← Construction & the Built Environment syllabus

Northern IrelandConstruction & the Built Environment

Introduction to the Built Environment

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How are construction projects communicated through drawings, scales and symbols?

Construction drawings and communication: interpreting drawings of domestic buildings, the types of drawing, scales, dimensions and standard symbols.
A CCEA GCSE Construction answer on interpreting drawings of domestic buildings: the types of drawing (plan, elevation, section), how scales and dimensions work, and the standard symbols used on construction drawings.
12 min answer →

What materials are used to build a house, and what properties make each one suitable?

The main construction materials (timber, brick, block, concrete, steel, glass, insulation) and the properties that make each suitable for its use.
A CCEA GCSE Construction answer on the main construction materials used in domestic buildings, such as timber, brick, block, concrete, steel, glass and insulation, and the properties that make each suitable for its use.
13 min answer →

Why is health and safety so important on construction sites, and how are workers protected?

Health and safety on construction sites: the main hazards, personal protective equipment, safety signs, and the role of legislation in protecting workers.
A CCEA GCSE Construction answer on health and safety on construction sites: the main hazards, the personal protective equipment used, safety signs, and how health and safety legislation protects workers and the public.
12 min answer →

Who works in construction, and how do the professional, technical and craft roles form a team?

Job roles and careers in construction, grouped into professional, technical and craft roles, and how they work together as the design and build team.
A CCEA GCSE Construction answer on the main job roles in construction, grouped into professional, technical and craft roles, the duties of each, and how the design and build team work together on a project.
12 min answer →

How is a house built up from the ground, from substructure to superstructure?

The structure of a domestic building: the substructure (foundations and ground floor) and the superstructure (walls, upper floors and roof), and what each part does.
A CCEA GCSE Construction answer on the structure of a domestic building, divided into the substructure (foundations and ground floor) and the superstructure (walls, floors and roof), and the function of each part.
13 min answer →

What is the built environment, and how is the construction industry organised into sectors?

The built environment and the sectors of the construction industry, with the types of work and structures each produces.
A CCEA GCSE Construction answer on what the built environment is and how the construction industry is organised into the building, civil engineering, building services and related sectors, with the types of work each carries out.
12 min answer →