Load-bearing masonry block
Bloque estructuralMasonry unit with properties intended for incorporation in a load-bearing member.
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2,147 construction and renovation terms9 specialtiesEasy-to-understand definitions
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Building terms, clearly explained.
2,147 terms found
Load-bearing panel system
Sistema de paneles portantesStructural system in which resisting panels receive loads and transfer them to other panels or supports.
Load-bearing wall
Muro de cargaWall supporting building loads as well as separating spaces. Any modification requires technical assessment.
Loading and unloading area
Zona de carga y descargaSpace for transferring supplies between vehicles and the site.
Local area network
Red localSet of connected devices exchanging data within a home, office or building.
Local buckling
Pandeo localInstability of a thin part of a member, such as a plate, without equivalent overall displacement.
Location plan
Plano de situaciónDrawing showing the location of the plot within a wider area.
Lock cylinder
Cilindro de cerraduraMechanism that receives the key and transmits its rotation to the locking mechanism.
Lock escutcheon
Escudo de cerraduraPlate that surrounds the keyhole or cylinder as protection and finishing trim.
Long-nose pliers
Alicates de puntaTool with narrow jaws for gripping small parts and reaching areas with restricted access.
Longitudinal reinforcement
Armadura longitudinalReinforcement arranged mainly along the axis of a beam, column, or other element.
Loop short-circuit isolator
Aislador de cortocircuito del lazoDevice limiting the effects of a short circuit on part of the detection circuit.
Loose tenon
Espiga sueltaSeparate insert fitting within two facing mortises.
Loose-fill insulation
Aislante a granelLoose fibrous or particulate insulating material filling spaces without rigid preformed insulating units.
Louvre window
Ventana de lamasWindow that controls opening through several louvres that rotate together.
Low-emissivity glass
Vidrio bajo emisivoCoated glass reducing thermal radiation exchange and contributing to the insulation of a glazing unit.
Low-temperature boiler
Caldera de baja temperaturaA component of a heating installation used to operate with cooler water than an older conventional boiler.
LPG cylinder
Botella de GLPA component within a technical installation whose purpose is to contain liquefied gas in a portable supply container.
LPG storage tank
Depósito de GLPA component within a technical installation whose purpose is to store liquefied gas under pressure to supply building appliances.
Luminaire
LuminariaAssembly supporting a light source and distributing its light through optical and electrical components.
Luminaire diffuser
Difusor de luminariaTranslucent component softening and distributing the light emitted by a light source.
Luminaire optics
Óptica de luminariaSet of lenses, reflectors or other components modifying the distribution of emitted light.
Luminaire reflector
Reflector de luminariaSurface reflecting and directing light to achieve a particular lighting distribution.
Luminance
LuminanciaMeasure of light that a surface emits or reflects in a particular direction.
Luminous efficacy
Eficacia luminosaRatio of produced luminous flux to consumed power, expressed in lumens per watt.
Luminous flux
Flujo luminosoTotal amount of visible light emitted by a source, expressed in lumens.
Lump-sum item
Partida alzadaWork priced as a whole without detailing unit quantities.
Luxury vinyl tile
Pavimento LVTDecorative vinyl tiles or planks with functional layers and a wear-protected surface.
Machine hours
Horas de máquinaOperating time of equipment allocated to the work.
Machine-applied gypsum plaster
Yeso proyectadoGypsum plaster formulated for mechanical mixing and application using spraying equipment.
Magnetic heating filter
Filtro magnético de calefacciónA component of a heating installation used to retain ferrous particles from water through a magnetic field.
Main building supply line
Línea general de alimentaciónWiring connecting the building's main protective equipment to its grouped electricity meters.
Main circuit breaker
Interruptor general automáticoMain device disconnecting the supply and protecting the installation against specified overcurrents.
Main earthing terminal
Borne principal de tierraCommon connection point for the main earthing conductor and associated protective conductors.
Main protection box
Caja general de protecciónEnclosure at the beginning of the building's connection system housing supply protective devices.
Man-made fill
Relleno antrópicoMaterial placed by human activity, with properties depending on its composition and placement.
Manhole
Pozo de registroA component of the sanitary installation used to provide inspection access to drainage pipes buried at depth.
Mansard roof
Cubierta mansardaRoof with slopes of different steepness that increases usable space beneath it.
Manual demolition
Demolición manualDemolition using tools operated directly by workers in specific areas.
Manual fire alarm call point
Pulsador de alarma de incendiosManual device enabling a person to send an alarm signal to the control panel.
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Technical references consulted
Definitions written in plain language using technical reference documentation.
- Fundación MUSAAT · Zapata
- Fundación MUSAAT · Zuncho
- ANFAPA · SATE
- CTE: Documento Básico SE-C Cimientos
- CTE: Documento Básico SE-A Acero
- CTE: Documento Básico SE-F Fábrica
- CTE: Documento Básico SE-M Madera
- European Commission JRC: Eurocode 7 geotechnical design examples
- WoodWorks: What is mass timber?
- Steel Construction Institute / BCSA: Member design
- American Concrete Institute: Self-consolidating concrete
- American Shotcrete Association: About shotcrete
- American Cement Association: types of cement
- NRMCA: Concrete in Practice technical topics
- FHWA: Alkali-silica reaction mechanisms
- American Concrete Institute: Chlorides and reinforcement corrosion
- Concrete Society: Carbonation of concrete
- American Concrete Institute: Guide to estimating prestress losses
- European Commission JRC: Major concepts of the EN Eurocodes
- CTE: Documento Básico SE Seguridad estructural
- CTE: Documento Básico SE-AE Acciones en la edificación
- Steel Construction Institute / BCSA: Composite construction
- Steel Construction Institute / BCSA: Welding
- Steel Construction Institute / BCSA: Steel construction products
- Steel Construction Institute / BCSA: Simple connections
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory: Wood handbook
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory: Wood composite materials
- WoodWorks: Index of mass timber connections
- Structural Timber Association: Timber systems
- Hispalyt: ejecución of fábricas of ladrillo, colocación
- American Cement Association: applications of cement
- ITeC: evaluación técnica of mortero of cal para revoco
- USG: joint compound technical data
- Sika: backer rod and sealant joint geometry
- Natural Stone Institute: varieties of stone
- Natural Stone Institute: technical bulletins
- Tikkurila: common painting problems
- Bona: recoating wood floors
- Placo: soluciones of yesos of terminación
- Kreidezeit: Tadelakt technical information
- Mapei: adhesive classification and selection
- Forbo: linoleum raw materials
- CTE DB-HS: Salubridad
- CTE DA DB-HE/1: Parámetros of la envolvente
- CTE DA DB-HE/2: Condensaciones
- CTE DA DB-HE/3: Puentes térmicos
- CTE DB-HR: Protección frente al ruido
- SOPREMA: Blue roofs and stormwater
- Building Science Corporation: Understanding Air Barriers
- Sika: Single-ply roof membranes
- SOPREMA: Tecnologías of impermeabilización
- Aliaxis: Akasison siphonic roof drainage systems
- ITeC: Evaluaciones DAU of sistemas of fachada
- CSTB: Laboratoire façades
- EOTA EAD 040083-01-0404: External thermal insulation composite systems with rendering system
- US Department of Energy: Guide to cool roofs
- Passive House Institute: Airtightness measurements
- Passive House Institute: Grundlagenwissen Luftdichtheit
- pro clima: Humidity-variable vapour control
- US EPA: Types of green infrastructure
- Saint-Gobain Glass: Acoustic laminated glass
- Saint-Gobain Glass: Solar control and low-emissivity coatings
- Saint-Gobain Glass: Glazing cavities and warm-edge spacers
- IDAE — La bomba of calor en la rehabilitación energética of edificios
- IDAE — Instalaciones of climatización con equipos autónomos
- IDAE — Instalaciones of climatización por agua
- IDAE — Sistemas of intercambio geotérmico of circuito cerrado
- U.S. Department of Energy — Whole-House Ventilation
- U.S. Department of Energy — Heat Pump Water Heaters
- U.S. EPA — Types of Septic Systems
- U.S. EPA — Point-of-Use Reverse Osmosis Systems
- U.S. EPA — Home Water Treatment Guide
- U.S. EPA — HEPA Filters
- Caleffi — Separation in Hydronic Systems
- Caleffi — Hydraulic Separators
- Grundfos — Non-return Valve
- Honeywell — SV2 Safety Shut-off Valves
- CDC — Legionella Control
- CDC — Carbon Monoxide Basics
- Schneider Electric — Electrical Installation Guide: Earthing schemes
- IET — Residual current devices
- Schneider Electric — Arc fault detection devices
- U.S. Department of Energy — Solar Photovoltaic Technology Basics
- Cisco — What is Power over Ethernet?
- INSST — Fichas of selección y uso of EPI
- INSST — Equipos of trabajo y máquinas: Listado of NTP
- Siemens — Aspirating smoke detectors
- DALI Alliance — Introducing DALI
- Schneider Electric — Types of RCDs
- KNX Association — What is KNX?
- U.S. Department of Energy — Solar Integration: Inverters and Grid Services Basics
- CharIN — Technical Details CCS (Basic)
- Televés — PAUs (Cajas), distribución of telefonía
- Fluke Networks — What parameters are tested with the CableIQ?
- Tyco Fire — Solenoid valves for deluge and preaction systems
- Autodesk: architectural drawings
- RICS: New Rules of Measurement
- National Park Service: Preservation Briefs
- HSE: demolition
- ASSA ABLOY: door controls
- EGGER: wood-based boards
- Pilkington: solar control glass
- Festool: circular saws for carpentry
- Pilkington: float glass manufacturing
- Pilkington: toughened and heat-strengthened glass
- Autodesk: clash detection setup
- Autodesk: common data environment
- Bohle: suction lifters for glass
- ISO: air permeability test method
- Barcelona City Council: building works authorisation
- ChovA: roof drain outlets