Building codes
A building code is a set of laws that specify how buildings should be constructed. In most countries these laws are municipal. Most countries and subnational entities will also set some limits, however.
The purposes of building codes include:
- Structural safety: buildings should be strong enough to hold their contents without collapsing;
- Fire safety: buildings should have enough exits in the right locations to support everyone being able to exit in the event of a fire or other emergency;
- Aesthetics: buildings should not be ugly or obviously clash with the surroundings by being too tall;
- Traffic convenience: buildings that get a lot of traffic should not be built on roadways that are too small;
- Flood safety: some buildings like day care centers should not be located in places that receive flash floods;
Building codes include:
- specifications on components;
- allowable installation methodologies;
- minimum and maximum room and exit sizes and location;
- qualification of individuals or corporations doing the work.
Building codes have a long history. Early historical examples of a building code include a city setting a height limit that no new buildings could be higher than an existing (usually famous) structure.
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