Building Codes Past & Present
Building codes date back to 1758 B.C. when King Hammurabi of Babylon actually used chisel and stone to record a law that made it punishable by death to build an unsafe home. It states “If a builder has built a house for a man and his work is not strong, and if the house he has built falls in and kills the householder, that builder shall be slain” Andrea, Alfred and Overfield, James (1990) page 16. This paper will explore the evolution of building codes past and present, why they were determined to be necessary and the events that shaped their existence.
The process of erecting a structure has always been an immense responsibility as the lives of the public are at stake. Therefore when a building of any size loses …show more content…
The idea of building codes extends beyond just safety to include efforts to build correctly the first time, so buildings last and do not require up fitting to bring them to code at a later date. As well as building codes are also important to protect our environment and assure that what we do today does not have a negative impact on future generations. Architects and engineers take into consideration all codes when they design a building including structural, fire, plumbing, HVAC, and environmental codes. Then the completed set of plans is given to the local authorities to review and assure that all codes are in compliance. If approved by the city, only then will a building permit be issued and can the building process begin. I know from first hand knowledge this is many times the most difficult part of any building project. I have been on many jobs where the plans were rejected for a minor issue, resulting in the plans having to be adjusted to meet a missed code. My last construction project was in Houston; it was the built out of a furniture showroom in a large design center. The plans were rejected, as the local permit office required a water flow study for all construction projects in this area of Houston. The building had lost the water …show more content…
They specify the minimum requirements to adequately safeguard the health, safety and welfare of building occupants”. (Building Codes, Fema) In the USA the IBC, International Building Code, is the most commonly used set of standards to determine codes for the state and local levels. Model codes are updated every three years and are then reviewed to determine what codes should be adjusted or added according to the newest models. In order for a model code to be considered it now must also have a cost calculated for the impact this will have on the particular issue. This has been deemed important, as cost is an important factor in determining if a code is realistically possible to implement. (Construction Codes and Standards, National Builders Association) It is interesting to note that different guidelines are applied to different types of structure so professionals must be knowledgeable on each type of structure and follow the codes for that particular class of building. An example of these types of buildings includes an institution where people may need assistance in leaving a building, such as a retirement home or a school. In this instance certain codes will mandated, including the need for specialized equipment to be on hand to assist in evacuation in case of an emergency. In fact, I noticed down the hall from the CAD classrooms at GTCC there is a special
Building codes date back to 1758 B.C. when King Hammurabi of Babylon actually used chisel and stone to record a law that made it punishable by death to build an unsafe home. It states “If a builder has built a house for a man and his work is not strong, and if the house he has built falls in and kills the householder, that builder shall be slain” Andrea, Alfred and Overfield, James (1990) page 16. This paper will explore the evolution of building codes past and present, why they were determined to be necessary and the events that shaped their existence.
The process of erecting a structure has always been an immense responsibility as the lives of the public are at stake. Therefore when a building of any size loses …show more content…
The idea of building codes extends beyond just safety to include efforts to build correctly the first time, so buildings last and do not require up fitting to bring them to code at a later date. As well as building codes are also important to protect our environment and assure that what we do today does not have a negative impact on future generations. Architects and engineers take into consideration all codes when they design a building including structural, fire, plumbing, HVAC, and environmental codes. Then the completed set of plans is given to the local authorities to review and assure that all codes are in compliance. If approved by the city, only then will a building permit be issued and can the building process begin. I know from first hand knowledge this is many times the most difficult part of any building project. I have been on many jobs where the plans were rejected for a minor issue, resulting in the plans having to be adjusted to meet a missed code. My last construction project was in Houston; it was the built out of a furniture showroom in a large design center. The plans were rejected, as the local permit office required a water flow study for all construction projects in this area of Houston. The building had lost the water …show more content…
They specify the minimum requirements to adequately safeguard the health, safety and welfare of building occupants”. (Building Codes, Fema) In the USA the IBC, International Building Code, is the most commonly used set of standards to determine codes for the state and local levels. Model codes are updated every three years and are then reviewed to determine what codes should be adjusted or added according to the newest models. In order for a model code to be considered it now must also have a cost calculated for the impact this will have on the particular issue. This has been deemed important, as cost is an important factor in determining if a code is realistically possible to implement. (Construction Codes and Standards, National Builders Association) It is interesting to note that different guidelines are applied to different types of structure so professionals must be knowledgeable on each type of structure and follow the codes for that particular class of building. An example of these types of buildings includes an institution where people may need assistance in leaving a building, such as a retirement home or a school. In this instance certain codes will mandated, including the need for specialized equipment to be on hand to assist in evacuation in case of an emergency. In fact, I noticed down the hall from the CAD classrooms at GTCC there is a special