Types and History of Building Codes
– National building codes developed by government agencies or standards organizations
– Model building codes with no legal status unless adopted or adapted by a local authority
– Local jurisdictions developing their own building codes
– Major cities in the United States adopting model codes instead of proprietary codes
– The Eurocode as a pan-European building code superseding national codes in Europe
– Ancient building codes such as the Code of Hammurabi, the book of Deuteronomy, and standards in Ancient China and Japan
– Modern era building regulations including building height limitations in Paris, the Great Fire of London leading to the first significant building regulation, and the Laws of the Indies regulating urban planning in Spanish colonies
– Building codes in the United States, starting with Baltimore’s first code in 1891 and stricter regulations after the Great Molasses Flood in 1919
– Building codes in the United Kingdom, with compliance monitored by building control bodies and historical acts establishing regulations
Scope of Building Codes
– Building codes providing minimum standards for safety, health, and general welfare
– Areas covered by building codes including structural integrity, mechanical integrity, means of egress, fire prevention, and energy conservation
– Specific standards for structure, usage, fenestration, egress rules, foundations, energy efficiency, parking and traffic impact, fire code rules, and requirements for disaster-prone areas
– Installation methodologies, room ceiling heights, and qualifications for individuals or corporations doing the work
Energy Codes
– Energy codes in the United States based on the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
– Transition from the Model Energy Code (MEC) to the IECC
– Adoption of energy codes by states and their aim to promote energy efficiency and conservation in buildings
Relationship to Zoning Ordinances
– Building codes and zoning ordinances as separate but overlapping in exterior restrictions
– Exterior restrictions like setbacks falling into either category
– Zoning ordinances primarily regulating land use and development
– Building codes focusing on safety, health, and structural integrity
– Designers referring to building code standards during the design process
Additional Codes and Sections
– Building codes having additional codes or sections for specific requirements
– Examples of specific requirements including canopies, signs, pedestrian walkways, parking lots, and antennas
– Compliance with these additional codes necessary for the respective construction objects
References:
– CEN (2004) published Eurocode 8 for earthquake resistance
– Francis D. K. Ching and Steven R. Winkel wrote ‘Building Codes Illustrated’ as a guide to understanding the International Building Code
– Hammurabi’s Code of Laws as an ancient example of building regulations
– The National Research Council of Canada publishing Codes Canada
– Various historical sources and books providing insights into the history and development of building codes Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_code
The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (November 2021) |
A building code (also building control or building regulations) is a set of rules that specify the standards for constructed objects such as buildings and non-building structures. Buildings must conform to the code to obtain planning permission, usually from a local council. The main purpose of building codes is to protect public health, safety and general welfare as they relate to the construction and occupancy of buildings and structures — for example, the building codes in many countries require engineers to consider the effects of soil liquefaction in the design of new buildings. The building code becomes law of a particular jurisdiction when formally enacted by the appropriate governmental or private authority.
Building codes are generally intended to be applied by architects, engineers, interior designers, constructors and regulators but are also used for various purposes by safety inspectors, environmental scientists, real estate developers, subcontractors, manufacturers of building products and materials, insurance companies, facility managers, tenants, and others. Codes regulate the design and construction of structures where adopted into law.
Examples of building codes began in ancient times. In the USA the main codes are the International Building Code or International Residential Code [IBC/IRC], electrical codes and plumbing, mechanical codes. Fifty states and the District of Columbia have adopted the I-Codes at the state or jurisdictional level. In Canada, national model codes are published by the National Research Council of Canada. In the United Kingdom, compliance with Building Regulations is monitored by building control bodies, either Approved Inspectors or Local Authority Building Control departments. Building Control regularisation charges apply in case work is undertaken which should have had been inspected at the time of the work if this was not done.
