Building Code Overview
The primary regulatory factors that will impact your project are Building Codes. When it comes to obtaining approval for your project, the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) has the ultimate say in whether or not your project meets the necessary requirements. AHJ typically refers to the Building Inspector or Commissioner in your town or city. It is our responsibility as Architects to ensure that your project meets the required building codes, and that those requirements are clearly defined in the final set of construction documents.
Before we even think about designing, we spend the time fully understanding the building codes that apply to your building type in order to gauge the project’s feasibility and limitations.
Building Codes
Building codes exist for one core purpose: to ensure the safety of the building occupants.
The International Code Council (ICC) is the organization in charge of establishing building codes and is the primary base code reference in the United States. Building codes are revised or amended around every 3-5 years. This is due to the rapidly changing landscape of building science, construction methodologies, and technological advancements. The core set of building codes that are referenced most frequently are:
International Building Code (IBC)
International Residential Code (IRC)
International Energy Efficiency Code (IECC)
International Existing Building Code (IEBC)
State & Local Level Code Enforcement:
Every state operates under the ICC building codes as a baseline reference. Most states provide their own unique set of amendments to these codes, some more lenient, some more strict. In Massachusetts, there is a particular emphasis on energy code enforcement. As such, Massachusetts has a separate code amendment specifically for the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).
Click the links below to learn more about the Massachusetts code amendments:
Which code applies to my project?
Residential projects that contain 2 or fewer dwelling units, and townhouses less than 3 stories above grade fall under the International Residential Code (IRC)
Residential projects that contain 3 or more dwelling units, and townhouses greater than 3 stories above grade fall under the International Building Code (IBC)
Commercial projects (retail, mixed-use, educational/institutional, medical, etc…) fall under the International Building Code (IBC)
How do building codes impact my project?
There are 3 major characteristics that drive building code requirements:
How the building will be used (housing, retail, education, storage, entertainment, etc…)
How the building will be constructed (wood, concrete, steel)
How big the building will be (number of stories, overall area of a floor or multiple floors)
Depending on the answers to these 3 core characteristics, your project may or may not require certain types of construction or other life safety features to ensure that the building occupants are kept safe to the greatest extent possible in the case of an emergency.