International Building Code

The codes are widely used in the United States of America. The system that was established within the dedicated fraternity in the 1900s, is a system of building regulations developed by three regional code groups. The special building codes were developed by the BOCAI or the Building Officials Code Administrators International based in the East Coast and throughout the Mid West regions, the SBCCI or the Southern Building Code Congress International in the South East and the International Conference of Building Officials or ICBO in the West Coast. The special regional International Building Code or IBC has been effectively applied and very responsive to the regulatory demands made by the various local jurisdictions.

By the early 1990s, it was more than obvious that there was the specific need for a single and well co-ordinated model codes acceptable on a national level. The three model code grouping authorities then combined their individual efforts into establishing the International Code Coucil in 1994. The effort and aim was driven towards develop ICC codes that would not be limited by regional restrictions. It took extensive research and three years of dedicated effort towards development before the first edition of the International Building Code was published in 1997. The International Building Code was developed on the basis of the three legacy codes that were previously developed by the BOCAI or the Building Officials Code Administrators International, the SBCCI or the Southern Building Code Congress International and the International Conference of Building Officials or ICBO, the organizations that constitute ICC.

ICC has successfully completed the International Codes series by the turn of the century and now the development of the legacy codes has ceased. It is important to understand that the NFPA or the National Fire Protection Association, who is also a large contributor to the model code development project is absent in the endeavor. Initially, the National Fire Protection Association was a part of the endeavor of the ICC, to collectively develop the International Fire Code. However, the effort fell apart and subsequent efforts to reach any form of co-ordination have been unsuccessful. The NFPA or the National Fire Protection Association 's attempt to establish a competitive building standard series has been opposed by the AIA or the American Institute of Architects and the NAHB or the National Association of Home Builders.

The International Building Code and the National Fire Protection Association effort to contribute to and save the development of the unified set of building model codes have failed. The result of the continuing aggressive push for adoption of documents and the unwillingness to cooperate on a single national building code is that the local governments and the dedicated construction and real estate intensive industries are confronted with this ‘Battle for Code Supremacy’. The most extensively covered building concern within the International Building Code is that of effective fire prevention. The conditions differ though, from the related IBC code for efficient fire protection measures. The latter elaborates on construction and design details to handle fire prevention on a long term basis.

The building code would ideally deal with the exact location of the emergency exits and the essentials of the fire code to ensure that the emergency fire exits are maintained unblocked. The building code also elaborates on blue print details with regards to access for the disabled and stability of the structure to deal with tremors and violent external forces. When any municipality adopts the International Building Code, it automatically also adopts the sections of the other reference codes like essential plumbing, mechanical and electric codes that are recognized by the IBC. The chapters include specifics on building heights and occupancy classifications, interiors and foundation and roof construction, fire protection systems, building material and incorporation of elevators and escalators within the structure. International Building codes are generally applied to new constructions and alterations or additions. Many a times, changes in the use of a building expose the entire structure to adopt the code.