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Glossary of Terms


1) Adaptive Reuse  - is taking a building like a home and changing the use  of an extant building like a home for another building code use category like office space.

2) Aging in Place (Universal Design-Build) – the adaptation of a home to accommodate the broad aging processes of  all human experience.

3) Architectural Conservation – broad spectrum of disciplines applied to preserve and perpetuate material used in buildings and landscapes. Its essence is to save as much of  the original material as possible, respect the intentions of the original designer and craftsmen; and use non-destructive methods and specialized methods of conservation.


4) Construction Management – while representing the interests of the owner throughout the process, directing the systematic way in which something is constructed for the owner in order to control time and costs. Format can be agency or Guaranteed Maximum Price.

5) Cultural Resource – the National Park Service says buildings, structures, sites, districts,  cultural landscapes, districts, objects and archeological resources listed on or eligible to the National Register of Historic Places.

6) Custom Builder – a firm or individual who builds one-of-a-kind homes for a specific client on a specific site. Every client’s set of plans and site is unique and needs a customized response.

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7) Design/Build – a single source project delivery method in which the same company is  responsible for both design and construction. Streamlines communication; eliminates additional time, expenses and confusion of multiple sources. Integrated service and quality.

8) Design/Construction Management – is combining the design of a building with the systematic management attributes of construction management.

9) General Contracting/Building – is the act and art of creating buildings by putting together systems, materials and parts.

10) Green Design/Build – incorporating holistic environmental and energy principles in all design and building issues.

11) *Historic Rehabilitation – per the National Park Service: the process of making a compatible use for a building through repair, alterations and additions. The goal is to preserve those portions of the resource which convey its historical, cultural or architectural values.

12) Historic Reproduction –  recreation of a home that appears as it did at particular time in history. The buildings and landscapes materials, design, color and texture of finish exterior and interior details are based on historical prototypes.

13) Master Builder – mixture of creative artisan (grounded in academic traditions of aesthetics, proportion, geometry and symbol) and discriminating craftsperson – construction pragmatist based in the Renaissance tradition.

14) Mothballing/Stabilization – are the preliminary measures used to secure a building structurally from negative natural and artificial deterioration. The goal of stabilization is to prevent further deterioration while a future plan is developed.

15) Owner’s Representative  - a representative has the express authority to bind the owner to all matters requiring the Owner’s approval or authorization in a project.

16)* Preservation – per the National Park Service: the process of maintaining a building’s existing form, integrity of systems and materials as well as the existing shape and landscape of a site. Identifying, retaining and preserving of character defining features are critical in the process.

17) Rehabilitation/renovation – the process of repairing or altering a building to make it livable and usable for an efficient contemporary use. No attempt is made to retain or restore original spaces, materials and detailing.

18) Remodeling – the method of intervention which form, materials and detailing are removed or covered over.  Many new materials and systems are used in the upgrade of the building.

19) Repair/maintenance - is a periodic review of building systems and materials to evaluate conditions and a methodical intervention to prevent deterioration

20)*Restoration – per the National Park Service: the processes of making a building appear as it did at a particular time in its history according to National Park Service guidelines. Maintaining, protection, saving form, materials and detailing are paramount in the project.

21) Sympathetic building changes- changes implemented in a manner similar to the original design or its spirit, but with new features, characteristics or materials.

22) Value Engineering- process which looks for ower cost alternatives by trying to incorporate comparable materials, products and methodologies to fit project budget.
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* The National Park Service preserves the natural and cultural resources of the National Park System as well as has programs supporting private sector real property.


Before:Federal Chamber Restoration, Easton, MA. after: Federal Chamber Restoration, Easton, MA.