Interpreting the Code…

Building codes can be confusing and messy. They are normally open to interpretation, even though there are hundreds of pages of code “language” in the code books. You might ask why there needs to be any interpretation of the code if the code book has so much detail? Well, the answer is that nothing is fully set in stone and sometimes there are multiple ways to design a building to meet the level of code requirement that the State mandates. This can be both frustrating (if you’re a very literal person) and satisfying (if you are one that likes options). I’d like to share a quick story of a project we are working on currently that put us in a situation where there wasn’t necessarily one “perfect” solution.

We are in the process of designing an airport hangar building for a small municipal airport in central Indiana. Per the building code, the overall size of the building required us to either provide a fire sprinkler system or fire separation, which is a series of fire walls that “compartmentalize” the building into smaller spaces. Since the building is located in a rural area where a fire sprinkler system would be difficult to utilize due to water supply, we were forced to go the fire separation route. There were a few different ways we could go about the separation, so we chose the one that would fit best with the size and configuration the building without limiting its overall functionality. Ultimately we were able to get to the same end result, which is a safe building that meets State approval standards.

Codes are somewhat up to interpretation, but the final decision on interpretation is ultimately left in the hands of the State reviewer. As a consulting firm, we do our best to interpret the codes to work within the guidelines of the State as well as the functionality of our client’s needs. If you’re ready to build new, add on to your current building or renovate an existing facility, give us a call and let us help you get the job done.