Components of a building

The major components of a building include the following:
(1) The foundation- supports the building and gives stability
(2) The structure- supports all the imposed loads and transfers them to the foundation
(3) The exterior walls- may or may not be part of the primary supporting structure
(4) The interior partitions- also may or may not be part of the primary structure
(5) The environmental-control systems, including ventilating, air-conditioning, lighting etc.
(6)The vertical transportation systems- elevators, escalators, and staircases
(7) Communications- may include such subsystems as intercommunications, public address, and closed-circuit television, as well as the more usual telephone-wiring system
(8)The power, water supply, and waste disposal systems.


The foundation

The loads imposed on a building are classified as either “dead” or “live.” Dead loads include the weight of the building itself and all major items of fixed equipment. The forces of Dead loads always act directly downward, constantly, and additive from the top of the building down. Live loads include wind pressure, seismic forces, vibrations caused by machinery, movable furniture, stored goods and equipment, occupants, and forces caused by temperature changes. Live loads are temporary and can produce pulsing, vibratory, or impact stresses.

The structure

The structural design of a building can be greatly influenced by the nature of the soil and underlying geologic conditions and modification by man .

The basic elements of any ordinary structure are the floors and roof , walls and bracing or rigid connections which give the structure stability.

The exterior walls
The curtain wall, the most customary type of wall, which do not bear loads. They may be assembled on or off the site. It is a consist of an exterior skin backed with insulation; a vapor barrier; sound-deadening materials; and an interior skin that may be part of the curtain wall or may be attached separately. The exterior skin can be made of metal (stainless steel, aluminum, bronze), masonry (concrete, brick, tile), or glass. Limestone, marble, granite, and precast concrete panels are also used for facades.
Interior partitioning

Most commonly used methods of partitioning a building interior include the use of masonry walls 10 to 15 cm thick made of concrete, gypsum, or pumice block, painted or plastered; or wood or metal frames covered with lath over which plaster is spread. Plasterboard and wallboard are increasingly used.