Transcript Legal Requirements: building codes & accessibility codes

ART 4958, Senior Thesis Studio
Spring Semester 2013
Building Codes:
Impact Upon Interiors
• A building code is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable
level of safety for constructed objects such as buildings and
nonbuilding structures.
• The main purpose of the building codes is to protect public health,
safety and general welfare as they relate to the construction and
occupancy of buildings and structures.
• The building code becomes law of a particular jurisdiction when
formally enacted by the appropriate authority.
The practice of developing, approving, and enforcing building codes
may vary widely from country to country.
In some countries building codes are developed by the government
agencies or quasi-governmental standards organizations and then
enforced across the country by the central government.
Such codes are known as the national building codes (in a sense they
enjoy a mandatory nation-wide application).
In other countries, where the power of regulating construction and fire
safety is vested in local authorities, a system of model building codes is
used.
• Model building codes have no legal status unless
adopted or adapted by an authority having jurisdiction.
• There are instances when some local jurisdictions
choose to develop their own building codes.
• For example, at some point in time all major cities in the
United States had their own building codes as part of
their municipal codes.
• Since having its own building code can be very
expensive for a municipality, many have decided to
adopt model codes instead.
• Only the cities of New York and Chicago continue to use
the building codes they developed on their own; yet
these codes also include multiple references to model
codes, such as the National Electrical Code.
• Additionally, New York City is currently working to modify
and apply the International Building Code for the city in a
massive Model Code Program.
Building codes generally address:
• Structural safety: buildings should be strong enough to
resist internally and externally applied forces without
collapsing;
• Fire safety: includes requirements to prevent the fire
spread to/from neighbors, provide warning of occupants,
and safe exiting of building, limitation on fire spread, and
provisions for fire suppression/fire fighting;
• Health requirements: adequate washrooms, adequate
air circulation, and plumbing materials.
Some building codes sometimes include
requirements for:
• Noise mitigation to protect building occupants from noise pollution
(see Noise regulation)
•
Accessibility: requirements to ensure that a building is accessible
for persons in wheelchairs or having other disabilities.
•
Building codes generally do not include:
•
Aesthetics: Any regulation of the aesthetics of buildings are usually
included in zoning by-laws;
•
• Traffic convenience: Limitations on traffic flow are
usually either in zoning or other municipal by-laws;
• Building Use: the safe use of a building is generally in
the Fire Code; or
• Required upgrades for existing building: unless the
building is being renovated the building code usually
does not apply.
Legal Requirements
Building codes & accessibility codes
• Pages 395 - 436 in "Interior Construction & Detailing" by D.K. Ballast
• Building Codes 101: Part 1
• Building Codes 101: Part II
(a 32 minute video)
(a 34 minute video)
44 states and the Department of Defense use the International Building Code
32 states use the International Residential Code
32 states use the International Fire Code
What are Building Codes?
• A building code is a collection of laws, regulations,
ordinances or other statutory requirements adopted by a
government legislative authority involved with the
physical structure and healthful conditions for occupants
of buildings.
• Building codes are the government's official statement
on building safety.
•
• Building Codes establish predictable and consistent
minimum standards which are applied to the quality and
durability of construction materials.
• "Minimum requirements" means that construction meets
the criteria of being both "practical and adequate for
protecting life, safety and welfare of the public".
• So who needs building codes?
• We all need protection from tragedy due to fire, structural
collapse and general deterioration in our homes, offices,
schools, manufacturing facilities, stores or places of
entertainment.
• Building codes embrace all aspects of building
construction - fire and structural items as well as the
plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems.
• They provide safeguards and ensure uniformity in the
construction industry
• Inspection during construction is the only way to
independently verify that compliance has been achieved.
• Inspections are conducted in homes, offices and
factories to verify conformity to minimum standards, prior
to the issuance of an occupancy certificate.
• Building codes are adopted by a state or local
government's legislative body, then enacted to regulate
building construction within a particular jurisdiction.
• The primary purpose of a building code is to regulate
new or proposed construction.
• Building codes only apply to an existing building if the
building undergoes reconstruction, rehabilitation or
alteration, or if the occupancy of the existing building
changes to a new occupancy level as defined by the
building code.
Ancient History of Building Codes
• Building regulations date back to the beginning of
recorded history.
• The Code of Hammurabi (2200 B.C.) Included a simple
but effective building code provision; if an architect built
a house so negligently that it fell down and killed the
owner's son, then the architect's son was put to death.
History of Building Codes in the United States
• In early America, George Washington and Thomas
Jefferson encouraged the development of building
regulations to provide for minimum standards related to
public health and safety.
• At the turn of the century, the insurance industry
developed what many consider to be modern building
codes in response to major urban fires in the United
States.
• The National Board of Fire Underwriters published its
National Building Code in 1905 as a model code; that is,
one that could be adopted by a locality.
• During the early 1900's, model building codes were
written by code enforcement officials of various
communities with assistance from all segments of the
building industry
BOCA Code
• In 1915, code enforcement officials met to
discuss common problems and concerns.
• Out of these meetings came the formation of
three organizations of code enforcement
officials.
• The first of these organizations, known as
Building Officials and Code Administrators
(BOCA) International, Inc., was created in 1915
and represented code officials from eastern and
Midwestern portions of the United States.
Testing agencies
• Provide valuable information used in developing code
requirements
• The standards developed by the various organizations
become a base for the codes in order to determine the
quality of the material and the workmanship.
• Research and Testing Organizations
ASTM -The American Society for Testing and Materials
NFPA - National Fire Protection Association
UL - Underwriting Laboratories
FM - Factory Mutual Engineering Corp.
ANSI - The American National Standards Institute
• Professional Associations
•
ASHRAE - The American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers
ASCE - The American Society of Civil Engineers
ASME - The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Trade Associations
•
APA - The American Plywood Association
SMACNA - Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning
Contractors' National Association
ACI - American Concrete Institute
Etc.
Occupancy Types
(What goes on in the space?)
• Occupancy type: described in terms of
types:
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•
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•
•
•
•
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A:
B:
E:
F:
H:
I:
M:
R:
U:
assembly
business
educational
factory and industrial
hazardous
institutional
mercantile
residential storage
utility
Construction Types
based on the fire resistance of building components
• Structural frame, interior and exterior bearing walls, floor
and roof construction.
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Type I: the most fire resistive
Type II:
Type III:
Type IV:
Type V: the least fire resistive
Building codes address nearly all aspects of the
physical environment
• building codes address the performance of the physical
environment, and include:
• structure
• finish materials
• mechanical systems
• plumbing
• electrical
Fire: urban disasters led to the development and
adoption of building codes
• To read a history of the Chicago Fire Department, go to:
• http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/timeline/firedept.html
• To see a history timeline of the Boston Fire Department,
go to:
• http://www.ci.boston.ma.us/bfd/history/bfd_history.htm
The Great Chicago Fire
1871
After the Chicago Fire
Chicago in ruins: 1871
Chicago in ruins: 1871
The Great Chicago Fire
1871
• A web site dedicated to the Chicago fire of 1871:
• http://www.chicagohs.org/fire/intro/gcf-index.html
Boston Fire of 1872
building fires can be intense, difficult to extinguish, and
very, very frightening
A ‘small’ house fire
Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA)
• The ADA is a federal code, with jurisdiction over the
entire country.
• ADA code online
an example of an ADA compliant ramp:
the incline can be no steeper than 1:12
this restroom is ADA compliant because:
the hot water pipes are shielded, the size of the room is sufficient for a wheelchair
bound person to turn around, the faucet handles are automatic; no hand operations are
needed to turn on and off the water.