Building Codes for Existing and Historic Buildings

by Melvyn Green

Overview

Learn to apply the International Building Code and International Existing Building Code to historic buildings

Written for architects, engineers, preservation, and code enforcement professionals, this is the only comprehensive book that examines how the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) can be applied to historic and existing buildings. For ease of use, the book is organized to parallel the structure of the IEBC itself, and the approach is cumulative, with the objective of promoting an understanding of the art of applying building regulations to the environment of existing buildings.

Building Codes for Existing and Historic Buildings begins with a discussion of the history of building regulations in the United States and the events and conditions that created them. Next, it provides thorough coverage of:

• The rationale behind code provisions and historic preservation principles

• Major building code requirements: occupancy and use, types of construction, and heights and areas

• Building performance characteristics: fire and life safety, structural safety, health and hygiene, accident prevention, accessibility, and energy conservation

• Case study projects that reinforce the material covered

Additionally, the book includes building analysis worksheets—both blank and filled-in versions with examples—that illustrate how to develop a code approach for an individual building. If you are a professional at any level who is working on creating a plan that meets the intent of the code for historic or existing buildings, Building Codes for Existing and Historic Buildings gives you everything that you need to succeed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470946534
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	10/07/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

MELVYN GREEN, S.E., a licensed engineer in several states, is a structural engineer specializing in historic structures. President of the consulting firm Melvyn Green and Associates, Inc., for over thirty-five years, and a previous building official, he is active in building code development and education. He served on the drafting committee of the International Existing Building Code.

Table of Contents

PREFACE　xi

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS　xiii

ABOUT MELVYN GREEN　xv

PART 1 INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION　3

How Are Building Codes Developed? 5

How Are Building Codes Applied? 5

Building Code Updates and Compliance 6

CHAPTER 2 HOW CODES REGULATE BUILDINGS　9

Understanding Code Approach 9

PART 2 DEVELOPMENT OF CODES AND STANDARDS IN THE UNITED STATES 11

CHAPTER 3 DEVELOPMENT OF BUILDING CODES IN THE UNITED STATES　13

Local Codes 15

Early Model Codes 15

Comprehensive Model Codes 16

Regional Model Codes 16

International Building Code 17

CHAPTER 4 DEVELOPMENT OF MODEL CODE PROVISIONS FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS　19

Regional Model Codes 19

International Building Code 24

Change of Occupancy Classification or Group 28

International Existing Building Code 29

CHAPTER 5 DEVELOPMENT OF CODE PROVISIONS FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS　31

Regional Model Codes 31

International Building Code Provisions for Historic Buildings 32

International Existing Building Code Provisions for Historic Buildings 33

State Building Codes for Historic Buildings 33

California 33

Massachusetts 34

New Jersey 34

Federal Activities 34

Legislation 34

Tax Incentives 35

Federal Agencies 35

Conclusion 37

PART 3 THE RATIONALE BEHIND CODE PROVISIONS 39

CHAPTER 6 OCCUPANCY　41

Factors Infl uenced or Determined by Occupancy 41

Fire Safety Factors 41

Structural Factors 42

General Health and Safety Factors 42

Occupancy Classifications 42

Assembly Occupancies—roup A 43

Business Occupancies—roup B 46

Educational Occupancies—roup E 47

Factory and Industrial Occupancies—roup F 47

High-hazard Occupancies—roup H 50

Institutional Occupancies—roup I 51

Mercantile Occupancies—roup M 55

Residential Occupancies—roup R 56

Storage Occupancies—roup S 58

Utility and Miscellaneous Occupancies—roup U 61

Occupancy Classifi cations in Previous Building Codes 61

CHAPTER 7 PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION FACTORS　63

Siting 63

Fire Concerns 63

Health and Habitability 64

Type of Construction and Materials 64

Type Construction Requirements 65

Fire Concerns 69

Health and Habitability 71

Building and Component Size 71

Fire Concerns 72

Health and Habitability 72

PART 4 HOW CODES REGULATE EXISTING BUILDINGS 73

CHAPTER 8 PRINCIPLES OF REGULATING EXISTING BUILDINGS　75

What Do You Need to Know about Your Building? 76

Building Rehabilitation and Regulation 76

Nonconforming Rights 79

Change of Occupancy 79

CHAPTER 9 INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE COMPLIANCE METHODS　81

Why Use the International Existing Building Code? 81

How Is the IEBC Organized? 81

Alternate Materials and Methods 85

Plan Requirements 85

Prescriptive Compliance Method 88

Work Area Compliance Method 89

Performance Compliance Method 89

Example Buildings 90

CHAPTER 10 INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE̶RESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE METHOD　97

General 97

Additions, Alterations, and Repairs 98

Structural and Seismic Requirements 99

Nonstructural Alterations and Repairs 100

Other Requirements 100

Change of Occupancy Classification 101

Structural Requirements 102

Conclusion 103

Evaluating the Prescriptive Compliance Method for a Project 103

Prescriptive Compliance Method—xamples 105

CHAPTER 11 INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE-WORK AREA COMPLIANCE METHOD: REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS　111

Repairs 112

Nonstructural Repairs 113

Structural Repairs 113

Alterations 115

Alteration Level 1 115

Alteration Level 2 116

Alteration Level 3 118

Work Area Compliance Method Alteration Examples 119

CHAPTER 12 INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE-WORK AREA COMPLIANCE METHOD: SPECIAL CONDITIONS　125

Additions 125

Change of Occupancy 126

Change in Character of Use 131

Change to Another Occupancy Classifi cation or Group 131

Applying the Work Area Compliance Method to Change of Occupancy 137

Code Provisions for Change of Occupancy Classifi cation 139

Historic Structures 143

Repairs to Historic Buildings 145

Alterations to Historic Buildings 145

Change of Occupancy in Historic Buildings 146

Relocated Historic Buildings 147

Work Area Compliance Method Examples 150

CHAPTER 13 INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE PERFORMANCE COMPLIANCE METHOD　155

Scope 155

Additional Code Requirements 156

Performance Compliance Procedure 156

Performance Compliance Method Examples 160

Low-rise Building 160

High-rise Building 184

Conclusion 204

CHAPTER 14 SUMMARY OF THE COMPLIANCE METHODOLOGIES　205

Low-rise Building 205

High-rise Building 208

Summary 208

PART 5 HISTORIC PRESERVATION REGULATIONS 209

CHAPTER 15 THE LEGAL BASIS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION REGULATIONS　211

Federal Level 211

American Antiquities Act of 1906 211

Historic Sites Act of 1935 211

National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 212

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 212

Executive Order 11593 of 1971 212

The Secretary of the Interior’ Standards of 1978 212

State Laws and Regulations 213

Model Code Provisions 214

Local Laws 214

CHAPTER 16 THE RATIONALE BEHIND HISTORIC PRESERVATION REGULATIONS　215

Underlying Philosophy of the Standards 215

Accuracy versus Subjectivity 215

Reproduction versus Original 217

Reversibility 217

Continuity of History 218

Examples 218

Historic Church 218

Victorian House 221

CHAPTER 17 THE IEBC AND THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR’S STANDARDS　223

Preservation 224

Background and Definitions 224

Application to Specific Projects 225

Preservation and Building Code Provisions 226

Rehabilitation 226

Background and Definitions 226

Application to Specific Projects 227

Rehabilitation and Building Code Provisions 228

Restoration 229

Background and Definitions 229

Application to Specific Projects 230

Restoration and Building Code Provisions 231

Reconstruction 232

Background and Definitions 232

Application to Specific Projects 233

Reconstruction and Building Code Provisions 233

CHAPTER 18 RESOURCES　237

Historic Buildings 237

Natural Hazards Information 237

Fire Safety 238

INDEX　239