Codes - Answers Guidelines adopted by a governing entity that set minimum standards for building
design and construction.
Standards - Answers Definitions, test methods, or specifications referenced by codes.
Federal Regulations - Answers Laws developed by the federal government that affect building design
and construction.
Three Basic Types of Regulations - Answers Codes, Standards, and Federal Regulations.
International Code Council (ICC) - Answers Organization that develops the International Building
Code.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) - Answers Organization that develops NFPA 101 Life
Safety Code.
International Building Code (IBC) - Answers Model building code widely adopted in the United States.
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code - Answers Code focused on life safety and means of egress.
Prescriptive Code Language - Answers Provides a specific requirement that must be followed exactly.
Performance Code Language - Answers States the objective but not the specific method to achieve it.
Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) - Answers The organization or official responsible for enforcing
code requirements.
Building Permit Required When - Answers New construction, alterations, occupancy change, or
system installation occurs.
Certificate of Occupancy (CO) - Answers Issued after final inspection; required before a building can
be occupied.
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy - Answers Issued when minor incomplete items do not affect life
safety.
Occupancy Classification - Answers Category defining how a building or space is used for code
purposes.
Assembly (Group A) - Answers Gathering of people for civic, social, religious, recreation, food or
drink, or transportation.
Business (Group B) - Answers Office, professional, or service-type transactions.
Educational (Group E) - Answers Use by six or more persons through 12th grade.
Factory (Group F) - Answers Manufacturing or processing not classified as High Hazard.
High Hazard (Group H) - Answers Manufacturing or storage of hazardous materials exceeding
allowable limits.
Institutional (Group I) - Answers Occupants with limited mobility, medical care, or detention.
Mercantile (Group M) - Answers Display and sale of merchandise.
Residential (Group R) - Answers Sleeping accommodations not classified as Institutional.
Storage (Group S) - Answers Storage use not classified as hazardous.
Utility (Group U) - Answers Accessory buildings or minor structures.
Mixed Occupancy - Answers Building containing more than one occupancy type.
Accessory Use - Answers Secondary use that is less than 10 percent of total building area.
Separated Mixed Occupancy - Answers Occupancies separated by fire-rated assemblies.
Non-Separated Mixed Occupancy - Answers Occupancies not separated and must meet the most
restrictive requirements.
Occupant Load - Answers Number of people for which means of egress is designed.
Occupant Load Factor - Answers Square footage per person used to calculate occupant load.
Gross Area - Answers Total floor area within exterior walls.
Net Area - Answers Gross area minus walls, corridors, restrooms, storage, and columns.
Means of Egress - Answers A continuous path of travel from any occupied point to a public way.
Three Parts of Means of Egress - Answers Exit access, exit, and exit discharge.
Exit Access - Answers Path leading to an exit.
Exit - Answers Protected portion of the egress system separated by fire-resistance-rated
construction.
Exit Discharge - Answers Portion between the exit and the public way.
Fire-Resistance Rating - Answers Time in hours a building assembly withstands fire exposure.
Fire Barrier - Answers Fire-resistance-rated wall used to separate occupancies.
Fire Partition - Answers Fire-rated wall used for corridor and tenant separations.
Fire Wall - Answers Wall with structural stability under fire conditions that creates separate buildings.