Building Codes, Zoning Ordinances

The Designer of a building must make many choices before its design is complete and ready for construction. What will give the required functional performance What will give the desired aesthetic results What is possible legally What is most economical

There are many things that define how a designer will plan a structure Zoning Ordinances Building Codes Fire Rating of Materials Legal Constraints Energy Efficiency

Zoning Ordinances Cities define ordinances Deal with fire codes Where buildings can be placed on a site Where sidewalks, curbs, parking lots, lights, etc can go.

Building Codes Local Government Defines them Most based after BOCA – National Building Code First thing building codes define is USE Groups Second thing is Construction types Other things is type of materials and mechanical system.

Type of Construction Type 1 and 2 Non Combustible Type 3 This includes structural frame bearing and non-bearing walls floor and roof construction and exterior walls Type 3 Have to be non combustible of exterior walls and other building elements can be any material allowed by the code

Type of Construction Type 4 Type 5 Heavy Timber Allows all building elements to be constructed of any materials allowed by the code.

Fire Rating of Materials ASTM – American Society for testing and Materials Establishes standards specifications for commonly used materials of construction ANSI – American National Standards Institute Organization that develops standards for many industrial products, such as aluminum windows and many of the mechanical components of buildings

Other Legal Constraints OSHA-occupational Safety and Health Act Controls the design of workplaces to minimize threats to the health and safety of workers

Energy Efficiency R Value U Value

CSI Master Format Construction Specifications Institute Master format for organizing information about construction materials and components. It is used as the outline for construction specification for nearly all large construction projects and forms the basis on which trade associations and manufactures technical literature is cataloged.

CSI Primary Divisions General Requirements Site Work Concrete Masonry Metals Wood and Plastics Thermal and Moisture Protection Doors and Windows Finish Specialties Equipment Furnishings Special Construction Conveying Systems Mechanical Electrical

CSI Division Example Division 5 Metals 05120 Structural Steel 05210 Steel Joists 05310 Steel Decks 05400 Cold Formed Metal Framing 05725 Ornamental Metal Casting