Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your journey in architecture, engineering, or construction technology, having a reliable reference that keeps pace with industry advancements is essential. This comprehensive guide has been the go-to resource for thousands of professionals for over thirty years, and now it's better than ever with the Seventh Edition's thorough updates and expanded coverage.
What makes this reference truly valuable is its thoughtful approach to learning. The topics are carefully selected and logically arranged, taking readers from basic building methods to the principles of structure and enclosure. You'll find yourself gaining a working knowledge of the field in an enjoyable, easy-to-understand manner—no more struggling with dense technical texts that leave you more confused than when you started.
Every major construction system gets detailed attention in these pages. You'll explore light wood frame construction, mass timber innovations, masonry techniques, steel frame systems, light gauge steel applications, and reinforced concrete construction. The Seventh Edition brings you up to speed with new developments in mass timber construction, including fire resistance considerations and the design of tall wood buildings that are reshaping skylines worldwide.
Construction never stands still, and neither does this reference. With 125 new or updated illustrations and photographs, plus 40 new photorealistic renderings, you're seeing exactly what's happening in the field right now. The chapters on exterior wall systems and high-performance buildings have been completely revised, and you'll find expanded coverage of the latest LEED and Living Building Challenge sustainability standards. You'll also learn about evolving tools for assessing environmental and health impacts of building materials—knowledge that's becoming increasingly important in today's construction landscape.
This isn't just a book you read once and put on a shelf. The revised end-of-chapter sections include references, websites, key terminology, review questions, and exercises that reinforce your learning. And when you're ready to dive deeper, the companion book Exercises in Building Construction is available in both print and eBook format to take your understanding to the next practical level.
