Building Codes have been around since the dawn of civilization, and are in place to help protect the builders, owners, and occupants. While each region has its own set of rules and specifications, most of them follow the guidelines of the ICC. If you are looking for a CAD services professional who is knowledgeable in the latest rules and specifications of different building codes, look no further that the freelance contractors at Cad Crowd.
Since the time of the earliest civilizations, building codes have been around, determining the design and construction of buildings. As far back as 3800 years ago, the Code of Hammurabi, the ancient Babylonian king, declared that if a building collapsed and killed the owner, the builder would also then be put to death. While, the Building Codes of today are nowhere near as harsh in their penalties against collapse, they are still drafted in a way to help protect owners and occupants from things like floods, fires, and earthquakes.
Aside from safety, Building Codes have historically been utilized to help protect against property loss. The Napoleonic Codes of the 18th Century that served as a sort of insurance policy against loss. Other Building Codes were developed in order to establish guidelines for the types of materials or systems to use in certain cities or neighborhoods. In the 12th Century, for example, the Lord Mayor of London required that party walls were to be built in between buildings. Another good example is the requirement that a house’s exterior is made brick and stone in certain cities.
Today, building codes are still around, and are classified as a set of rules or guideline which specifies the minimum levels of safety that is applicable to buildings. Just like the Babylonian Code of the Ancient times, when these rules or guidelines are formerly enacted upon by a ruling government body, they become the law. The CAD design professionals of today do not have to worry about being put to death. Instead, they find themselves cast in the role of negotiator as they do their best to comprise the wishes of their clients and the limitations of the various Building Codes.
Also, while codes have been around since the time the first cities were being erected, they have always been changing to meet the needs and handle the new building technologies that come out. For example, the emergence of integrated computer aided design and high performance 3D modeling software, has led to high performance building codes that are designed to help give the drafting and design team more flexibility. This gives CAD draftsmen the ability to meet their clients’ needs while still keeping the building within the code.
The Different Types of Code
Codes are not only used by architects and CAD engineers in their building designs. They are also used by safety inspectors to make sure that a building is safe to occupy. Environmental scientists make sure the buildings do not impose upon the environment, while real estate developers make sure their investment is secure. Contractors and subcontractors ensure the safety of the build together with businesses that produce building products and materials. On the other hand, insurance agencies assess risk and building managers to keep their lots occupied. These make tenants feel secure and protected.
Building Codes generally address things like:
- Structural Safety – Guidelines to keep the building from collapsing and withstanding to a certain extant external and internal forces.
- Fire Safety – Features need to be incorporated in the building’s design to help prevent and limit the spread of fire. It should also incorporate safe exits from the building in case of fire.
- Health and Habitability – The building’s design also needs to incorporate features such plumbing, electricity and bathrooms so that people can inhabit it in relative comfort.
Other features included in Building Codes can include:
- Component and parts specifications
- The types of building methodologies that are permissible
- Size and location specifications of rooms and exits
- The qualifications of the CAD engineers and CAD draftsmen, contractors, builders, design firms, electricians, and everyone else involved in the design and building of the work
Building Codes generally do not include any specifications related to the overall aesthetics of the buildings. They also do not address any required upgrades unless the building is being renovated, or the use of the building changes.
Other things that must building codes need to include are:
- Easy access for the handicapped
- Employment of noise mitigation building techniques to help protect the occupants from noise pollution
- Environmental and energy conversation techniques to help eliminate the building’s environmental footprint
The International Code Council
Every Country generally has a different approach to the regulation and enforcement of building codes. This enforcement of building codes is generally dependent upon the laws that each country follows. However, there is an agency that does govern codes on a global basis. This agency is known as the International Code Council or ICC. The ICC was formed when the publishers of the National and International Building Codes decided to join forces to develop a code that could be recognized all over the globe. These codes target fire prevention and building safety as well as construction and safety codes that used in residential and commercial construction. The ICC helps promote consistent code enforcement and better quality construction within the United States and elsewhere.
Codes and Structures of Specific Areas
Different building Codes and Specifications also differ from country to country, state to state, and even in different areas. Building Codes and Specifications must be formulated with the individual location’s climatic and geographic features in mind.
The International Code Series
With the merging of different building code publishers to form the ICC resulted in the United State’s first series of unified and coordinated building codes known as the International Code Series. The series includes the International Building code (IBC), the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), International Fire Code (IFC), the International Residential Code (IRC) plus others.
If you are looking for a freelance CAD design Professional with knowledge of the various national and International Building Codes that need to be followed look no further than CAD Crowd. All of the freelance contractors on our site are tested on their knowledge of various international building codes. We have the qualified CAD engineers and draftsmen available that will ensure your building designs are up to code. The best contractors are a few simple clicks away. Join Cad Crowd now and get up to code.
