THE BUILDING ENVELOPE: Lecture 3

Building Codes and Standards

 MODEL BUILDING CODES

• Establish standard of practice

• Represent “minimum” standards

• Must be adopted by local authority to be

“legal”
 MODEL BUILDING CODES

April 2000:
Uniform Building Code
Standard Building Code
BOCA/Basic Building Code
became
The International Building Code
 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE

• One national consensus model code

• Based on national consensus standard
(ASCE 7)
• Will become standard of practice in
foreseeable future as local jurisdictions
formally adopt the IBC
 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE

• Replaces CABO “One- and Two-Family

Dwelling Code”
• Residential buildings where V > 110 mph
must be designed for loads in ASCE 7
• Requires that ~ one-half of new residential
buildings in U.S. be “engineered”
 ASCE 7

• National consensus standard

• Captures modern wind engineering
technology
• Addresses factors judged to affect
significantly the pressures that act on
buildings in windstorms
ASCE 7: FACTORS THAT AFFECT PRESSURE

• wind speed (V)

• terrain (Kz)
• topography (Kzt)
• wind direction (Kd)
• wind gusts (G)
• building geometry (Cp)
• relative importance of the building (I).
 NATIONAL CONSENSUS STANDARDS

ASCE 7: Minimum Design Loads

ASTM: Wind Borne Debris
AISC/AISI: Steel Construction
ACI: Reinforced Concrete
NFPA: Timber Construction
NCMA: Concrete Masonry
MBMA: Metal Buildings
AAMA: Architectural Glazing
 LOCAL BUILDING CODES

Formal enactment of laws or ordinances are

necessary for legal enforcement of
Local Building Codes
• State Building Codes
• County Building Codes
• Municipal Building Codes
• Insurance Building Codes
 PERFORMANCE AND PRESCRIPTIVE
CODES

Performance Codes: Require the designer to

meet specific performance standards (e.g.,
a specific design wind speed)
Prescriptive Codes: Prescribe construction
details for the builder (i.e., if the builder
conforms the building is deemed to be in
compliance)
 THE "EITHER/OR" OPTION

• The IRC and ASCE 7 offer the designer an

option:
Design for (1) windborne debris (i.e.
window protection) or (2) for internal
pressure
• Many designers opt for (2)
• Option 2 is often short sighted
 BEYOND CODE MINIMUMS

• IBC/IRC and ASCE 7 establish minimum

requirements
• Designer has responsibility to assess special
project conditions that may warrant
attention beyond code minimums
• Special design requirements may be
established