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Course Information: ARCH 2614–5614
Department of Architecture, Cornell University


ARCH 2614/5614 Building Technology I: Materials and Methods

Fall 2020

Jonathan Ochshorn

contact | office hours


Course Outline

covid-19 close-up
Important note: Cornell's academic calendar for Fall 2020 has been finalized, and this course outline attempts to follow its starts and stops. However, it would be prudent to assume that all dates shown below are subject to change!

I. Life-Safety, Accessibility, Sustainability, and Technical Documentation

Week 1
Mon., Aug. 31: no class

Wed., Sept. 2: Systems, CSA Masterformat
Lecture notes | Assign. #1 issued


Week 2
Mon., Sept. 7: Fire sprinklers and fire areas; construction types and occupancy
Lecture notes | Assign. #1 due | Assign. #2 issued

Wed., Sept. 9: Area calculations, examples
Lecture notes


Week 3
Mon., Sept. 14: Mixed occupancies, barriers, and assemblies
Lecture notes | Assign. #2 due | Assign. #3 issued

Wed., Sept. 16: Egress
Lecture notes


Week 4
Mon., Sept. 21: Accessibility
Lecture notes | Assign. #3 due | Assign. #4 issued

Wed., Sept. 23: Introduction to sustainability
Lecture notes


Week 5
Mon., Sept. 28: Materials, life-cycle analysis, and life-cycle cost
Lecture notes | Assign. #4 due

Wed., Sept. 30: Security systems
Lecture notes


Week 6
Mon., Oct. 5: Overview of technical docs, specs
Lecture notes

Wed., Oct. 7: Working drawings
Lecture notes


Week 7
Mon., Oct. 12: Midterm exam (material from weeks 1 – 6)

Wed., Oct. 14: no class


II. Construction systems

Week 8

Mon., Oct. 19: Structure, enclosure, and building systems
Lecture notes | Assign. #5 issued

Wed., Oct. 21: Control layers
Lecture notes | Text: chapter 19


Week 9
Mon., Oct. 26: Movement, joints, and flashing
Lecture notes | Text: chapter 10 | Assign. #5 due | Assign. #6 issued

Wed., Oct. 28: Sealant joints
Lecture notes | Text: chapter 19


Week 10
Mon., Nov. 2: Wall sections: foundations
Lecture notes | Text: chapter 2 | Assign. #6 due | Assign. #7 issued

Wed., Nov. 4: Wall sections: brick and stone veneer (video)
Lecture notes | Text: chapters 8–10


Week 11
Mon., Nov. 9: Wall sections: curtain walls and glazing systems
Lecture notes | Text: chapters 17 and 21 | Assign. #7 due

Wed., Nov. 11: Wall sections: metal and precast panels
Lecture notes | Text: chapters 20–21


Week 12
Mon., Nov. 16: no class (semi-final study day)

Wed., Nov. 18: no class (semi-final exam day, not applicable for this class)


Week 13
Mon., Nov. 23: no class (semi-final exam day, not applicable for this class)

Wed., Nov. 25: no class (Thanksgiving Break)


Week 14
Mon., Nov. 30: Wall sections: EIFS
Lecture notes | Text: chapters 20–21 | Assign. #8 issued

Wed., Dec. 2: Roofing
Lecture notes | Text: chapter 16


Week 15
Mon., Dec. 7: Large-scale views (stairs, elevators, escalators)
Lecture notes | Text: find topics (e.g., stair, elevator, etc.) in index | Assign. #8 due

Wed., Dec. 9: no class


Week 16
Mon., Dec. 14: Schedules and interior finishes, course evaluations
Lecture notes | Text: chapters 22–24

Wed., Dec. 16: Plumbing and electrical systems
Lecture notes


Final exam: December 20, 9:30 AM (Sunday, Ithaca time) or 8:00 AM (Sunday, Ithaca time = 9:00 PM Sunday, Beijing time)



Copyright 2020 J. Ochshorn. All rights reserved. First posted: 29 February 2020 | last updated: 29 November 2020