Floors, together with the walls discussed in our previous issue, are the key structural elements of the building. While the walls are vertical partitions and divide the building into separate rooms, the floors are horizontal partitions that split the building into storeys (floors) and cause stiffening of the walls.

Walls are vertical partitions of the building that transfer the loads to the foundation, protect the interior of the building from external influences, as well as divide it into separate rooms. They meet a number of requirements, which forms the basis for their classification in terms of the structural function and location. Apart from vertical loads, walls also carry other types of loads, such as the earth pressure on ground floor walls, wind pressure or suction, loads of the roof structure, etc.

If it has been seven days since the notification to the competent construction supervision authority about the commencement of the construction, then we can finally undertake the initial building work, including construction stakeout, earthwork and foundations.

Starting from this issue of ”Inżynier Budownictwa” Monthly, we will run a series of English lessons that will present, step by step,all stages of building a home and, consequently, will allow you to develop as well as consolidate English vocabulary related to the construction sector. To begin with, let’s take up the issue of designand building permit.

In the May issue of “Inżynier Budownictwa” Monthly (5/2014), different types of fencing have been discussed. Continuing this topic, this time I would like to outline the basic regulations and technical requirements one should meet before deciding to build a fence. It is also worth remembering that good relations with neighbours may facilitate and speed up the building process, as well as reduce the cost of the investment.

An industrial floor is widely used in factories, warehouses, laboratories, freezers, firehouses as well as many other industrial and commercial buildings. It performs well even in the most demanding conditions, for example, in the chemical, food, paper, pharmaceutical, engineering, automotive, marine and aerospace industries. However, it should be designed such that it meets the highest standards for compressive strength and aesthetics, as well as provides a safe work environment.

Coal has long been the major fossil fuel used to produce electricity. Poland relies on coal for almost 90% of its energy supply needs. At the same time, coal-fired power plants,emitting high levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, are one of the largest sources of air pollution and contribute to global climate change. The use of clean coal technologies can help to improve the efficiency of coal plants and reduce emissions of green house gases.

Hydropower has been exploited by people for ages. Already the ancient Greeks used it to turn water wheels in order to grind grains into flour. This technology has also been used for field irrigation, in sawmills, smithy workshops and tanneries. As a source for generating electricity, hydropower was first used in the late 19th century. Currently, hydroelectric power plants provide almost 20% of the world’s electricity, with China, Canada, Brazil, the United States and Russia being the largest producers of this kind of energy in the world. Interestingly, such countries as Norway or Paraguay rely almost entirely on hydroelectric power. In Poland, although harnessed on a small scale, hydropower is very popular source of renewable energy.

Concrete is a construction material that can be found on each and every construction site. Depending on the type and proportions of ingredients in the mixture, there are many different kinds of concrete. In addition, new technologies, modern admixturesand mineral additives bring about a continuous improvement of its properties. A good example is prestressed concrete, the use of which helps to overcome concrete’s major weakness, which is insufficient tensile strength. This technology was developed in 1928 by Eugène Freyssinet. Today, prestressed concrete is widely used in the construction industry.

On average there are 2,000 thunderstorms occurring at any one time around the world, with about 100 lightning strikes every second. A lightning bolt heats up the air around it to 30,000^oC, five times hotter than the surface of the sun. No wonder that, in a split second, a lightning strike can cause severe damage to a building’s structure and its internal electronic systems and appliances, as well as put our lives and health at risk.