Building Codes Violation of building codes and

regulations can cause injury to building users and expose architects to legal liability and the possible revocation of their licenses.

Governments at all levels establish and enforce building codes and regulations to protect the public welfare

Enforcement

Building codes are most commonly enforced at the local level. The central agency is usually the building department that reviews drawings, issues permits and periodically inspects the project for conformance.

Jurisdiction

A single project may be under the jurisdiction of several agencies, health dept, water and sewer, DOT, fire department.

Problems can arise because of simultaneous and independent enforcement of codes, e.g. fire codes.

Penalties

Stop work order $$$ to owner. Architect civil liability, possible loss of license.

History of Building CodesHistory of Building Codes

Code of Hammurabi

More recently – September 11, 2001

Model Code Organizations Developed in response to the various,

often conflicting city codes; written from the insurance industry point-of view. 3 major regional model codes:

Model Code Organizations

Building Officials and Code Administrators International (BOCA) BOCA Code – North Central & Northeast States, 1915

International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) Uniform Building Code – Western States, 1927

Southern Building Code Congress (SCBBI) Standard Building Code – Southern States, 1940

AdoptionEst. 13,000 US building codes, adopted at the local level

1990’s began the revolution….

the merging of 3 model codes into the International Building Code (IBC)

Common format of all 3 codes established Allowed for direct comparison of similar

design situations

Now we have a single national model code IBC, maintained by a group comprised of representatives of the 3 model-code agencies International Code Congress (ICC)

In addition to the IBC we have the International Residential Code (IRC) for detached 1 & 2 family dwellings, townhouses less than 3 stories with separate means of egress

Federal Requirements (not codes)

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990: Federal civil rights legislation requiring that buildings be made accessible to persons with physical and certain defined mental disabilities. This is a law not a code. Enforcement is the law is through legal actions brought by individuals or groups asserting violations of their rights of access, as civil rights.

Federal Requirements (not codes)

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970: Regulated building design and protects workers (protection around openings, sanitation, egress, lifts, contaminants, ventilation, noise exposure, explosives, etc.

State Model Code Adoptions New Jersey adopted IBC in May 2003;

revised as the NJIBC

Local Building Codes

•Many localities adopt the model-code documents with little modification, except for the administrative chapters that deal with the local operations of the building department

•Larger cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago & San Francisco adopt more sweeping changes to the model-codes or in some cases have no basis at all in them.

How Do You Know What Code to Follow???

•Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ): A catch-all phrase for all planning, zoning, fire and building officials having something to say about building in a particular location.

•The architect must determine exactly which codes and standards are to be enforced and by which agency; get all revisions!!

NYC Building Code

2 volumes, currently changing format to resemble IBC

Other Codes Most architectural work is concerned with the

building code and accessibility requirements, however you need to be aware of the existence of other codes for such work as electric, plumbing, mechanical, fire sprinklers and alarms.

Among the specialized codes is the Life Safety Code (NFPA-101) published by the National fire Protection Association. This code serves as the basis for the egress portions of the other model codes.

Other Codes The NFPA also publishes NFPA-13 which

governs the installation of fire sprinklers and NFPA-70 which is the National Electric Code (NEC).

It should be noted that NFPA did not join with the other model-code organizations in the formation of IBC; they are completing the development of NFPA 5000 to rival IBC

Standard of Care•Codes are legally and ethically considered to be minimum criteria that must be met by the architect; the code is the level that a practitioner must never go below.

Life Safety vs. Property Protection

•The basis for building codes development is to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the public.

•There is a strong component of property protection in code requirements; e.g. sprinklers in occupied buildings and unoccupied buildings.

•Security measures to protect the public may become hazards; e.g. window bars & door hardware that can trap inhabitants in an emergency.

Uniform Construction Code part of the New Jersey Administrative Code

NJ Rehabilitation Subcode: Regulates work on existing buildings

Types of Code Approaches: Performance vs. Prescriptive

The current IBC, like the previous model codes, is prescriptive in nature. It is developed to mitigate concerns by creating a specific and prescribed responses to problems that have been identified. Architects identify the problem, such as the width of a corridor, then they look up the prescribed response in the applicable code section.

Performance codes define the problem and allow the designer to devise the solution. Performance codes give the designer more freedom to comply with the stated goals. They also require the designer to take on more responsibility for knowing the consequences of their design actions.