View source for Building code

A '''building code''' is a set of rules set to govern a building's [[design]], [[construction]], testing, inspections, and maintenance to protect public [[health]], [[safety]] and welfare. Building codes are adopted and enforced by the [[government]], who may inspect buildings to make sure they follow the rules.

A building code may provide rules for many different things and is influenced by materials manufacturers, firefighters, and building officials. The building may need to follow rules about providing parking or affecting [[traffic]]. There will be rules about making the building safe during disasters, such as [[fire]]s, [[earthquake]]s, and [[tornado]]es.

The rules used on a specific building may be very different depending on where the building is and what it is used for. For example, a [[house]] will have extra rules about making sure people can live there, while a [[hotel]] will have extra rules about fire exits. Many public buildings have a "maximum occupancy" for some rooms, which is how many people may be allowed into that room at once.

Building codes can also be accompanied by [[zoning]] ordinances that dictate style, building use, etc.
== Earthquakes ==
Any building code has either some minimum requirements for [[seismic load]]s (''prescriptive code'') or some [[seismic performance]] rules (''performance-based code'').<ref name="2009 International Building Code">{{cite book|title= International Building Code |publisher=Intl. Code Council - 2009|isbn=9781580017251}}</ref>

[[Earthquake engineering|Seismic design]] is based on procedures meant to protect structures that may experience earthquake impact.<ref name=SeismicDesignOfBuildingStructures>{{cite book|title= Seismic Design of Building Structures|author=Lindeburg, Michael R.; Baradar, Majid|date=2001|publisher=Professional Publications|isbn=0943198232}}</ref> However, a design which blindly follows seismic code rules does not guarantee safety against collapse or serious damage.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nisee.berkeley.edu/bertero/html/earthquake-resistant_construction.html |title=Earthquake-Resistant Construction |access-date=2010-03-24 |archive-date=2012-09-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915091405/http://nisee.berkeley.edu/bertero/html/earthquake-resistant_construction.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Building Code Media ==
<gallery widths='160px' heights='100%' mode='traditional' caption=''>
File:Puf canadian paper mill.jpg|Code Violation: This fire-rated [[Concrete masonry unit|concrete block]] wall is penetrated by [[cable tray]]s and [[electrical cable]]s. The hole should be [[firestop]]ped to restore the [[fire-resistance rating]] of the wall. Instead, it is filled with [[Flammability|flammable]] [[Polyurethane|polyurethane foam]].
</gallery>
== Related pages ==
* [http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/building-codes/ Building Code Reference Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206184117/http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/building-codes/ |date=2010-12-06 }}
{{Commons category|Building code violations}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}


{{stub}}

[[Category:Architecture]]
[[Category:Earthquake engineering]]