Governmental Constraints on Construction Chapter 2

Governmental Constraints on Construction

Chapter 2

Mehta, Scarborough, and Armpriest : Building Construction: Principles, Materials, and Systems

© 2008 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All Rights Reserved.

Objectives of a Building Code

The building code regulates issues of: life safety fire safety structural safety health and welfare property protection



Life Safety

Life safety includes safety regulations not related to fire or structure. These include: guardrail height and configuration handrail dimensions and clearances stair tread & riser ratios and uniformity.











Fire Safety

Fire resistance of materials and construction Types of building construction Smoke protection Means of Egress



Means of Egress System

Exit access Exit Exit discharge







Structural Safety

The objective of structural safety accounts for the most regulations in a building code.



Health and Welfare

Lighting Ventilation Sanitation Indoor climate Noise control



Property Protection

Durability of materials Material and construction standards

embedded in code



Code Enforcement

Enforced under police powers of the state Generally delegated to a local jurisdiction Administered by a “Building Official”



Building Permit Process

Building plans submitted for approval Building permit issued Building Inspections pre-foundation MEP rough-in post-foundation MEP final structure Building Final thermal & moisture Certificate of Occupancy Board of appeals









Prescriptive Code

Provides clear prescriptions for construction systems, materials, devices, etc.

Definitive, easy to use

Relatively inflexible - not able to keep up with changes in materials, technology and safety concepts.



Performance Code

Criteria based on the required performance of a particular material, component, system, etc.

More flexible, allowing for greater discretion for the designer.

Greater freedom for innovation in building materials, products and construction systems.



Compare performance and prescriptive criteria for

party wall construction



Floor plan



Model Codes

Developed by an independent agency based on the latest knowledge of safety requirements construction methods and techniques performance of materials and systems

For a national or regional jurisdiction

Adopted and modified by state and local jurisdictions



Model Codes in the United States

Prior to 2000, regionally based codes: Uniform Building Code (Western states & US Cities)up to

date seismic provisions-earthquakes

Standard Building Code (South and SE states) up to date wind load provisions - hurricanes

BOCA National Building Code (Central & NE states)

2000 and later International Building Code (adopted by most

states)



Model codes published by International Code Council



Components of a Typical Building Code (IBC)

Code administration Building planning

occupancy type of construction frontage maximum allowable area and height

Fire protection Occupant needs



Components of a Typical Building Code (IBC) (continued)

Occupant needsBuilding envelopeStructural systems and materialsNonstructural materialsBuilding servicesMiscellaneous





Steps in applying the building code to a proposed building



Occupancy Classification & Determination of Hazard

Concentration of occupants Fuel content Mobility of occupants Familiarity of occupants with the building



Occupancy Separation



Construction Standards

Foundations of the modern building code, they contain technical information that addresses:

Properties of a building product

Standard specification

Test methods used to determine properties of a material

Standard test method

Method of installation or construction

Standard method of practice



Organizations That Write Standards

Trade Associations Professional Societies Standards-Producing Organizations

ANSI - American National Standards Institute ASTM - American Society for Testing and

Materials UL - Underwriters Laboratories



Other Major Governmental Constraints

Zoning ordinance Accessibility standards Building type requirements



Zoning Ordinance (zoning code)

“Regulate the use of land under the jurisdiction of [a municipality] according to a comprehensive master plan”

Land use types are grouped into districts, typically residential commercial industrial special purpose

Document includes map text



Zoning text includes

Description of land use types Development standards

ground coverage maximum floor area ratio maximum height number of stories minimum setbacks

Description of administrative process



Building Accessibility

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted in 1990, effective January 1992

Ensure equal opportunity to individuals with disabilities. Barrier-free access routes on site, into and within all spaces of a building.



Principles in Practice: Five steps to determine Code Allowable Area and Building Height

1. Tabular area and height (Table 2.4)2. Area increase due to frontage3. Area increase and height increase due to fire

sprinklers4. Maximum allowable area per floor5. Maximum allowable area on all floors



Example 1

Determine if the plan of the furniture warehouse shown below meets the building code restrictions on allowable area and height. The building is:

One story high (total height 30 ft)

Type II (B) construction No automatic sprinklers

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Governmental Constraints on Construction Chapter 2