20 architecture, engineering and construction terms used across the AECORD platform, explained in plain English.
A line-item document that lists every material, labour task and quantity for a construction project, with unit rates and totals. In India, the BOQ format follows the CPWD or IS 1200 conventions and is the contractual basis for most fixed-price builds.
The final negotiation round where shortlisted sellers submit their best commercial terms. Common in consultant procurement on AECORD.
The municipal permit allowing construction to start. Issued after plan approval and statutory clearances.
The ratio of a building’s total floor area to the size of the plot it sits on. Indian municipalities cap FAR per zoning band — exceeding it requires premium FAR payments or design rework.
Indian synonym for FAR. Mumbai uses FSI, Delhi uses FAR — same calculation.
The Indian Standard for plain and reinforced concrete — the codebook every structural engineer references.
Issues India’s widest-used green-building rating system (Platinum/Gold/Silver/Certified). About 8,500 projects certified to date.
A perforated stone or brick screen used for shading and ventilation. A signature element of Indo-Islamic and modern tropical architecture.
The traditional waterproof junction between a flat roof and a parapet — a common detail in vernacular Indian construction.
Concrete mix grades (Megapascals of 28-day compressive strength). M-25 is standard for residential RCC slabs; M-30+ for high-rise columns.
The local municipality’s sign-off that a building can be lawfully occupied. Required before utility connections and sale-deed registration.
The raised base of a building above ground level. Plinth area determines several statutory calculations.
Concrete cast around a steel-bar skeleton to resist tension. The default structural frame for most Indian homes.
A formal query a buyer sends to potential sellers during procurement to gauge capability and scope before issuing an RFQ.
A formal price-and-terms request issued to qualified sellers after the RFI stage.
A more open-ended brief inviting sellers to propose both the solution and the commercials. Used for complex consulting and design work.
The fraction of solar radiation that passes through a window. India’s ECBC 2017 caps SHGC at 0.27 for hot-dry zones. Lower is better for cooling-dominated climates.
A column-only level at the base of a building, typically used for parking. Stilts are excluded from FAR in most Indian cities.
Mandatory open distance from the plot boundary to any building face. Setback rules vary by zoning band and plot size.
Traditional Indian system of architectural orientation and proportion. Often a client requirement — pragmatic architects negotiate Vastu rules against passive design.