel buildings have a longer ___________ compared to conventional concrete buildings.

4 Steel buildings are usually ___________ than ___________ buildings.

5 It is easy and cheap to span large ___________ elegantly.

6 By eliminating ___________, it is easier to subdivide and customise office and warehouse space.

2

Read the text again and match the words to their definitions.

1 rusting 2 flexibility 3 alloy 4 deterioration 5 lifetime 6 to customise

22

a b c d e f

a composite metal made by mixing other metals together the period of time for which a building is expected to last when a metal becomes reddish brown because of air and water to change the appearance or characteristics of something according to someone’s taste or needs becoming worse in quality or condition being bent easily without breaking

5 Glass and metals 3 Read the text and match each paragraph with a heading.

A Advantages and disadvantages of different kinds of metals B Transparent buildings: problems and possible solutions C An interesting experiment 1 _________________________________________ Glass is a fashionable material in contemporary architecture. Transparent buildings and structures are very popular in contemporary architecture.

Structural glass components such as columns and beams are often required, but this material seems structurally unsafe because of its brittleness. For this reason a new construction technique has been developed using: very long overlapping glass segments to create glass beams. These are made by bonding the segments adhesively; a small stainless steel profile that has been added to the layout of the glass beam to reinforce it.

2 _________________________________________ To prove that glass structures can be as safe as reinforced concrete, an experimental transparent pavilion has been designed (with dimensions 9 Ă— 9 Ă— 3.6 m3) that combines a number of innovative ideas.

Many different kinds of glass and glass systems have been used. The outermost and the triple-layered insulating glass units have been tempered and sometimes laminated and some glass has also been coated with solar control glass to reflect some of the unwanted sunshine outwards. In other cases glass that can be heated electrically and glass panes free of iron oxide have been used to make the inside light more natural.

3 _________________________________________ Painted, stainless, hot dip galvanised and weather resistant steel, as well as aluminium, have also been used for supporting structures. Aluminium has some advantages (it is light, resistant to corrosion and easy to work) but also some disadvantages (its thermal expansion and conductivity are high and it has low elastic modulus and fire resistance). Stainless steel also offers some advantages (it has good fire resistance and it is easy to keep) but its high price is a major disadvantage. Both hot dip galvanised and painted steel are not as expensive, but they are difficult to work on site and are not resistant to corrosion.

4 Read the text again and decide if these statements are true (T) or false (F).

1 Glass is very popular in contemporary architecture. ____ 2 There is no way to create a glass structure that is as safe as reinforced concrete. ____ 3 A transparent pavilion has been recently designed as an experiment that uses some innovative ideas. ____ 4 There is only one type of glass in this pavilion. ____ 5 Glass has also been used for supporting structures. ____ 6 Hot dip galvanised steel is not resistant to corrosion. ____

5

Match the words with their definitions.

1 outermost 2 stainless steel 3 galvanised 4 brittleness 5 pane

a b c d e

a metal made from steel that does not rust fragility external flat sheet of glass coated with zinc to protect it from rust

23

5 Plastics 6 Read the text and answer the following questions.

Plastics Plastic materials are very versatile and are used widely in the building industry. Depending on their properties, plastics can be divided in two groups: thermosoftening plastic – becomes soft when heated so it can be shaped when hot. As it cools, it gets hard again. This process of heating and cooling can be repeated for reshaping so it is easy to recycle. thermosetting plastic – can be shaped like thermosoftening plastic, but once hardened it cannot be reshaped, so it is a resistant material.

Plastic has both advantages and disadvantages and is used for many purposes in the construction industry, as you can see in the table below.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Uses

lightweight and easy to transport

direct sunlight can weaken strength

wall covering

water resistant

not suitable for load-bearing applications

roofing insulation

durable and strong (does not rot or corrode)

flammable unless treated

flooring

economical and recyclable

thermoplastics soften at moderate temperatures

windows and door frames in PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – two types available, rigid and non-rigid

versatile for different designs

not all plastics are biodegradable so can cause pollution

pipes in PVC to drain waste, for natural gas distribution, rainwater, electrical and communications wiring

plastic foams provide good insulation

flammable, releases poisonous gas thermal insulation, panels for after combustion buildings

1 What is the difference between thermosoftening and thermosetting plastic?

2 Why is plastic suitable for window and door frames?

3 What does PVC stand for?

4 What types of PVC are available on the market?

5 What are PVC pipes suitable for?

7 9 Listen to a journalist interviewing Mr Luke Evans of Newlight Technology, a Californian company, which makes plastic. Then decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

1 Newlight Technology has found a way to make low-cost plastic.

2 They have found a way to make plastic out of fossil fuels such as oil.

3 The company has been selling their new product for 11 years.

4 They are the first who figured out how to produce plastic from greenhouse gases.

5 The process consists of taking carbon emissions and transforming them into ‘air carbon’.

6 Their plastics are used to make chairs, cell phone cases, soap dishes and plastic bags.

7 They are optimistic about the future of their business because their products are in high demand from companies and governments all around the world.

24

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

5 Nanomaterials 8 Read the texts and complete the sentences below.

Nanotechnology, or ‘Nanotech’, is the study and manipulation of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. At the nanometre scale (approximately 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair), the chemical and physical properties of materials can be altered to produce improved traditional building materials. However, it is important to consider health and environmental issues associated with these new materials as there is the danger that mass production of nanomaterials could produce new toxins and pollutants. Here below some advantages and uses are described.

Insulation: aerogel is an excellent new insulating nanomaterial full of air; heat loss can also be reduced drastically by using aerogel between windowpanes.

Longer lasting concrete: carbon nanotubes can be used to fill the spaces that normally form in concrete and cause cracks.

Paints: adding nanoparticles of silver to paints reduces the formation of mould and bacteria.

Nanophotonic material: this cools a building by radiating heat back into space as infrared radiation.

Smart construction materials These materials have a unique active property that allows them to respond to changes in their condition or the environment that surrounds them. These changes in smart materials can occur due to alterations in mechanical strain, electrical or magnetic fields, temperature, moisture, pH and light. They can therefore be used in many effective ways in the construction industry, as described below.

Smart concrete: composed of carbon fibres and concrete, it can detect minute cracks in the structure and is stronger than traditional concrete. It is also used to make roads and runways at airports.

Smart buildings: smart materials are used to control vibration, to keep out noise and make the building safer and more energy efficient.

Seismic zones: smart materials reduce the effects of earthquakes so they are ideal for seismic zones.

Identification of problems: fiber-optic sensors monitor the condition of the structure.

1 Better building materials are obtained by changing the properties of materials through _______________.

2 Wide scale manufacture of nanomaterials might result in new forms of _______________.

3 The high quantity of _______________ in aerogel makes it and excellent form of insulation.

4 The _______________ of concrete is improved with the addition of carbon nanotubes.

5 Smart materials are responsive materials that _______________ to external stimulations.

6 Buildings constructed with smart materials consume less _______________ and have a quieter internal environment.

9 Match the verbs that mean the same.

1 to change

2 to monitor

3 to prevent

4 to radiate

5 to occur

6 to detect

a to stop

b

c

d

e

f

to identify

to control

to happen

to alter

to transmit

10 Search on the Internet for a building constructed using nanotechnology and smart materials then prepare a short essay about it for your class.

11 Work in pairs. What is your opinion of modern building materials? Which would you use if you could build your own house? Tell your partner about it using the information given in this unit.

25

5 Sustainable materials 12 Read the text and decide if the sentences below are true (T) or false (F).

The growth of global population and prosperity over the last few decades has resulted in a rise in different kinds of pollution that are harmful for both the environment and our health. For these reasons, eco-design aims to create buildings with locally sourced, natural, recyclable materials that have a low impact on the environment, and where people can live in a comfortable, healthy way.

This can be done by using sustainable building materials such as timber from sustainable managed forests that does not cause deforestation. Other eco-friendly materials include some typical traditional materials such as brick, stone, clay and cork; non-toxic, renewable and recyclable materials (natural paints, waxes and varnishes).

Waste materials can also be used as a resource for construction purposes.

Other guidelines that eco-design follows include: extraction and production of building materials locally to reduce pollution caused by transport; the building of elements in a specialised area rather than on site to reduce waste and noise and create elements of a higher quality that can also be recycled more effectively; care in the use of synthetic chemicals with rigorous testing to avoid any possible dangers to the environment or our health.

1 Unlike global population, prosperity has been growing very quickly over the last few decades.

2 The aim of eco-design is to create buildings that have a low impact on the environment.

3 Some typical traditional materials such as brick, stone, clay and cork are eco-friendly.

4 Pollution can be reduced if building materials are extracted and produced locally.

5 There are no possible health or environmental dangers connected to the use of synthetic chemicals in the construction industry.

13 Complete the sentences with the words from the box. economic locally ecological guideline traditional forests

1 In buildings with a low _______________ impact, people can live in a comfortable, healthy way.

2 Waste is produced in every _______________ activity.

3 Timber from sustainable managed _______________ does not cause deforestation.

4 Cork is an example of a _______________ eco-friendly material.

5 The use of sustainable building materials is not the only _______________ that eco-design follows.

6 Building materials should be extracted and produced _______________.

26

____ ____ ____ ____ ____

5 Alternative materials 14 Read the texts and answer the questions below.

Nowadays there is a variety of other alternative materials that can be used in sustainable building.

Straw, made from the waste product of wheat, rice, rye and oats, is made into bales of straw for the construction of walls, and it is also an excellent insulator.

In addition, straw bales are renewable, completely biodegradable cheap and easily available. However, there can be problems with rot due to the presence of moisture, so they are not suitable for construction in areas with extreme levels of humidity and rainfall. They are also expensive to transport and store because of their size, so they are only sustainable if sourced locally.

Bamboo is light, so easy to transport, but also a very strong, fire resistant, versatile material that can be shaped into many forms and is widely used to support concrete. There are no health dangers connected to using bamboo and thanks to its elasticity, it is ideal for constructions in seismic zones.

Reclaimed building materials Over the last few years, using reclaimed building materials and elements has become a growing trend. In this process, time must be taken to access the goods, adapt them to their new function, clean and restore them.

These can be divided into two main groups.

Elements that can be used again: bricks, roof tiles, joists, rainwater guttering and drainpipes, windows, doors and floors. These can all be recycled for other purposes.

Demolition waste: this can be recycled to use as fill or hardcore or for road-making. Reuse on site is the cheapest option as it eliminates all costs related to supply, transport, storage or disposal.

Reclaimed building materials also help the environment because demolition waste is not sent to landfill sites and the exploitation of quarries is slowed down.

1 What are the disadvantages of straw bales as a building material?

2 Why is bamboo ideal for construction in seismic zones?

3 What two main groups can reclaimed building materials be divided into?

4 Why is it cheaper to reuse demolition waste on site?

15 Complete the sentences with the words from the box. drainpipes bales hardcore bamboo

1 Straw _______________ are sustainable if sourced locally.

2 _______________ is used to support concrete.

3 _______________ are just one of many building materials that can be recycled for other uses in construction.

4 _______________ can be made from recycled demolition waste.

MY GLOSSARY alloy /"œlOI\ ____________________________________ beam /bi…m\ ____________________________________ brittleness /"brItlnes\ _____________________________ coated /k´UtId\ __________________________________ customise /"køst´maIz\ ___________________________ to drain waste /t´ dreIn weIst\ _____________________ durability /ÆdjU´r´"bIlIti\ ___________________________ hot dip galvanised /hÅt dIp "gœlv´naIzd\ _____________ iron /aI´n\ _____________________________________ layout /"leIaUt\ __________________________________ mechanical strain /m´ "kœnIkl streIn\ _______________ mould /m´Uld\ _________________________________

outermost /"aUt´m´Ust\ ___________________________ outwards /aUt"w´dz\ _____________________________ overlapping /´Uv´"lœpIN\ __________________________ pane /peIn\ ____________________________________ pipe /paIp\ _____________________________________ rust /røst\ ______________________________________ to span /t´ spœn\ _______________________________ stainless steel /ÆsteInl´s "sti…l\ _______________________ straw /strO…\ ____________________________________ strength-to-weight ratio /streNT t´ weIt "reIS´U\ ________ windowpane /"wInd´UpeIn\ ______________________

27

6

Measuring and Design Instruments

Mapping 1 Read the text and answer the questions below.

Mapping is the job of a mapmaker or cartographer, who puts a lot of information into a format that people can understand or learn from. There are different types of maps.

Physical maps show landforms, mountains, deserts and lakes. They explain differences in elevation through hypsometric tints or changes in colour.

Political maps offer cultural information about countries (such as their borders and main cities) and some physical characteristics (like oceans, rivers and lakes).

Thematic maps provide information on a specific topic, like population density, the weather or natural resources.

Cadastral maps are one of the oldest types of maps in history dating back to ancient Egypt.

They show individual properties with details.

Topographical maps show details of elevation with contour lines that help to map the landscape. Ordnance Survey maps are the most popular kind of topographical maps. They are very detailed with information for example about footpaths, boundaries and places of interest, so ideal if you need to plan a route or find your exact position.

General reference maps include names of cities and towns, major roadways and natural features like lakes and rivers.

Street and tourist maps are part of this group as well as the ‘You are Here’ maps you can find in most places.

Navigational charts are maps for travelling by sea or air and include important information to avoid accidents like submerged rocks under the water. A road map is also a type of navigational map that displays roads and transport links of an area.

Photogrammetry is a measurement technology that provides accurate 3D information about the location of a physical object in the environment through a series of photographic images taken from different heights. It is used in many fields such as mapping, engineering and architecture.

1 What do physical maps show and explain?

2 What kind of information do political maps offer?

3 What are cadastral maps?

4 Which is the most popular kind of topographical maps?

5 Are road maps a type of navigational maps? Why?

2 Match the words from the text with their definitions.

1 elevation 2 contour 3 ownership 4 boundary 5 intersection

28

a b c d e

a line that indicates the limits of an area, a dividing line height above sea level where two or more points or lines meet the shape or outline of an object the act, state or right of possessing something

6 Surveying 3 10 Read and complete the texts with the words from the boxes. Then listen and check. locating

measurements

surveyor

position

construction

measure

elaborated

accurate

Surveying is the scientific method of examining in detail a piece of land in order to gather information about its size, shape and (1) _____________. The word has its origin from late Middle English where it meant ‘to examine closely’. Surveying is therefore very important for (2) _____________ property boundaries, construction layout and map-making as it reveals three important features of a piece of land by measuring distance, angles and elevation.

EQUIPMENT Special equipment is necessary to (3) _____________ each of these three different aspects of the land. First of all, a surveyor’s level is able to identify points in the land which are of the same height. There are now automatic digital levels on the market that allow the surveyor to record these (4) _____________ in a quick, simple and accurate way both in the dark and during the day. For many years, surveyors used a focusing device called a theodolite to measure both vertical and horizontal angles. This device, an adjustable telescope mounted on a tripod, was particularly useful in the (5) _____________ of roads and tunnels.

Then in the 1970s, the original theodolite was replaced with the invention of the Total Station. This device is much more (6) _____________ than the traditional theodolite. The Total Station consists of an electronic or digital theodolite, a microprocessor and an electronic distance measuring (EDM) device, providing the (7) _____________ with precise measurements. The data recorded by the Total Station can then easily be transferred and (8) _____________ on a PC. There is also a Robotic Total Station version on the market that allows you to operate the device from a distance using a remote control.

New surveying instruments function

design

project

information

establishes

satellites

create

man-made

The GPS (Global Positioning System) Total Station provides (1) _____________ about location, elevation and time anywhere in the world, through signals received from (2) _____________ in space. Surveying instruments with GPS provide 3D data, are fast and accurate, and can (3) _____________ in any type of weather.

Laser scanners provide very accurate measurements in complicated environments so they are commonly used in industry. In architecture, they are useful for the interior (4) _____________ of buildings, as the scanners provide a 3D model of the space available in a room or building.

Surveying involves many activities with different aims, as described below.

Land surveying (5) _____________ the boundaries of a piece of land for legal and ownership purposes.

Topographic surveying uses aerial photogrammetry and/or ground surveys to (6) _____________ a map of the Earth’s surface that includes natural and (7) _____________ features of the site.

As-built surveying documents any changes made during construction or on completion of a (8) _____________ that do not respect the original design made at the planning stage.

1 The first stage when designing a project is sketch design.

2 The specifications necessary for obtaining building consent are drawn up during the working drawing phase.

3 Builders will never provide a price until they have these documents.

4 These documents help builders to work as accurately as possible.

5 Building consent to start work on building depends on the accuracy of these drawings.

6 AutoCAD is the latest form of software in this field.

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

29

6 Sketch stage and working drawings 4 Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

Designing a project involves a number of vital stages: sketch design, design development and working drawing. During the design development stage all kinds of helpful information are gathered. The working drawing stage is the most demanding, because every project is unique as far as design and assembly of the parts are concerned. At this stage all the architectural drawings, schedules and specifications required for building consent are prepared. In some cases 2D or more commonly 3D formats are used to describe the building. The builders will need working drawings, consisting of plans, sections, elevations, details, schedules, specifications and other consultants’ documents. During this stage all the architectural drawings are produced using the most recent computer design software.

1 The first stage when designing a project is sketch design.

2 The specifications necessary for obtaining building consent are drawn up during the working drawing phase.

3 Builders will never provide a price until they have these documents.

4 These documents help builders to work as accurately as possible.

5 Building consent to start work on building depends on the accuracy of these drawings.

6 AutoCAD is the latest form of software in this field.

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

CAD 5 Read the text and answer the questions below.

Today, students in universities do not learn drafting techniques, they learn Computer-Aided Design (CAD) instead. But what exactly is CAD and what is it used for? CAD is software which allows the use of computer technology for the development of design and design documentation. It is used to design curves and figures in two-dimensional space, or curves, surfaces and solids in 3D objects.

CAD has a great number of applications: automotive, shipbuilding and aerospace industries, industrial (in the design of tools and machinery and throughout the engineering process from conceptual design and layout of products) and architectural design (of all types of buildings), prosthetics and also computer animation for special effects in movies, advertising and technical manuals. Moreover, it is used for the creation of photo simulations.

The objects and features created are adjustable, and modern CAD can also allow rotations in 3D so that the designed object can be viewed from any angle. Nowadays CAD systems exist for all major platforms and no special hardware is required for most CAD software (except for some systems that do graphically and computationally-intensive tasks that require a modern graphics card). The human-machine interface is usually via a computer mouse or a pen and a digitising or graphics tablet. The advantages of CAD are lower product development costs and a much shorter design cycle.

1 What does CAD stand for?

2 What is it exactly? What is it used for?

3 Can you name a few CAD applications?

6

4 Is there any need for special hardware if you use CAD? 5 Can you explain what the ‘human-machine interface’ is?

6 What are the main advantages of this design program?

11 Listen to Tony Davies talking about CAD and fill in the missing words.

1 CAD is the designer use of computer __________________ for the design of objects.

2 It is generally used by product designers, engineers, architects and __________________ decorators.

3 CAD is mainly used for the detailed engineering of physical __________________.

4 It is also used for the whole of the engineering __________________, from theoretical design to the layout of products.

5 CAD allows the __________________ to be viewed from any angle and it can be quite helpful as texture and colours can be easily manipulated.

6 No special hardware is required for most CAD __________________.

30

6 Rendering 7 Read the texts and complete the sentences.

Rendering means computer-generated graphics. It is an engineered program, based on disciplines connected to optics, visual perception, mathematics and software development. It is a method used by architectural illustrators to create three-dimensional images or animations from a virtual model thanks to computer software. These images or animations show the characteristics of a planned architectural design.

Rendering software can be used to create life-like images for presentation, marketing and design analysis. It is used in architecture, video games, movie and TV visual effects, and also in real estate sales. There is a wide range of different kinds of renderers. They may be integrated into modelling and animation packages, stand-alone, or be free open-source projects. In the case of 3D graphics, pre-rendering is used for creating films, whereas real-time rendering is often used in producing 3D video games.

BIM BIM (Building Information Modelling) is a digital 3D model-based process that provides everyone in a construction team project with the necessary information to plan, design, construct and manage buildings more efficiently. BIM is a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a building and includes information about every component that goes into a project. BIM also offers many advantages. Having just one database, means that everyone involved in the project has easy access to the information that can be constantly updated. Database storage also eliminates the need for the manual production of other design documents like schedules, coloured diagrams, drawings and 3D models. Therefore BIM is fast and accurate and saves both time and money. BIM can be used to create not only 2D drawings and 3D models but also models that include other elements such as time and cost, and information about the functionality and design of the building.

Rendering is (1) ______________ used by architectural illustrators.

Architectural illustrators use it to create (2) ______________ or animations.

Rendering software is used for (3) ______________ and design analysis.

(4) ______________ is used for the production of 3D video games.

BIM stands for (5) ______________. BIM provides information necessary for the efficient design, (6) ______________ and (7) ______________ of buildings. This information is used and updated by (8) ______________ in the building project. There is no need to produce design documents by hand as all the information is stored in the one (9) ______________. Apart from 2D and 3D models, BIM can also create models with information about the (10) ______________ and design of the building.

8 What have you learnt about design? Prepare a short oral presentation (3-5 minutes) following these guidelines: • why mapping is important and what different types of maps are used; • the most important surveying instruments; • the main stages in designing a project;

• what CAD is used for; • what rendering means; • the advantages of using BIM.

MY GLOSSARY border /bO…d´“r‘\ ________________________________ building consent /"bIldIN k´n"sent\ __________________ consultant /k´n"sølt´nt\ ___________________________ contour /"kÅntU´\ ________________________________ demanding /dI"mA…ndIN\ __________________________ to engineer /tu… ÆendZI"nI´“r‘\ ______________________

hypsometric tint /Æhips´U"metrIk tInt\ ________________ open-source /"´Up´n "sO…s\ _________________________ prosthetics /prÅs"TetIks\ __________________________ real estate /"rI´l I"steIt\ ____________________________ schedule /"Sedju…l\ _______________________________ survey /"s‰…veI\ _________________________________

31

7

Building Elements

Foundations 1 Read the text and then answer the questions below.

The foundations, walls, floor, stairs and roof are some of the building elements that all types of building have in common.

Foundations are structures that transfer weights from walls and columns to the ground. There are two types of foundations: shallow foundations and deep foundations. Shallow foundations are usually embedded a metre into the soil, whereas deep foundations are embedded more in depth. They are recommended in case of very large design loads, a poor soil at shallow depth or site constraints, such as property lines. There are different types of deep foundations and they can be made of timber, steel and reinforced or pretensioned concrete.

Geotechnical engineers design foundations to ensure that they have an adequate load capacity with limited settlement. When designing foundations, it is also important to consider scour (when flowing water removes supporting soil from around a foundation) and frost heave (when water in the ground freezes and forms ice lenses).

1 What are foundations? How many types of foundations are there?

2 What are the main features of shallow foundations?

3 What are the main features of deep foundations?

4 What do geotechnical engineers design?

5 What must be considered?

6 What are scour and heave?

Walls 2 Read the text and decide if the sentences below are true (T) or false (F).

Building walls support the superstructures of building (roofs and ceilings), separate space and give protection against intrusion and the weather. They usually have about three separate components: structural elements, insulation, finish elements or surface.

Walls can be loadbearing or non loadbearing depending on their providing structural support to the building or not. Exterior loadbearing walls carry ceiling, roof or upper floor loads to the foundation. Some bearing walls are inside buildings: they support joists at mid span and transfer loads down to the foundation.

Usually conventional house walls have an inner wooden framework that may support part of the house, but does not support wall coverings, windows and doors. It contains electrical wiring, plumbing, insulation, and other utilities.

1 Walls can define and protect areas, support the superstructures of buildings and delineate a space.

2 There are two kinds of structural walls.

3 Exterior boundary walls give protection against intrusion and weather.

4 Loadbearing walls can only be exterior walls.

5 Conventional house walls usually contain electrical wiring or plumbing.

32

___ ___ ___ ___ ___

7 Floors 12 3

Listen and complete the text with the words from the box. electrical

wood

surface

covering

underfloor

strength

Floor structure contributes to the general (1) ___________________ of the building system. It is formed of a steel I-beam frame with a horizontal upper (2) ___________________ to which a number of adjacent composite floor panels is fastened firmly.

Floors consist of a subfloor for support and a floor (3) ___________________ used to give a good walking surface. In modern buildings the subfloor often has (4) ___________________ wiring, plumbing, and may provide other services built in, like (5) ___________________ heating.

There is a wide variety of floor covering materials: carpet, ceramic tiles, (6) ___________________ flooring, laminated wood or stone.

Roofs 4 Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

Roofs can be divided in cut roofs, where a carpenter measures, cuts and places every length of wood needed for the frame; and fixed roofs, made of pre-built and assembled trusses. Trusses are custom-designed by computer so as to adapt to the typical weather conditions of the house. As they generally rest only on outside walls, they leave the inside free to move walls and to accommodate different room sizes.

When the frame of the roof is ready, a waterproof membrane is placed over it and it is held in place by battens (long pieces of wood) that are nailed into the truss and are the supporting system for the tiles. Tiles are then nailed to the wood. The top of the roof is finished off with ridge tiles that cover both sides of the roof’s top row of tiles. Then the end of the wood at the bottom of the roof is covered by a fascia. The fascia allows air to flow safely through the membrane. To take away the water from the building, guttering is attached to the fascia. As heat can go straight out of the roof, insulation is also necessary.

When designing the roof structure it must be remembered that all the load on the roof has to be transferred to the supporting beams, bearing walls, building foundation and the earth.

1 2 3 4

5

Trusses are designed to adapt to the typical weather conditions of the house.

Battens are long pieces of wood supporting the tiles.

The top of the roof is finished off with a waterproof membrane.

Then the end of the wood at the bottom of the roof is covered by the guttering.

___ ___ ___ ___

Match the words from the text to their definitions.

1 2 3 4 5

frame waterproof to nail tile guttering

a b c d e

a hollow wooden or metal structure normally used for windows to fix or attach using a hammer and long, small pieces of metal impermeable channels on the lower edge of a roof flat kind of covering put together to cover walls or floors

33

7 Stairs 6 Read the text and say what the stairs in the picture are like.

Staircases are powerful design elements and an opportunity for creative expression. They can be spiral (twisting around a centre pole with steps radiating out of it), straight (they stretch from lower to upper level in one straight run), circular (sweeping in a broad curve from one level to another) or they can have other shapes.

They can be wide or narrow, steep or gradual, B return (dividing the run, reversing direction A 180 degrees at a landing) or ‘L’ stairs (making a 90 degree turn at a landing).

Their design is influenced by their function and their style varies according to how their parts are built and combined. Staircases are built according to rules that are important for safety, indicating the heights of risers, depth and width of treads and placement of handrails.

The first measurement to take when building a C D staircase is the distance between the two finished floors. This determines the height of the staircase. Its riser must not exceed 22 cm in residential buildings. The average width is 80 cm, and anyway it should not be less than 60 cm.

7 Work in pairs: use your own words to explain which kind of stairs you would choose for your home and why 8

13 Listen to an expert talking about staircases and complete the text.

We all probably frequently use staircases and don’t even notice this miracle of architecture that has been part of our daily lives for (1) ____________. Indeed, they have existed from about 6000 BC and there are many spectacular staircases all over the world both outside and indoors. If you go to the jungle in Ecuador, you can admire the Canyon Staircase that is situated near a famous waterfall called Paílón del Diablo (in English, Devil’s Cauldron) on the Pastaza River. This staircase made of (2) ____________ on the cliff lets you get really close to the force of the water as it tumbles down the cliff into a pool below and is a great tourist attraction.

Spiral staircases have been around for centuries too. They are always a special (3) ____________ of a building and are still used in modern architecture today. One example is the spiral staircase inside the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Australia. This amazing spiral staircase is the centrepiece of the building and was constructed in this way to save space. The design of this white, six-storey staircase has (4) ____________ and chrome railings that fit in perfectly with the modern décor of the building.

Nowadays, architects are experimenting more and more with staircase design, taking advantage of their (5) ____________ potential as they try to fight the trend of high-speed lifts. At the 2013 London Design Festival, one of the biggest attractions was 15 interlocking staircases designed by architects De Rijke Marsh Morgan (drMM). The (6) ____________ timber structure was erected in front of the Tate Modern art gallery. Although this surreal staircase actually led nowhere, it served as an excellent (7) ____________ platform overlooking the Tate Modern and the Thames.

The Canyon Staircase, Ecuador

34

The spiral staircase, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Australia

The Endless Stair, London

7 Windows 9 Read the text and underline the correct alternative.

The first windows date back to the 13th century BC, when they were simply an opening in the roof without glass. Then gradually these windows were (1) covered/discovered with animal hide, cloth or wood. The Romans were the first known to use glass. Over the years, techniques improved to produce thinner rectangular window panes. Most modern windows are made from industrial plate (2) glass/wood, but there are some also made with transparent plastic. Thermal and acoustic insulation are achieved by double-glazing.

Further steps in technology have led to the production of (3) dull/smart windows.

The light transmission (4) properties/qualities of the glass in these windows can let light in or block it.

Windows in general come in different styles. Here are just some of them.

Cross window: a rectangular window divided into (5) three/four by a vertical support and a horizontal support.

Sash window: made up of two parts (sashes) that overlap slightly. It is the traditional window used in the UK. Casement window: this has a hinged sash that swings in or out like a door.

Bay window: this type of window extends outwards from the main walls of a (6) builder/building.

Doors 10 Read the text and complete the sentences.

Doors are often an integral part of the identity of a building and each era is characterised by specific types of doors. Here are some types.

External doors: usually made of a hard, resistant, semi-permeable material like wood, steel or fiberglass.

Solid wood doors: most popular standard material used for external doors. Different kinds of wood can be used but the most popular are oak, fir and pine. If not made properly, wood doors can warp if they get damp.

Fiberglass doors: ideal for humid climates because they are warp resistant.

Interior doors: made of many different materials like wood, with glass panes or even stainless steel.

Interior doors also serve to control ventilation.

Here are just some external and interior doors that are available on the market.

Saloon doors: the kind of swing doors you see in westerns, found in public bars and cafés.

Security door: made from strong steel and used for vaults and safe rooms.

Sliding glass doors: usually made of a structure with one fixed and one mobile glass panel that slides along a track. They can be made of different materials and are commonly used for wardrobes.

Revolving doors: consist of three or four doors that hang on a central shaft that rotate around a vertical axis.

These are used for shops and public buildings.

Automatic doors: open automatically when someone approaches, and close again.

1 2 3 4 5 6

External solid wood doors ___________________________ due to dampness.

The best material for external doors in humid climates is ___________________________.

Interior doors ___________________________ inside a building.

Vaults and ___________________________ have security doors made from strong steel. ___________________________ can be used for wardrobes.

Revolving doors ___________________________ public buildings.

MY GLOSSARY batten /"bœtn\ __________________________________ constraint /k´n"streInt\ ___________________________ electrical wiring /I"lektrIkl "waI´rIn\ _________________ framework /"freImw‰…k\ __________________________ handrail /"hœndreIl\ _____________________________ heave /hi…v\ ____________________________________ I-beam /aIbi…m\ _________________________________ joist /dZOIst\ ____________________________________ landing /"lœndIN\ ________________________________ plumbing /"plømIN\ ______________________________

riser /"raIz´“r‘\ __________________________________ row /r´U\ ______________________________________ run /røn\ ______________________________________ scour /"skaU´“r‘\ ________________________________ span /spœn\ ____________________________________ steep /sti…p\ ____________________________________ to stretch /t´ stretS\ _____________________________ to sweep /t´ swi…p\ ______________________________ tread /tred\ ____________________________________ truss /trøs\ _____________________________________

35

9

House Systems

Plumbing systems 1 Read the text and answer the questions below.

The plumbing system, consisting of pipes and fixtures, concerns the distribution of tap water and the removal of waterborne waste in a building.

Plumbing installation must follow some regulations to ensure safe, quality construction.

Water systems of ancient times used pipes or channels made of clay, lead or stone. Today water supply systems use high pressure pumps and pipes made of non-toxic materials, such as copper, brass, steel, cast iron and plastic. The domestic hot water supply is provided by means of water heater appliances, or through district heating.

Used water and wastes are carried away by the drainage, waste and vent system.

1 What does a plumbing system consist of?

2 What materials were used in water systems of ancient times?

3 What materials are used in water systems today?

Electrical systems 2 Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

An electrical system includes the electrical service, lighting outlets and hard-wired appliances. The electrical service is usually between 100 and 200 amps. Electrical lines run from the street to a meter box (situated outside the house), then to the electric panel board which contains the switches to control the electricity in each room of the house. It is there that the amps are divided up across circuits to supply the different areas of the house with electricity.

Electrical systems must follow a number of safety measures including, for example, circuit breakers, ground fault circuit interrupters and smoke alarms.

If you have specific needs, you can ask your electrician for advanced wiring systems, which may also include modern computer lines to help you work at home.

1 An electrical system and an electrical service are the same thing.

2 A meter box should not be placed inside the house.

3 There is an electric panel board in each room of the house.

4 There are many circuits for supplying the different areas of the house with electricity.

5 Modern computer lines can be installed by an electrician.

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____ ____ ____ ____ ____

9 Heating systems 3 Read the text and answer the questions below.

Most homes have central heating that can be divided into two main types: Wet systems – the most popular form in the UK, made up of a boiler and radiators. The boiler burns fuel (natural gas, heating oil or biomass) to heat the water in the radiators. Pipes are also usually connected to a tank to provide hot water.

Warm air systems – popular in the 60s and 70s in the UK, they have now almost all been replaced with wet systems that are considered more efficient and comfortable, but they are still used widely in North America. A boiler, fuelled by natural gas, heats air that is then circulated to the rooms through ducts, and floor or wall vents. These are also used as air conditioning systems.

Other kinds of heating systems include the following.

Electric heat pumps: heat is removed from outdoor air, the ground, surface water or soil and is transferred from one place to another.

Through thermostat controls, they can also be used as air conditioners.

Radiant skirting board heaters: long, metal units containing electrical elements. They can be the only heating source in a house or as extra heating in a cooler room.

Portable space heaters: they work with electricity, gas or kerosene.

Radiant ceiling or floor systems: installed in floors, ceilings or sometimes walls. They warm objects in much the same way as the sun does.

Hydronic heating: water is heated by a boiler, which then flows through pipes under the floor or through units that are similar to skirting board heaters. They can also be installed in ceilings and are sometimes used under concrete in driveways to keep them clear of snow and ice.

Geothermal heating: the use of geothermal energy to heat homes. The hot lava from volcanoes or the hot steam from geysers are examples of geothermal energy that is under the Earth’s surface. A geothermal heating system pumps a liquid through pipes buried deep in the ground. This liquid absorbs the heat and brings it back indoors, where a heat exchanger uses the heat in the liquid to heat the air inside a home. In summer, a geothermal system can be used to cool a house by absorbing the heat from the air inside and moving it back into the earth.

1 Why are wet central heating systems more popular than warm air ones in the UK now?

2 Where are these systems still popular?

3 What can you find inside radiant skirting board heaters?

4 Which heating system uses the same kind of heating process as the sun?

5 How is water heated in hydronic heating systems?

6 What is the function of a heat exchanger in geothermal heating?

4 Read the text again and match the photos with the words from the box. boiler

1 ____________________

portable space heater

2 ____________________

radiator

thermostat

3 ____________________

4 ____________________

39

9 Solar heating 5 Do you know the difference between the solar photovoltaic system and the solar thermal system?

Label the pictures.

A

6

B

14 Complete the text with the words from the box. Then listen and check. tank

roof

common

pollution

sunlight

storing

Solar energy is the electricity produced from the sun’s rays and captured by means of solar panels, which are becoming increasingly (1) ______________ nowadays. The two types of solar panel systems are solar photovoltaic systems and solar thermal system.

In the solar photovoltaic systems the solar thermal panels contain cells whose semiconductors react with (2) _____________.

Electricity is produced when sunlight hits them. This kind of technology is still quite expensive and its disadvantage nowadays is the problem of (3) ______________ energy.

In the solar thermal system solar energy is used for water heating. The panels are positioned either on the (4) ______________ or a wall facing the sun and contain flowing water. When the thermal collectors in the panel are exposed to the sun, they heat the water (stored in a hot water cylinder) that is either pumped or driven by natural convection through it. The storage (5) ______________ is mounted immediately above or below the solar collectors on the roof. This system is not very expensive and offers a number of advantages, including being renewable, creating less environmental (6) ______________, reducing costs and maintenance and saving resources. Hot water can be produced for most of the year.

A conventional boiler can be used to make the water hotter, or to provide hot water when solar energy is not available.

7

Read the text again and then match the two parts of the sentences.

1 Solar energy 2 Thanks to solar thermal systems and solar photovoltaic systems 3 The solar thermal panels are usually installed 4 In thermal panels special cells 5 Water is heated by 6 The storage tank is mounted 7 Thanks to these panels you can produce 8 Sometimes a conventional boiler is used

8

c d e f g h

we can produce energy using solar panels. are contained whose semiconductors are able to react with sunlight. when solar energy is not available or to make water hotter. next to the solar collectors on the roof, either above or below. hot water for most of the year. means producing electricity from the sun’s rays. exposing the thermal collectors in the panel to the sun. on house roofs.

Now answer these questions.

1 How can electricity be produced using the sun’s energy?

2 What do solar thermal panels contain?

3 How is electricity created?

4 What are the two main disadvantages of this energy?

40

a b

5 What is solar energy also used for?

6 What happens when the thermal collectors are exposed to the sun?

7 Can you name some of the advantages of this system?

8 What can a conventional boiler be used for?

9 Ventilation and air conditioning 9 Read the text and label the pictures with the words in bold from the text.

Ventilation – the exchange of indoor air with outdoor air – is important to reduce indoor moisture, odours, and other pollutants.

Contaminants such as volatile organic compounds, and radon (that may cause health problems) can accumulate in poorly ventilated homes. Excess moisture needs to be removed before high humidity levels lead to physical damage to the A B C home. There are three main types of ventilation: Natural ventilation which is uncontrolled air movement through cracks and small holes (infiltration) and through vents such as doors and windows. The disadvantage of this is that it is uncontrollable.

Spot ventilation which means using localised fans in the rooms where contaminant substances are generated (for example kitchen extractor fans and bath fans).

Whole-house ventilation is a system that works thanks to fan and duct systems to exhaust stale air and supply fresh air to the house. Whole-house ventilation systems are usually classified as exhaust ventilation when the air is forced out of the house, supply ventilation if it is forced inside and balanced ventilation if the same amount of air is forced inside and outside the house.

10 Read the text again and answer the questions.

1 Why is ventilation important?

2 What is the disadvantage of natural ventilation?

3 What is spot ventilation?

4 How does whole-house ventilation work?

11

15 Listen to this interview with an expert speaking about the importance of ventilation and fill in the gaps.

1 Thanks to ventilation, we can dispose of unwanted ______________, water vapour and pollution.

2 The amount of ventilation we need is determined by a number of different factors, such as the type of pollution ______________ and the number of people who are in the room.

3 Usually modern ______________ are provided with fittings which can both draw and force out air.

4 Thanks to heat ______________ warm air can be saved.

5 To attain cross ______________, you can use controllable trickle ventilators in every room.

6 Mechanical extractor fans are controlled by a ______________ control switch.

12 Look at the data illustrated in the graphs below about air conditioning and prepare a short presentation.

You should include the following points: • the period in which the biggest demand for AC units is expected; • why you think the demand for AC units is likely to grow; • which country is most likely to increase its number of AC units, giving reasons why you think this is the case; • which country has the lowest rate of predicted growth of AC units and why you think this is the case; • what kind of impact you think this growth will have on the environment in the future.

Growing Demand for Air Conditioning and Energy Number of AC units worldwide and corresponding energy demand Energy demand* (TWh)

1,997

2,199 3,287

4,756

Countries/regions with largest projected units growth (2016-2050)

6,205

India 5,578 Projections

2016

Middle East

1,930

2020

2030

697%

Brazil

2,994

1,622

1,845%

Mexico

4,357

Units (millions)

4,206%

Indonesia

2040

2050

503% 347%

EU

185%

China

149%

U.S.

45%

41

9 Energy conservation 13 Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false ones.

Energy conservation can be achieved in three ways: by increasing efficient energy use, by decreasing energy consumption and by reducing consumption from conventional energy sources.

The purpose of this, apart from saving money, is to increase environmental quality, national and personal health and human comfort.

One of the latest trends in energy conservation is passive solar building design. This means making windows, walls and floors in such a way that they are able to collect, store and distribute solar energy (heat) in winter and reject it in summer. This kind of design implies avoiding the use of mechanical and electrical devices.

The best way to design a passive solar building is to pay great attention to window placement, glazing type, thermal insulation, thermal mass and shading.

In most cases, these design techniques are applied to new buildings, but even existing buildings can be adapted.

If emissions decrease, this will help to reduce climate change. Energy conservation involves replacing non-renewable sources with renewable ones.

In 2012, the European Union set a target for 2020 to reduce primary energy consumption by 20%. All EU member countries were asked to set their own national energy efficiency targets and to produce annual progress reports every three years. In December 2018, this Energy Efficiency Directive was revised with the addition of a new energy efficiency target for 2030 of at least 32.5%. EU member states have to illustrate how they intend to reach the 2030 targets for energy efficiency and for renewable energy in a 10-year National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) for 2021-2030.

1 Efficient energy use is a way to achieve energy conservation.

2 If we decrease efficient energy use, we can reduce energy consumption.

3 Decreasing energy consumption and reducing consumption from conventional energy sources are two excellent ways to achieve energy conservation.

4 Mechanical and electrical devices are used in passive solar building design.

5 These techniques can only be applied to new buildings.

6 Thanks to the decrease in emissions, climate change can be reduced.

7 In 2012, the European Union gave countries just three years to reduce primary energy consumption by 20%.

8 The new target set by the EU for 2030 is more ambitious than the previous one.

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

14 Now answer the following questions.

1 Energy conservation is achieved in three ways: do you think they are all equally important?

How can these three objectives be reached?

2 What is the purpose of energy conservation?

3 What does passive solar design mean?

4 What does it make use of?

5 What happens if emissions decrease?

6 What objective did the EU set for 2020?

7 What amendment was made to this objective in 2018?

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_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

9 Home automation 15 Read the text and answer the questions below.

Domotics (or home automation) is a new field of technology based on computer science and electronics. Its aim is to create systems able to automate many of the daily tasks we usually perform in our homes, such as regulating temperature, lighting, security systems and many other functions.

Today many domestic appliances have automated systems: with programmable thermostats or automated vacuum cleaners, you can adjust the time you turn on the appliances and repeat multiple daily settings. In addition, you can connect all the appliances in every part of your home creating a sophisticated system, which allows you to manage and operate them from a single unit. This can be a computer, a tablet or a control unit specifically built by a home automation company.

From your control unit, you can check and monitor what is happening in your home and modify the settings, such as time, temperature and so on. Basically, a home automation system gathers information from a net. Therefore, it is necessary to install a network, which will include all the appliances you want to control (heating system, air conditioning, security system, etc.). Then you need sensors to detect a variety of information in the home: temperature, sound, light, heat and so on. Finally, it is necessary to install a device for external communication, which will allow the owner to control the data from his/her telephone, mobile phone or via Internet.

1 What fields is domotics involved in?

2 What is its purpose?

3 Could you explain the expression ‘repeat multiple daily settings’?

4 What are the main elements necessary for a home automation system?

5 Can the control unit be managed if the owner is far from home?

16

16 Listen to a man talking about ‘The Internet of Things’ and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

1 ‘The Internet of Things’ is growing in popularity because devices are cheap.

2 People use these devices mostly for keeping their house safe.

3 One new device does not let you put on your heating so you’ll save money.

4 The speaker believes that the most important aspect of this market is the design of the things.

5 A connected toothbrush can give us information every day that we would normally get once a year.

6 The majority of people are in favour of this new technology but some are worried about not having a private life anymore.

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

17 Work in pairs and talk about what ‘smart technologies’ you would like to install in your home. Explain their advantages and disadvantages and why these systems would be useful. Include the following points: • saving time;

• saving energy consumption;

• saving insurance costs.

MY GLOSSARY amp /œmp\ ____________________________________ appliance /´"plaI´ns\ _____________________________ brass /brA…s\ ____________________________________ cast iron /kA…st aI´n\ _____________________________ circuit breaker /"s‰…kIt "breIk´“r‘\ ___________________ compound /"kÅmpaUnd\ __________________________ driveway /draIvweI\ _____________________________ to exhaust /Ig"zO…st\ ______________________________ fan /fœn\ ______________________________________ fixture /"fIkstS´“r‘\ _______________________________ glazing /"gleIzIN\ ________________________________

ground fault /"graUnd "fÅ…lt\ ________________________ hydronic /"haIdr´nIk\ _____________________________ lead /li…d\ ______________________________________ lighting outlet /"laItnIN "aUtlet\ _____________________ moisture /"mOIstS´“r‘\ ____________________________ skirting board /sk‰…tIN bO…d\ _______________________ stale /steIl\ _____________________________________ tank /tœNk\ ____________________________________ thermal mass /"T‰…ml mœs/ _______________________ waterborne waste /"wO…t´“r‘bO…n weIst\ ______________ wiring system /"waI´rIN "sIst´m\ ____________________

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10

Urbanisation

An overview 1 Look at the table and read the text, then answer the questions below.

Urban growth is a concept strictly related to that of cities and will continue to be so in the future. Therefore, it is important to gather information about urbanisation and its consequences from different sources such as building, civil and traffic engineering, urban and regional planning, local and national economies, history, demography, archaeology, law, politics and administration.

Urbanisation is basically the process by which cities grow as people move from rural to urban areas. Urbanisation began during the Industrial Revolution, when workers were attracted by the manufacturing hubs in cities and moved there to get jobs in factories, rather than in agriculture. As the population in cities grew, urbanisation of rural land became necessary to create housing and to develop infrastructures to support all these new city dwellers.

In 1851, 50% of the population in Great Britain already lived in cities, with 2 million in London alone, making it the biggest city in the world at that time, followed by Paris in France with 1 million inhabitants.

In the 20th century cities began to grow all over the world and have continued doing so up to the present date.

In 2008, statistics showed that city dwellers counted for more than half of the world population. By 2045, it is estimated that 6 billion people will live in big cities, so managing urban areas is the main development challenge of the 21st century.

The biggest growth of cities is expected to happen in developing countries like India, China and Nigeria.

The following table shows the 20 most populated cities in the world at the end of 2019.

City – Country

Population

City – Country

Population

1

Tokyo – Japan

37,730,064

11

Los Angeles – USA

18,013,728

2

Mexico City – Mexico

23,610,441

12

Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto – Japan

17,409,585

3

New York – USA

23,313,036

13

Cairo – Egypt

16,429,199

4

Seul – South Korea

22,692,652

14

Kolkata – India

15,644,040

5

Mumbai – India

21,900,967

15

Moscow – Russia

14,926,656

6

San Paolo – Brazil

20,831,058

16

Buenos Aires – Argentina

14,598,065

7

Manila – Philippines

20,654,307

17

Istanbul – Turkey

14,350,423

8

Jakarta – Indonesia

19,231,919

18

Dhaka – Bangladesh

14,327,157

9

Delhi – India

18,916,890

19

Lagos – Nigeria

13,721,625

Shangai – China

18,572,816

20

London – Great Britain

13,377,482

10

1 What should be taken into consideration when analysing urban growth?

2 What is meant by urbanisation?

3 What attracted people to cities during the Industrial Revolution?

4 What effect did the growth of cities have on rural areas?

5 In the 19th century, which was the biggest city in the world?

6 What information did statistics provide about cities in 2008?

7 Why is management of urban areas so important in the 21st century?

8 From the information in the table, how many European cities are included in the twenty most populated cities in the world?

9 How many African countries are included in the list?

10 Which area of the world has the highest number of cities included in this list?

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10 Types of settlements 2 Read the text and answer the questions below.

With the expansion of urban growth, there are many terms to describe the continuous evolution of urban settlements, such as the following. Metropolitan area: an area consisting of a major city and its surrounding territories, such as New York metropolitan area, with New York being its major city.

Conurbation: an extensive urbanised area, which may also include more than one city, with smaller towns in the area. The various towns merge with the suburbs of the central city, forming a single urban extension. The Liverpool urban area is the fifth most populous conurbation in England.

Megalopolis: a very large urban complex that usually evolves due to the progressive growth of nearby cities that almost join together to make one big city without distinct boundaries, like Boston and Philadelphia in the US. Metropolis: this word from the Greek metér, ‘mother’ and pólis, ‘city’, referred in ancient Greece to the mother country city, founder of colonies. Nowadays, it refers to a very large city, with more than one million inhabitants, like Rome, Milan or London. When cities expand excessively and in an uncontrolled manner, this is referred to as Cities in North America follow a urban sprawl. This phenomenon results different urban model with respect in inefficient land use and increases the to older European cities. Instead of costs of providing utilities and public a historical centre, American cities services as well as travel costs. There is have an ‘inner city’ characterised also an increase in congestion, accidents by skyscrapers that house and pollution due to carbon emissions. administrative and financial offices.

Urban experts are now adopting new Beyond this part, there are vast urban pathways without urban sprawl. residential areas that are usually well linked to the centre, and These smarter urban growth policies with lots of green spaces. On the are based on replacing single-family outskirts of these residential areas, residential areas with a mix of residential you can often find the less affluent and social infrastructures that includes area of the city with industrial homes, shops and restaurants that are all estates and/or council housing. easily accessible within a short distance.

1 What is a conurbation?

2 What does a megalopolis consist of?

3 What does urban sprawl refer to?

4 What are new urban policies based on?

3

17 Listen to an urban expert talking about the metropolitan area of London and complete the text with the missing information.

With its 8 million inhabitants, London is the city with the (1) _____________ population in Europe. Nowadays, ‘London’ refers to the area called Greater London, which includes the central (2) _____________ of the City of London and the City of Westminster and another 31 (3) _____________ boroughs that surround the industrial districts. The City of London is the (4) _____________ centre of the city and is of great strategic (5) _____________, extending over an area of just 2.6 km2. The City of Westminster is situated (6) _____________ of the City. Here you can find the main British (7) _____________ like Parliament, the Government in Downing Street and the Ministries of Whitehall, as well as the Monarchy in Buckingham Palace.

The High Court of Justice is also located in the City of Westminster at the Royal Courts of Justice. When we talk instead of the London metropolitan area, we refer to an urbanised area that, in addition to Greater London, also includes an 8 kilometre wide green (8) _____________ as well as the even more external (9) _____________ of the New Towns, which emerged after the second world war due to a (10) _____________ boom.

4 Surf the Net for information about a metropolitan area in your country/region and write a short text (about 100 words) about it, similar to the one about London above.

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10 onsequences of urban growth C 5 Discuss with a partner what negative effects you think are associated with uncontrolled urban growth, then read the text to see if it includes any of your ideas.

Urban areas expand constantly and the fact that big cities are the ones that grow fastest, suggests that the advantages of living in these areas outweigh the disadvantages. Governments may decide to create new cities for two reasons: to provide densely populated rural areas with more services, or to take the pressure off large problematic urban areas.

However, it is better to plan only a few new urban areas, because a large number of them can limit the probability of success for all.

A new or expanded urban area has a greater chance of being successful if it has a strong manufacturing base or if it offers research facilities as well as higher education institutions. In some cases a new manufacturing urban area reaches a size where retail and other service activities attract residents from nearby smaller urban areas.

Adjustments to changing conditions of supply and demand are often accompanied by difficulties and serious problems. One effect of urban growth is the separation of workplace and residence, the main consequence of which is a further increase in traffic. Other inconveniences created by urban growth are, for example, environmental deterioration, increased air pollution and more road accidents.

We are witnessing an exponential movement of people to urban areas, and it is estimated that most of the world population will live in cities in the near future. This will create a new bond between people and urban spaces, and cities will no longer be thought of simply as ground to be built on, but as a space to create a community.

Data about 10 of the most polluted cities in the world according to a recent World Health Organization report 1 Kanpur, India – high presence of chromium released into the air due to leather tanneries.

2 Faridabad, India – high smog levels that increase in winter due to cold temperatures that trap pollutants near the ground.

3 Gaya, India – presence of heavy smog in this holy city in the state of Bihar.

4 Varanasi, India – poor air quality in the city is aggravated by dust from construction.

5 Patna, India – the sunset here is not visible due to thick smog.

6 Delhi, India – the Indian capital, pollution is caused by the burning of rice paddies and waste and the emission of exhaust fumes from vehicles.

7 Lucknow, India – to reduce pollution caused by vehicle emissions, they now have a metro rail service.

8 Bamenda, Cameroon – poor air quality due to deforestation and changing weather conditions.

9 Agra, India – pollution due to the burning of old tires to extract iron.

10 Gurugram, India – a business hub but with poor air quality, with PM2.5 levels twelve times higher than recommended by the World Health Organization.

6 Read the text and answer the following questions.

1 What are the largest urban areas characterised by?

2 What happens if metropolitan areas are too large?

3 Why is it better to plan only a few new urban areas?

4 When does a new or expanded urban area have a greater chance of being successful?

46

5 What could happen when a new manufacturing urban area reaches a certain size?

6 What is the main consequence of the separation of workplace and residence?

10 7 Match the words from the text to their definitions.

1 growth 2 advantage 3 service 4 expanded 5 manufacturing 6 retail

a b c d e f

selling goods to the public in small quantities increase, expansion supply of something for public needs making goods benefit, improvement made greater in number or amount

European green cities 8 Read the text about the project ‘Green Cities for a Sustainable Europe’.

Parts of the text have been removed. Choose the correct part (A-H) for each gap (1-7). There is one extra sentence that you should not use.

New problems due to urbanisation and climate change need to be addressed now if we wish to improve our quality of life or even only maintain the standard we have enjoyed until now. (1) ___. It has been proven that green spaces have a beneficial effect on biodiversity, the climate, air quality, and consequently on our health and sense of well-being. On the platform ‘Green Cities for a Sustainable Europe’ there is a host of new ideas, backed up by scientific research and technical advice from experts, on how to make public places green.

The ENA (European Nurserystock Association), which has its headquarters in Belgium, proposed this project in 2017, and has managed to involve other nursery organisations in Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, the UK, France, Germany and The Netherlands. (2) ___. This campaign will not only benefit those taking part but also many others who deal daily with these kinds of problems. By 2050, 70% of the world’s population will be city dwellers, and already many urban areas are experiencing the negative effects of climate change and the lack of importance given to social cohesion. By about 2050, higher temperatures will be causing excessive rainfall, which will lead to flooding in many areas, while other parts of the world will be hit by excessive drought. (3) ___.This is why the European Nurseystock Association and its members launched their campaign.

The creation of green areas within our cities such as parks with trees and ponds, and more forestland around them, will help reduce the negative consequences of climate change in urban areas. These green areas will also have positive effects on the weather, biodiversity and our health. (4) ___. This is very important for the psychological well-being of citizens who will work together to achieve a common goal.

(5) ___. However, these authorities are still not taking these issues into consideration when making decisions about the development of new housing projects or the improvement of living conditions in older cities. (6) ___. Whatever the reason, this is where the project ‘Green cities for a sustainable Europe’ comes into action.

(7) ___. Through a series of congresses, seminars, and business meetings, decision-makers and politicians will be provided with the necessary tools and technical background to convey this message of green cities for a sustainable Europe to their citizens. They will also be able to consult an extended website, take advantage of public relations activities, and participate in the competition to win the European Green Cities Award.

A They will also play a positive role in social cohesion B The main goal of this 3-year project is to increase awareness of the problems caused by urbanisation C The dangers associated with climate change are well-known to national and regional governments D One solution is by increasing public green areas in our cities E This ensures that cities are becoming better places to live and work in F The project, in fact, is aimed at helping professionals that make decisions about city and landscape planning, rather than at the general public G These phenomena will all have extremely negative effects on living conditions H This may be because there is not enough accessible knowledge or scientific evidence to convince them

9

Discuss with a partner the advantages and disadvantages of large urban areas, taking the following factors into account, plus any others you can think of: • services;

• entertainment;

• pollution;

• employment;

• safety.

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10 Town planning 10 Read the following text about planning. What is it? What do planners typically do?

Planning is a balancing act between constructing modern communities and conserving our natural and built heritage to create sustainable places where people can live, work and play. It implies decisions about transport, facilities, the development of new shops, schools, dwellings, parks, etc. It supports our ongoing use of the environment.

Some of the things that planners do include: developing and creating affordable housing; regenerating socially-deprived areas; requalifying historic buildings; creating policies for managing the traffic and improving energy efficiency; discussing with communities about how to improve their quality of life.

11

18 Read and listen to the text and fill in the blanks with the words from the box. agricultural centre Renaissance human rational situated streets towns

The first stable (1) ________________ settlements appeared when agriculture replaced nomadic existence. The first cities were centres for commerce, politics, defence and distribution of (2) _________________ surplus. The earliest examples of planned cities in history were in modern-day Iraq and India. In these cities some (3) _________________ were paved and there were both commercial and residential streets.

The first examples of cities in the West were in Greece and in Italy. Many European (4) ______________ are still based on schemes that date back to the times of the Romans, who put all the streets at right angles, set out in a square grid. During the Middle Ages there was no trace of (5) ________________ urban planning in Europe. Cities grew around a fortress or a fortified abbey. Most of them were (6) ____________________ on high defensible ground and their plans followed the irregularities of elevation contours. They offered protection both to urban city and rural inhabitants during enemy attacks.

Things changed again during the (7) _________________.

A great number of important artists created beautiful buildings in many cities which were accurately designed by architects and city planners.

In Florence, for example, radial streets extended outward from a defined (8) _________________.

12 Read the text again and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

1 The first cities were centres for commerce, politics and defence.

2 The earliest examples of planned cities in history are in the West.

3 Many European towns date back to the times of the Romans.

4 Urban planning was extremely important during the Middle Ages.

5 Cities in Europe grew around a fortress or a fortified abbey during the Middle Ages.

6 During the Renaissance radial streets extended outward from a defined centre in Florence.

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____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

10 Master Plan 13 Read the text and answer the questions below.

A Master Plan is a document describing how a city is developed and how it can develop in the future. It is written by city planners and experts after examining the land.

Here is an example of the aims of a Master Plan: to create a structure for the best quality City Centre; to create the best possible environment for all users; to find key problem areas; to treat improvements as priorities; to create an attractive area for businesses; to develop existing resources.

Modern city planning is increasingly concerned with the social and economic aspects of city living.

The process of city planning usually involves a series of surveys and studies, development of a land-use and transportation plan, preparation of a budget, and the approval of a unified Master Plan by various agencies or legislative bodies. City planners have to tackle problems of traffic, pollution, security, fire and sanitation services, limitations and other regulations, and the problems of funding.

In recent years planners have worked closely with community groups who wanted to take part in the planning of their own neighbourhood.

1 Who writes a Master Plan?

2 What does it include?

3 What are its aims?

4 What does modern city planning involve?

5 What problems do city planners have to tackle?

6 How are trends in recent years?

14 Find the synonyms of these words in the text in exercise 13.

1 specialist 2 inspecting 3 structured

_____________________ _____________________ _____________________

4 suggestions _____________________ 5 enhancements _____________________ 6 restrictions _____________________

MY GLOSSARY bond /bÅnd/ ___________________________________ city dweller /"sIti "dwel´r/ _________________________ contour /"kÅntU´\ ________________________________ deprived /dI"praIvd\ ______________________________ dwelling /"dwelIN\ _______________________________ engineering /endZI"nI´“r‘IN\ _______________________ funding /"føndIN\ ________________________________ grid /grId\ _____________________________________ hub /høb/ _____________________________________ manufacturing /Æmænju "fæktS´rIN/ _______________ nursery /"n‰…s´ri/ _______________________________

ongoing /"ÅnÆg´UIN\ ______________________________ to outweigh /t´ ÆaUt"weI/ _________________________ paved /peIvd\ __________________________________ retail /"ri…teIl/ ___________________________________ sanitation /ÆsœnI"teISn\ ___________________________ sprawl /sprO…l/ __________________________________ survey /"s‰…veI\ _________________________________ to tackle /t´ "tœkl\ _______________________________ urban growth /"‰…b´n gr´UT/ ______________________ urban pathway /"‰…b´n "pA…TweI/ __________________

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11

Public Works

Bridges 1 Read the text and answer the questions below.

A bridge is a structure which provides passage over a gap or physical obstacles such as valleys, rivers and roads. The first bridges were probably fallen tree trunks (later supported by stones or logs) and bridges made of long ropes across rivers or valleys. The first great bridge builders were the Ancient Romans (some of their bridges are still standing today). The design of a bridge depends on its purpose, the kind of ground it is built on and the material used to build it.

Tower Bridge, one of the best known symbols of London, is an example of a double-decker bridge (two levels). It was designed

by Sir Horace Jones and completed in 1894. A mechanism contained in its two Gothic Towers allows the roadway to be raised (creating a 40-metre-high and 60-metre-wide space) when large ships need to go through it. Before 1976 – when the system was electrified – the lifting equipment was commanded by a steam engine.

1 What 2 What 3 What 4 What

are bridges built for? were the first bridges like? Who were the first great bridge builders? does the design of a bridge depend on? is Tower Bridge famous for?

Roads 2 Read the text and answer the questions below.

The earliest rough pathways appeared in 10000 BC. They were trails made by animals or created by humans who followed animals. The first stone and brick-paved roads were created in the Middle East and India between 4000 and 3000 BC, and in the same period the first European roads were built in England using logs.

The Ancient Romans were great road builders. Some of their roads still survive today. Their armies built a great number of paved roads in Europe and North Africa using stone and gravel and included gutters for drainage. Around the 8th century AD a great number of roads (paved with tar) were built in the Arab Empire, but it was not until the Industrial Revolution that modern road building started.

Today roads are used both for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The first stages in road building are planning, designing and approval of the project following official guidelines. After deciding where to move gas, water, sewer, electricity and phone lines and compensating and relocating landowners, construction can start by removing earth, rock and vegetation. Then the pavement material is laid using a great quantity of building equipment. Modern roads are built with smooth layers of tar or asphalt, over concrete or macadam. The kind of road surface depends on its expected use and on economic factors.

1 Where and how were the first roads built?

2 How did the Ancient Romans build roads?

3 Which are the stages of modern road building?

50

11 Schools 3 19 Listen and complete the text with the missing words.

Schools have a very special importance in everyone’s (1) __________ and consequently architects should think carefully and sensitively when (2) __________ them. During the 19th century the first to understand the economic importance of universal (3) __________ were the British and the Prussians, whose schools were disciplinarian places that could be built quite cheaply. In Great Britain, as well as in France and Germany, we can still see examples of these great, late nineteenth-century, four-storey schools with their classrooms double banked along central (4) __________. School building gradually changed after World Wars I and II. A great number of new schools were built and educational theories and practices shifted from strong discipline to encouragement in learning and liberal egalitarian programmes. Consequently, school design changed too. New schools are places full of (5) __________, with multivalent spaces. More recently, schools have become buildings where the environment is more and more (6) __________ and where solutions are found to meet practical demands, such as health, (7) __________ and financial concerns. In the future, architects will have to consider a series of important aspects, such as creating increasingly friendly, comfortable, stimulating buildings, with spaces such as gyms, laboratories, libraries and (8) __________.

4

20 Listen to Paul Andrews talking about Westfield Student Village and complete the sentences.

1 In the past, there was little architectural interest in building university _____________ because this type of building has always had low budgets and this usually meant low-quality architecture.

2 The project was not easy for a number of reasons, the most important of which is that the building is located in a _____________ area in London’s East End near the railway and a canal.

3 The requirements were to create comfort for the students and offer the possibility to use the residences as _____________ during the holidays.

4 Two linear buildings were _____________ which created the boundaries of the university campus.

5 On the outside of the buildings copper was used, which not only is a _____________ material, but also provides durability and _____________ limited maintenance.

Airports 5 Match these words with their definitions.

1 runway 2 control tower 3 hangar 4 apron 5 air terminal

6

a b c d e

a a a a a

large building where planes are kept, built, or repaired place at an airport where planes wait or turn round long piece of ground with a smooth hard surface on which aircraft take off and land large building at an airport where passengers arrive and leave building at an airport from which air traffic is watched and directed

Read the text and check your answers to exercise 4.

An airport is a place where aircraft take off and land. In smaller airports there is usually a single runway, shorter than 1000 metres and made of gravel, grass or dirt, whereas larger airports usually have paved runways of about 2 km or even longer. Airports also include control towers (if the air traffic is high, air traffic is controlled by radio from there), hangars (where aircraft are stored and maintained), aprons (parking areas away from terminals) and air terminals (departure and arrival buildings).

In terminals passengers can get flight information, buy tickets, clear security control, claim their luggage and board aircraft through waiting areas, boarding gates and ramps (where aircraft park next to a terminal to board passengers). Large airports usually have air traffic control, fixed base operator services, and passenger facilities such as shops, restaurants, emergency services, rental car counters, customs and immigration facilities.

51

11 Gardens and parks 7 Read the texts and answer the questions below.

Parks are open spaces, usually large and protected areas, in cities and towns. They may be in a natural (wilderness parks) or semi-natural state (in this case they are planned spaces) and they are created for human benefit (leisure, relaxation, entertainment and recreation) or to protect animals (some of which are threatened species) or the environment.

Usually you can find both natural and man-made materials in parks: trees (chosen either for their beauty or for their shade), grass, flowers and landscape features such as fountains, benches, picnic areas, statues, pathways, and ponds.

There are active and passive recreation parks: active recreation parks have a high level of development and include playgrounds, ball fields and skateparks, whereas passive recreation parks focus on the openspace characteristics of the place and offer trails and picnic areas.

Before designing and creating a garden, its use must be carefully considered. The most important consideration in any garden design is how the garden will be used, followed closely by the desired stylistic genre and the way the garden space will connect the other structures in the surrounding areas.

Central Park lies in Manhattan, New York, and it is the most visited urban park in the USA (about 35 million visitors every year). It was opened in 1857 since an area to escape from the chaotic life of the city was needed because of the increasing number of citizens. About 1500 species of trees, shrubs and plants were planted in the park and today a great number of animals live there.

Although it has a very natural appearance, the park is completely landscaped: there are artificial lakes and ponds, lawns and grassy areas, playgrounds, walking tracks, ice-skating rinks, a zoo, a conservatory garden, an area of natural woods, a running track, an outdoor amphitheatre and many other indoor structures.

Festivals, concerts and other kinds of performances are regularly organised.

1 What can you usually find in parks?

2 Can you explain the difference between active and passive recreation parks?

3 What has to be considered before designing and creating a garden?

4 Why was Central Park opened?

5 The text says that Central Park is completely landscaped. Can you explain how?

52

11 Tunnels 8 Read the text and answer the questions below.

Tunnels are long and narrow underground passages with an opening on each end, built for pedestrian or vehicular (rail or road) traffic and for canals. Some tunnels are important for water supply or for hydroelectric stations, others are sewers or include communication or electricity cables.

Before building a tunnel it is important to examine the conditions and type of ground and groundwater. Different methods can be used to build a tunnel, depending on the type of ground.

If the rock is hard, the tunnel is blasted out with explosives, whereas if the ground is softer, tunnel shields (steel tubes the same size as the tunnel) are pushed into the ground to dig out the earth. Typical examples of tunnels are underground train lines and road tunnels (created when there is an obstacle like a mountain).

1 What and who are tunnels built for?

2 Before building a tunnel, what is it important to examine?

3 Which are the main techniques when building tunnels?

9

21 Listen to an expert talking about the Channel Tunnel and complete the sentences.

1 The Channel Tunnel (also called 'Chunnel') opened in ___________.

2 It is one of the ___________ tunnels in the world and the tunnel with the longest ___________ portion.

3 It is only used for ___________.

4 The journey between London and Paris takes ___________.

10 Choose one of the main topics in this unit (bridges, roads, schools...) and write a short essay (about 100 words) following these guidelines: • When were the first examples built?

• Which features must it have?

• Is there an example you know that you particularly like? Why?

MY GLOSSARY air terminal /e´“r‘ "t‰…mIn´l\ _______________________ apron /"eIpr´n\ __________________________________ banked /bœNkt\ _________________________________ bench /bentS\ __________________________________ to blast out /t´ blA…st aUt\ _________________________ cable /keIbl\ ___________________________________ control tower /k´n"tr´Ul taU´“r‘\ ____________________ to dig out /t´ dIg aUt\ ____________________________ facility /f´"sIlIti\ _________________________________ gutter /"gøt´“r‘\ _________________________________ hangar /"hœN´“r‘\ ________________________________ lawn /lO…n\ _____________________________________ leisure /"leZ´“r‘\ _________________________________ log /lÅg\ _______________________________________ macadam /m´"kœd´m\ ___________________________ pathway /pA…TweI\ ______________________________

playground /"pleIgraUnd\ _________________________ pond /pÅnd\ ____________________________________ recreation /Ærekri"eSn\ ____________________________ rental /"rent´l\ ___________________________________ rink /rINk\ _____________________________________ rope /r´Up\ _____________________________________ rough /røf\ _____________________________________ runway /"rønweI\ _______________________________ sewer /sU´“r‘\ __________________________________ shrub /Srøb\ ____________________________________ storey /"stO…ri\ ___________________________________ tar /tA…“r‘\ ______________________________________ threatened /Tret´nd\ _____________________________ track /trœk\ ____________________________________ trail /treIl\ _____________________________________ wilderness /"wIld´nIs\ ____________________________

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12

A Short History of Architecture

Prehistoric architecture 1 Read the text and complete the sentences with the missing information.

The prehistoric era dates back tens of thousands of years, at a time when nothing was recorded in writing. Therefore, it is difficult to know much about the architecture of that time, but there are a few key forms and concepts related to this period.

Paleolithic era: from this period, also known as the Stone Age, a village was excavated in the Ukraine dating back to about 15000 BC. It consisted of a group of huts made of animal bones and probably had space for a fire inside.

Mesolithic and Neolithic eras: also known as the Middle and New Stone Ages. About 4000 BC, they began to build structures out of large pieces of stone called megaliths that are put together without using mortar. A dolmen was a megalithic tomb that had a large horizontal megalith supported by two or more vertical ones, almost like a massive table. This was then usually covered with earth and smaller stones to make a mound.

You can still see lots of dolmens in Ireland and the most famous is Poulnabrone dolmen in County Clare, that dates back approximately to between 4000 and 3000 BC, but only its stone structure has survived over the centuries.

Many other structures were still made with stone like the Neolithic village in Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. The houses of Skara Brae were made of layers of flat stones, stacked together without mortar. Stone was also used inside these houses for seats and beds. It is believed that this group of eight houses was inhabited from 3180 BC to 2500 BC. During this period, the design of structures and monuments followed simple geometric forms, like circles, maybe inspired by the shape of the sun or the moon. This can be seen in the shape of large stone megalithic structures like Stonehenge in England that dates back to about 2500 BC. Most archaeologists believe that Stonehenge was a ceremonial place, maybe an astronomical observatory to calculate lunar and solar eclipses and to study the sky, the stars, the moon and the seasons. Others are convinced that it was a meeting place for tribal chieftains or central to the religious beliefs of Neolithic people.

The Bronze Age: from about 2000 to 500 BC. In the middle of this period, they erected large man-made upright stones called menhirs. They come in different sizes, are usually square shaped and are often narrower at the top.

They can be found in Africa and Asia but are most common in Britain and France. When these standing stones are found in groups in a circle, they are sometimes referred to as megalithic monuments.

1 The prehistoric era dates back tens of _____________ of years.

2 The Ukrainian _____________ dates back to about 15000 BC. 3 A dolmen was a megalithic _____________.

4 Skara Brae consisted of _____________ houses.

5 Some people believe that Stonehenge was a _____________ place for tribal chieftains.

6 A group of menhirs standing in a circle is also called a _____________ monument.

2

Now answer the following questions.

1 Why isn’t there much information about prehistoric architecture?

2 What was the Paleolithic Ukrainian village like?

3 What are megaliths?

4 What were dolmens covered with?

5 What were the houses like in Skara Brae?

6 What kind of shapes did they use for structures in the Neolithic era?

7 What do most experts think Stonehenge was built for?

8 What are menhirs?

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12 Greek architecture 3 Read the text and complete the sentences with the missing information.

The Ancient Greeks established the basis of Western culture and their influence is evident in all art forms. Their idea of beauty corresponded to the idea of ‘good’ and one of the best representations of their concept of harmony is the golden ratio, a proportion they applied to architecture and many works of art.

Greek architecture is strictly linked to the idea of polis – or city-state – a town, usually walled, which contained a central area at its highest point (acropolis) and a marketplace (agora), with temples dedicated to the gods.

Columns are composed of three main parts: the base (the platform at the bottom), upon which there is a shaft (the vertical cylinder) and a capital on the top.

Columns of Greek architecture come in three types, each representing a style (or order) as described below.

Corinthian order: the shaft is more slender, it has the most decorated capital, with acanthus leaves.

Ionic order: the shaft is more slender, the capital is scroll-like.

Doric order: is the simplest style, with a flat, simple capital and a shaft with no base.

Of all the buildings, the temples were the most imposing and magnificent, each one representing the house of the god to whom it was dedicated.

1 The influence of the Ancient Greeks can be seen in all _____________ art forms.

2 The golden ratio was used by the Greeks in _____________ and many works of art.

3 The _____________ point of a Greek city was called the acropolis.

4 They built _____________ in honour of their gods.

5 The _____________ style of column is known as the Doric order.

6 Columns belonging to the Corinthian order have the most _____________ capital.

Roman architecture 4 Read the text and underline the correct alternative.

Roman architecture was inspired by the Etruscans, a powerful kingdom in Tuscany, and by the ancient Greeks. Romans adopted their (1) style/school of temples, houses, theatres and created new types of buildings like basilicas, amphitheatres, triumph arches and villas.

Building (2) matters/materials were mainly volcanic rocks, marble and travertine. The extensive use of cement, concrete and mortar allowed the Romans to hold bricks together rather than (3) depending/deciding upon the gravity of large stones, like the Greeks and other previous cultures did.

The versatility of cement encouraged them to create new shapes, as did another great innovation: the architectural use of arches. The (4) evolution/distribution of load over a large area was applied to build æsthetically pleasing massive structures. Arches were widely used for bridges, aqueducts or as decorative elements, the best example of this being in the Colosseum. The (5) technological/logic improvements in the construction of arches led to another architectural feature of Roman times: the dome, which is a structure generated from the rotation of an arch.

TYPES OF BUILDINGS Roman temples were very (6) different/similar to Greek temples: they were usually rectangular, but there are also circular temples, such as the so-called Temple of Vesta (Temple of Hercules Victor), or polygonal examples.

Theatres were also inspired by the Greeks. They were built in a half circle shape, with a stage, an orchestra and a cavea, the (7) seating/living area for the audience.

Amphitheatres were circular or oval arenas surrounded by seats and enclosed by walls.

Basilicas were public buildings used for judicial purposes. There was a basilica for each town. They had a regular layout: rectangular (8) shape/shade, a roof, an open hall divided by two colonnades, a central part and two side aisles. The form of the secular basilica was then adopted for the early Christian churches.

5

Can you name any Greek temples? Do you know any examples of Greek temples in your country?

What examples of Roman architecture are there in your town or one near you? What cities have you visited where Roman architecture is a major feature of its historical centre?

55

12 Roman heritage in Britain 6 Look at the photos and match the places with the information.

1 London 2 Bath 3 Hadrian’s Wall

7

a b c

defence system new road system famous for its hot springs

Read the text and answer the questions below.

London The origin of London dates back to Roman times. The first bridge on the River Thames was probably built by the Romans between 55 BC (during Julius Caesar’s expeditions) and 43 AD (during Emperor Claudius’ invasion of Britain). For the first time the river was used for commercial trade with the continent. As a consequence, London became richer and larger and walls were built around it to provide protection. The Romans remained in Britain for almost 400 years. They left behind a very changed nation to the one they had invaded. They introduced a road system and established new towns that often had a rectangular space in the centre called the ‘forum’.

Bath Bath was the centre of fashion, luxury and leisure of Roman society in Britain. Today, Bath is famous for its healthy mineral water, hot springs, Roman baths (which are still open to the public) and Georgian buildings.

It became a World Heritage Site in 1987 and today it is a major centre for tourism.

Every year in May and June there is an important festival of classical music. Bath is rich in history and it is surrounded by fascinating countryside.

Hadrian’s Wall Roman Emperor Hadrian built this famous wall in northern England between 122 and 127 AD. He decided that the Empire needed securing.

The wall served as a defence across the northern border to keep out people from northern Scotland. It was 120 km long and up to five metres high.

Along the wall the Romans built a series of small forts called ‘milecastles’.

Chester’s Roman fort is one of the best conserved. Today, long sections of the wall can still be seen and it remains a popular attraction with many visitors every year.

1 When was the first bridge built in London?

2 What is Bath famous for?

3 What happened in 1987?

4 What takes place in Bath during May and June?

5 Who decided to build a wall across the northern border?

6 What did the Romans build along the wall?

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_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

12 The Middle Ages: the Gothic period 8 Read the text and then choose the correct option.

The Gothic style was mainly introduced in Britain by the monastic order of Cistercians.

They brought a simplified version of Gothic from their homeland in Burgundy, France.

Many of the finest and largest works of English architecture, particularly the medieval cathedrals of England, were built in this Gothic style which flourished during the Middle Ages. Characteristic features of this style include tall pointed arches and tall narrow windows and columns. This choice was due to the fact that the Cistercians wanted to show their ideas of spiritual elevation in all expressions of monastic life, York Cathedral including architecture. There are three main periods in Gothic architecture: Early English style dates back to the 13th century and its main features are tall, narrow, pointed windows with no decorative stonework.

The Decorated style was typical of the first half of the 14th century and introduced more decorative patterns of ornamental stone carving around windows and doors. The simple geometric shapes of the Early English period gave way to the use of more complex curves.

Perpendicular style is the third phase of Gothic architecture in England. It features large windows, vertical lines and fan vaulting (ceiling patterns in stone). This style characterised the second half of the 14th and 15th century.

1 The Cistercians came from...

A Spain.

B France.

C Wales.

2 They wanted to express their ideas of ... in architecture.

A spiritual elevation B monastic life C decorative stonework 3 Early English style is characterised by...

A simple and plain stonework.

B ornamental stone carving.

C fan vaulting.

4 Decorated style is typical of the ... century.

A 13th B 14th C 15th

5 The main features of Perpendicular style are...

A narrow, pointed windows.

B stone carving around windows.

C large windows and fan vaulting.

Most Gothic churches have a cruciform plan. The nave is the main body of the church and is longer than the other three arms. Across the main body of the church is the transept. The aisles are on both sides of the nave, which is higher and wider. The nave receives direct lighting from a clearstorey – the windowed area above the aisles. Masonry vaulting over the aisles and nave is another typical characteristic.

Norman architecture in England 9 Read the text and answer the questions below.

In the 11th and 12th centuries the Normans introduced large numbers of castles and fortifications – they were a sign of their power. Norman architecture in England had a defensive purpose. They built strong castles made of stone and wood, following a variation of the Romanesque style that was quite common in Europe during the Middle Ages. They chose strategic positions for their castles, so Warwick Castle that they could defend themselves from the attacks of the natives (the Saxons).

Castles were usually surrounded by thick walls. The strongest part of the building was the inner tower, which was the last defensive point. Later, these castles developed into manor halls and their defensive aim was gradually replaced by residential and entertainment functions. The most famous examples of this kind of architecture in England are the White Tower, a central tower at the Tower of London, Warwick Castle, Dover Castle and Windsor Castle.

1 What purpose did Norman architecture have in England?

2 What materials did the Normans use to build the castles?

3 Where did they build their castles? Why? 4 How did castles change over time?

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12 Windsor Castle 10 Read the text and complete the sentences below.

Windsor Castle is a medieval castle situated in Windsor, a town to the west of London. It is one of the official residences of the British monarch and the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world.

The original castle, a wooden ‘motte and bailey’ castle, was built

by William the Conqueror. It was a military base, being part of a ring of defensive castles around London.

Its design was changed and evolved over the centuries, but the position of its main features has not changed. The oldest surviving parts of the castle date back to the time of Henry II, around the middle of the twelfth century.

The Round Tower divides the castle in two sections, the lower of which is occupied by St George’s Chapel. In the upper part are the private Royal Apartments and the state room including the famous St George’s Hall with its decorated ceiling.

1 Windsor is a town _________________ of London.

2 Windsor Castle is one of the official residences of the British _________________.

3 The original castle was made of _________________.

4 The castle is divided into two sections by _________________.

Renaissance architecture in England 11 Read the texts and answer the questions below.

The Renaissance style started in England in the middle of the sixteenth century. It was an original combination of Tudor-Gothic and classical styles.

During the seventeenth century, the designers of buildings were mainly non-professional masons or carpenters who had trained in the theory of design and building. The move towards a classical style in England was largely the work of an English architect called Inigo Jones.

Early Renaissance style in England was used in the design of Hampton Court Palace. This royal palace is situated 24 km west of London, beside the River Thames, but it is no longer used by the Royal Family. The Palace was begun by Cardinal Wolsey in 1515 and was then continued by King Henry VIII until 1540. The original style was Tudor, but after King William III’s project to enlarge the palace, completed in 1694, there were two distinct styles, Tudor and Baroque. Today, visitors can see its fine buildings, gardens and maze, and it is one of only two surviving palaces once owned by Henry VIII.1 W h e n did the Renaissance style start in England?

1 When did the Renaissance style start in England?

2 What did this style consist of?

3 Where is Hampton Court situated?

4 What is it famous for?

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___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

12 Baroque: St Paul’s Cathedral 12 22 Read the text about St Paul’s Cathedral and underline the correct alternative. Then listen and check.

Saint Paul’s Cathedral is located in London. The old Cathedral, also dedicated (1) for/to St Paul, was severely damaged by Cromwellian cavalry troops who used it as (2) a battlefield/ barracks. In the 1660s Christopher Wren was enlisted to repair the cathedral, but it was (3) attacked/destroyed in the Great Fire of London (1666) before work could begin. Wren subsequently designed and oversaw the construction of the present cathedral, which was (4) built/planned mainly of Portland stone. Wren’s design combined Neoclassical, Gothic, and Baroque elements.

St Paul’s famous dome, which has long dominated the London (5) skyline/sky, is composed of three shells: an outer dome, a concealed brick cone for structural support, and (6) an inner/a middle dome. At the base of the lantern (the (7) base/apex of the outer dome) is the famous Golden Gallery, which offers panoramas of London. Farther down, at a point just (8) below/above the brick cone, is the Stone Gallery, another popular viewing spot. The frescoes and grisaille of the inner dome are best admired from the Whispering Gallery (so called because a whisper from one side of the gallery can be (9) heard/ listened from the other side). There are some 300 monuments within the cathedral and many notable soldiers, artists, and intellectuals have been buried in the crypt, including Lord Nelson, the duke of Wellington, and Wren himself, who was one of the first to be entombed there. Above his resting place is the (10) dedication/epitaph composed by his son, which may be translated ‘Reader, if you seek a monument, look about you’.

Georgian architecture 13 Read the text. Which feature is typical of the Georgian style?

The name Georgian comes from the three Georges who ruled Britain between 1714 and 1820.

The type of building which most characterises the Georgian period is the simple but elegant ‘Townhouse’. These tall, narrow buildings were often built in rows called ‘terraces’. During the 18th century the population of urban areas increased considerably. Therefore, there was a need to pack a lot of houses into a small space and the ‘terraces’ provided a good solution.

The Gothic Revival and Neoclassicism 14 Read the text and then answer the questions.

Between the middle of the 18th and 19th centuries, Gothic style returned to British architecture. Often the churches and manor houses designed according to the new Gothic style were much more decorated than the older originals.

The most important architect and designer during this period was Augustus Pugin, who designed the Houses of Parliament, situated in the centre of London beside the River Thames. Tower Bridge with its neo-Gothic style towers, is another famous building in London, built at the end of the 19th century.

Neoclassicism became popular both in North America and Europe in the second half of the 18th century. This style was influenced by ancient Greek and Roman architecture. Its main characteristics are geometrical forms, straight lines and Greek columns. The use of antique forms in a new context was the main feature of neoclassical architecture. Among the most famous neoclassical buildings in London are the British Museum, Mansion House (the official home of the Lord Mayor of London) and Covent Garden Theatre (the Royal Opera House).

1 When did Gothic style reappear in British architecture?

2 What were the new buildings like, compared to the original ones?

3 What was the Neoclassical style influenced by?

4 What are the main features of Neoclassicism?

59

12 Modern and contemporary masters of architecture 15 Look at the photographs and label the pictures with the names of the buildings from the box.

Guggenheim Museum (NYC) Jubilee Church Villa Savoye Lloyd’s building Pompidou Centre The Gherkin Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao)

16

23 Now complete the texts with the architects from the box, then listen and check.

Renzo Piano Frank Lloyd Wright Richard Meier  Richard Rogers Le Corbusier Norman Foster Frank Gehry

A __________

__________

B

__________

60

C

12 __________ D

__________

E

F

G

17

24 Listen and complete the text about the Postmodern Movement.

During the 1930s, architects’ designs were (1) ____________ by new technological developments, such as prefabricated construction. During the 1950s, modern architecture was considered anonymous and it began to receive (2) ____________ for its disrespect of regional building traditions. As a result, the new generation of architects began looking for individual and regional forms of (3) ____________, even if great importance was still given to structure and materials. Postmodernism did not actually become a movement until the late 1970s. It combined new ideas with traditional forms, mixing and matching architectural (4) ____________ in innovative combinations. Two major architects of this period were Stirling and Rossi.

James Stirling (1926-1992) was a British architect who (5) ____________ several famous buildings and influenced the development of architecture especially in the UK, the USA and Germany. His best known design is the 1963 project for the Engineering Building at Leicester University. Other important buildings include the Social Sciences Centre in Berlin and the Performing Arts Centre for Cornell University. He believed that ‘the (6) ____________ of a building should display the usage and way of life of its occupants’. Stirling was concerned with the (7) ____________ of the environment and he wanted his buildings to be in harmony with common sense, tradition and the environment, whilst also showing concern for people.

Aldo Rossi (1931-1997) was a famous Italian architect who achieved international recognition in theory, drawing and architecture. In his earliest works, which were mostly theoretical, he was influenced by Italian (8) ____________, classicism and by the reflections of the painter De Chirico. In his designs he used the city as his central theme and believed that a city must be studied as something constructed over time, that remembers its past thanks to the monuments which give structure to it. In 1990 Rossi won the Pritzer Prize for architecture.

18 Choose one of the buildings on these pages, connect to the Internet and find out more about your chosen building. Write a text (about 100 words) summarising the information you have found.

61

12 19

25 Read and complete the texts with the words from the boxes. Then listen and check. undulating

prizes

combines

conversion

range

transparent

The Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron have been finding inventive architectural solutions for a diverse (1) ___________ of projects for over twenty years. One of their most famous commissions is the (2) ____________ of London’s Bankside electric power station into the Tate Modern, an architectural masterpiece. Another important project is the Allianz Arena Stadium in Munich, Germany, that was completed in 2005 and perfectly (3) ____________ building design and functionality. It has a light cover in EFTE cushions (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) a plastic polymer related to Teflon, much lighter than glass, 100% recyclable, durable and highly (4) ____________. As is usual in the works of Herzog and de Meuron, much thought was given to the design of the exterior. A series of paths link the stadium to a green-covered parking area, creating the effect of a huge park that blends perfectly with the surrounding landscape. Another striking and awesome stadium they designed for the 2008 Olympic Games is the National Stadium in Beijing. Significantly, the Chinese themselves nicknamed the stadium ‘Bird’s Nest’ for its shape and (5) ___________ effect. More recently, in 2019, the partners designed the new Hilton Conrad Hotel in Washington D.C. They have been awarded several (6) ____________, including the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2001 and the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize in 2014. spiritual

success

winning

countries

Plan

Daniel Libeskind, a Polish-American architect, artist, professor and set designer, was born in 1946. His first major (1) _____________ was The Jewish Museum in Berlin, Germany (2001) but he has also worked in other (2) _____________ like Ireland where he designed the Grand Canal Theatre project in Dublin. Perhaps he is best known for (3) _____________ the competition to be the Master Plan architect for the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site in New York formerly referred to as ‘Ground Zero’ after the September 11 terrorist attacks destroyed the previous World Trade Center in 2001. His Master (4) _____________ takes into consideration the relationship between the site and the surrounding city. The centerpiece of Libeskind’s design is the Freedom Tower, which he designed in collaboration with other architects. For Libeskind, it represents a (5) _____________ peak for the city and aims at restoring its hope and optimism. urbanism sustainable rebuild glass transformation balconies reuses residential self-sufficiency micro-climate

Stefano Boeri is professor of Urban Design at the Polytechnic of Milan. He founded ‘Multiplicity’, an international network for the study of contemporary urban (1) ____________. He is the founder of Boeri Studio and Stefano Boeri Architects, a Milan-based firm which operates in the field of contemporary architecture and (2) ____________ improving or recovering areas, especially in Europe. As part of a redevelopment project in Milan, the Studio Boeri was asked to design a luxury (3) ____________ complex. They planned two skyscrapers, one 85 m and the other 116 m high, built with traditional materials, but with (4) ____________ acting as planters to hold trees, thus creating the first ‘Vertical Forest’.

The Vertical Forest has over 900 trees and many shrubs and floral plants. The façades covered with (5) ____________ panels intensify the green of the towers. The project was praised worldwide, and won the Highrise Award in 2014. It has become a model for (6) ____________ residential buildings. The vegetation system helps produce humidity, absorbs CO2 and dust particles, produces oxygen and creates a (7) ____________ full of several species of insects and birds, providing fresh air and improving the quality of living for its occupants. The plants also protect the building from radiation and noise pollution. The Vertical Forest provides a system of irrigation that filters and (8) ____________ the grey water produced by the building. In addition, a photovoltaic system on the roof provides energy to increase the building’s (9) ____________, while the vegetation integrates well with the public parks nearby. Since the Vertical Forest in Milan, the Studio Boeri has designed an experimental project for Cairo, Egypt: the Cairo Vertical Forest. Boeri and is colleagues are currently working on the urban project, named ‘The Polcevera Park and The Red Circle’ in Genoa which won the competition to (10) ____________ the area in Genoa destroyed after the Morandi Bridge disaster in 2018. Another project is the first Vertical Forest in Albania and the Master Plan for Tirana continues Boeri’s belief in ‘Urban Forestation’ to help fight climate change.

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12 starfish

draw

award

construction

title

category

dialogue

experimentation

first

opened

Zaha Hadid was an Iraqi-born British architect, the first woman to win the Pritzker prize (2004), a prestigious (1) ____________ often called the Nobel Prize of architecture. She also won The Stirling Prize in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, she received the (2) ____________ of ‘Dame’ from Queen Elizabeth II for services to architecture, and in 2016, a month before her death, she became the (3) ____________ woman to be awarded the Royal Gold Medal for the Royal Institute of British Architects. Her architecture was based on in-depth research and ambitious (4) ____________, and she always paid special attention to the physical context and landscapes of her projects. These characteristics are evident in the MAXXI, the first national museum for contemporary art and architecture that (5) ____________ in the outskirts of Rome in 2010.

Its fragmented geometry and curved walls match with the neo-classical façade, while the ambitious and dynamic design creates an interesting (6) ____________ with the classical heritage of the Flaminio neighbourhood. The MAXXI Museum is just one of Hadid’s masterpieces. Other major works include the Guangzhou Opera House in China and the Riverside Museum in Scotland.

Several of her buildings were still under (7) ____________ at the time of her death, including Beijing Daxing International Airport and the Al Wakrah Stadium in Qatar, one of the venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The terminal of Beijing Daxing International Airport, with its central hub and six curved spokes, looks like a (8) ____________ when seen from above and indeed has been given this nickname by the Chinese media. It is not easy to put Hadid’s architectural style into one specific (9) ____________, and she herself claimed not to follow any one particular style or school. However, her many works have been described by others as belonging to Deconstructivism and Neo-Futurism.

She accepted the use of technology software that became popular during her time, but she continued to (10) ____________ her buildings by hand and make models of the designs because she said she did not want to limit herself and her designs only to what the computer could do.

20 Choose one of the building on these pages, connect to the Internet and find out more about your chosen building. Write a text (about 100 words) summarising the information you have found.

21 Now present your findings from exercise 20 to the class using the following guidelines.

• Why have you chosen this building?

• Do you like it? Why?/Why not?

• What are its main characteristics?

MY GLOSSARY aisle \aIl\ __________________________________________ arch \A…rtS\ _________________________________________ barrack /Æbœr´k/ ___________________________________ baths \bA…Dz\ _______________________________________ border \bO…d´(r)\ ___________________________________ cavalry /Ækœvlri/ ___________________________________ ceiling \Æsi…lIN\ ______________________________________ chieftain /ÆtSi…ft´n/ _________________________________ clearstorey \klI´(r)ÆstO…ri\ ____________________________ column \ÆkÅl´m\ ____________________________________ cruciform \kru…sIfO…m\ ______________________________ curve \k‰…v\ ________________________________________ to date back /t´ deIt bœk/ _________________________ decorative \dekr´tIv\ ________________________________ defence \dIÆfens\ ___________________________________ dome \d´Um\ _______________________________________ façade \f´ÆsA…d\ _____________________________________ fort \fO…t\ ___________________________________________

golden ratio /Æg´Uld´n ÆreISi´U/ _____________________ luxury \løkSri\ ______________________________________ manor hall \Æmœn´(r) hOl\ ___________________________ manor house \Æmœn´(r) haUs\ _______________________ mound /maUnd/ ___________________________________ nave \neIv\ _________________________________________ planter /ÆplA…nt´(r) _________________________________ scroll-like /skr´Ul-laIk/ _____________________________ shaft \SA…ft\ _________________________________________ shell /Sel/ _________________________________________ shrub /Srøb/ ______________________________________ spoke /sp´Uk/ _____________________________________ stonework \st´Unw‰…k\ ______________________________ terrace \Æter´s\ ______________________________________ thick \TIk\ __________________________________________ transept \Ætrœnsept\ _________________________________ vaulting \ÆvO…ltIN\ ___________________________________ world heritage \w‰…ld ÆherItIdZ\ ______________________

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Flash on English for Construction Managing editor: Simona Franzoni Editorial coordination: Simona Pisauri Editorial department: Simona Pisauri, Monia Cardella, Linda Pergolini Language consultant: Lisa Suett Art director: Marco Mercatali Page design: Sergio Elisei Page layout: Sara Blasigh, Enea Ciccarelli Picture editors: Simona Pisauri, Monia Cardella, Linda Pergolini Production manager: Francesco Capitano

Cover Cover design: Paola Lorenzetti Photo: Shutterstock © 2020 ELI S.r.l P.O. Box 6 62019 Recanati Italy info@elionline.com www.elionline.com No unauthorised photocopying.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of ELI. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

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Printed by Pigini Group Printing Division – Loreto, Trevi 20.83.250.0 ISBN 978-88-536-2970-8 Acknowledgements Photos acknowledgements: ELI Archives; Shutterstock

ESP Series

Patrizia Caruzzo

English for CONSTRUCTION

ESP Series

FLASH on

English for CONSTRUCTION

for CONSTRUCTION

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FLASH on English

FLASH on English for CONSTRUCTION is specifically designed for students who are studying for a career in the construction industry. It introduces the vocabulary and the language functions specific to this language sector, and includes practice exercises in all four skills.

Patrizia Caruzzo Silvana Sardi

FLASH on

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