Building Codes Training for Construction Industry
The importance of learning building codes is proven for professionals in the fact that people working in multiple fields, and even different industries altogether, have to get thorough education about them to do their jobs right. Consider this for building codes and regulations: construction contractors must have command over this subject so they can ensure compliance and offer high quality services to clients while attorneys specializing in real estate law, financial law, and life insurance law also need a good grasp on this subject, since they may come frequently come across clients who need help with problems related to the matter.
Building codes are regulatory restrictions about construction quality that contractors have to follow. These codes are often developed by local councils and counties, and only with proof of compliance can a contractor expect to get the necessary permissions for construction. These building codes are established to ensure public safety and health and overall welfare of the citizens. Apart from contractors, a number of other specialists involved in a construction project are expected learn and apply building codes in their work. These professionals include project architects, interior designers, and engineers, to name a few.
Building Codes: A Brief History
Fire and other accidents related to buildings that led to loss of property and life in the 17th century put the debate of safe construction in a central position in western policy. The Great Fire of London was a major incident that forced the authorities to formulate regulations for citizens’ security in their residences and places of work. The first regulation among what we now call building codes came about in the shape of Rebuilding of London Act in 1666.
While the Act only enforced building contractors to ensure including a fire safety mechanism in their structures, it became a beacon of guidance for future legislators who built on it and further conditions were included in British and American legislature about how buildings were to be built.
The founding forefathers of USA recorded in various documents that they wanted a basic regulation to ensure buildings in the US will be constructed with safety as a primary guiding principle. Unfortunately, it took over a century for this wish to take an official form. In 1915, a series of meetings of government officials and various professionals connected with the construction industry, such as contractors, architects, and engineers, led to the establishment of three regulatory bodies to look over building codes in USA and in many other countries involved in the effort. These organizations were: (a) Standard Building Code Congress International, (b) International Conference of Building Officials, and (c) Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc.
Currently Applied Construction Building Codes
Over the decades, building codes have become quite complex and require thorough study from professionals involved in construction projects to ensure necessary permissions and regulatory compliance. With the increasing size of cities and urban settings, it became immensely difficult for various regulatory bodies to maintain the same level of safety with their own building codes. The problem was globally felt and thus a universally applicable code was developed by the International Code Council that is now used by many countries around the world.
Instead of each forming its own set of building codes, city councils and state authorities adopted the ICC’s code, which comprises of three major and specialized components: (a) International Building Code, (b) International Residential Code, and (c) International Existing Building Code.
Among these ICC’s construction building codes, each has its specific applications. The International Building Code consists of fundamental regulations that are applicable to all kinds of buildings. This particular code focuses on safety and construction quality in general, handling factors that are commonly significant in all types of structures that inhabit people.
International Residential Code is particularly devised to ensure safety of residential buildings and gets into the specifics of building codes that contractors must comply to while erecting residential structures. Additionally, regulations related to maintenance, repairs, alterations, remodels, etc., are part of the International Existing Building Code.
The current construction building codes used in the US follow the basic safety regulations of the ICC code with additional focus on energy consumption. The International Energy Conservation Code is the fundamental source of guidance for bodies in this regard and city councils and local administrations across the country are adopting the code with little or no amendments.
Apart from various professionals working in the construction industry learning these building codes for compliance, other officials, such as building regulatory compliance inspectors also need to have complete command on construction building codes that apply on the types of buildings they inspect.
Regular inspections play a central role in the compliance process and are a tool for authorities to ensure contractors are following the building codes that apply to their projects.
Our Products to Train You about Building Code Regulations
The complexity of the knowledge involved and the abundance of information, not to mention the significance of it all, makes it crucial for relevant professionals to get proper training about building code regulations. This kind of training would go beyond a mere memorization of the codes and allow amateur professionals to get a firm command on the regulations and their applications, thus becoming experts in their line of work.
As a growing source of online professional education, Lorman Educational Services is offering a wide range of online training products that are focused on giving you the next step in your professional education. When it comes to building regulatory compliance, we have a number of products ready to train you about building codes.
