1.1 Introduction to Building Construction

• The meaning of a building, and its functions in daily life
• The historical development of buildings (from caves to modern buildings)
• The basic components of a building (foundation, floor, walls, roof, doors, windows)
• Classification of buildings by use (residential, commercial, social)

• outline the functions of a building in day-to-day life
• explain the historical development of buildings through the ages
• illustrate the basic components of a building to detail
• categorise buildings based on their use
• appreciate the importance of buildings in the locality

“How are buildings classified?”

“Why are buildings important?”

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1. Introduction to building construction
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   What a building is and its functions, how buildings developed through history, the basic components of a building, and how buildings are classified by their use.
2. Functions of a building
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   What a building is (and is not), and the functions that make buildings important in day-to-day Kenyan life.
3. How buildings developed through the ages
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   From caves to huts, stone and coral, to modern concrete, steel and glass - including Kenyan examples at each stage.
4. The basic components of a building
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Foundation, floor, walls, roof, doors and windows in enough detail to sketch a labelled section and explain the load path.
5. Classifying buildings by use
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Residential, commercial and social (public) buildings, with Kenyan examples, plus permanence, storeys and mixed use.
6. Buildings in the locality
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   A locality walk and portfolio: classifying real buildings, why they matter locally, and the careers that put them up.