Building Construction Chapter 1

Building Construction and Fire Safety

• Involving the fire department in the planning process addresses fire safety issues before construction and improves efficiency and cost effectiveness.
• Fast-track construction shortens construction time by overlapping design and construction phases.
• The International Existing Building Code (IEBC) determines the extent of work in relation to repairs, renovations, change of occupancy, and building additions.
• Occupancy changes may not need to comply with current codes if the new occupancy classification is considered less hazardous.
• The International Building Code (IBC) by the International Code Council (ICC) is the most widely used model building code in the US.
• Building codes determine minimum standards for community safety and health.
• Life safety considerations in buildings include fire and smoke resistant features and their impact on fire behavior.
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires the removal of architectural barriers for accessibility.
• Green design can indirectly affect firefighting through tighter doors and seals affecting ventilation.
• Aesthetics and art in building design are of little interest to the fire service but are a major force in architecture.
• The Great Chicago Fire in 1871 led to improved building construction methods to resist fire spread.
• Modern code requirements in suburban communities have reduced building to building fire spread through features like setbacks and building sizes.