Design Professional 1: Fundamentals of Building Construction, Materials, and Methods

# The Design Professional and the Design Team

The design team, which includes the Design Architect and/or Engineer, is responsible for translating the owner’s building ideas and needs into a complete design.
The resulting design must meet all applicable building codes and regulatory requirements.

Definition and Legal Status: - Model building codes are standardized codes adopted by state or local jurisdictions. - Once these codes are adopted, they become legal documents and are considered the law of that jurisdiction. - New editions of these codes are published every three years ( $3\,years$ ).
Primary Purpose: - The fundamental purpose of building codes is to protect public health and safety.
Core Model Codes in the United States: - International Residential Code (IRC): - Applies to one- and two-family dwellings. - Limited to buildings with a maximum height of three stories ( $3-stories$ ). - It is a stand-alone code that includes all aspects of construction for these specific building types. - International Building Code (IBC): - Applies to all buildings not covered by the IRC. - The IBC covers a wide range of safety and functional criteria, including: - Fire safety - Energy efficiency - Building exits - Air quality - Structural integrity - Sanitation - Electrical systems - Livability and accessibility

Performance Requirements: - These define the required outcome without dictating the specific means of achievement. - Example: "Exterior wall shall have a fire-resistance rating of one hour ( $1\,hour$ )."
Prescriptive Requirements: - These provide a specific "recipe" or detailed instruction for construction. - Example: "Exterior wall shall be constructed with $2 \times 4$ studs spaced 16\"\,o.c. (on center) with one layer of \frac{1}{2}\" gypsum board on each side. Gypsum board shall be fastened to studs with \frac{3}{4}\" screws located 12\"\,o.c."

The first step in using the IBC is to identify the proposed occupancy classification based on the defined activities within the building: - A – Assembly: (e.g., theaters, restaurants, or auditoriums). - B – Business: (e.g., office buildings). - E – Educational: - 305.1 Educational Group E: Includes the use of a structure by six or more ( $6+$ ) persons at any one time for educational purposes through the $12^{th}$ grade. - 305.1.1 Accessory to places of religious worship: Religious educational rooms and auditoriums accessory to worship (per Section 303.1.4) with occupant loads of less than $100$ per room are classified as Group A-3. - F – Factory - H – High Hazard - I – Institutional - M – Mercantile - R – Residential - S – Storage - U – Utility

Buildings are classified into types based on their degree of fire resistance: - Type I: Most fire resistant; noncombustible materials only (steel, concrete, masonry). - Type II: Noncombustible materials only (steel, concrete, masonry). - Type III: Noncombustible exterior walls and combustible (wood) interior materials. - Type IV (HT): Heavy Timber; noncombustible exterior walls and interior elements of substantial wood dimensions. - Type V: Least fire resistant; fully combustible.
Relationship between Fire Resistance and Building Size: - Generally, as fire resistance increases (moving toward Type I), the allowable height and area of the building also increase. - Less fire-resistant construction types result in smaller allowable building sizes.

Fire resistance for building elements is measured in hours ( $h$ ):

Structural Frame (including beams/joists): - Type I-A: $3\,h$ - Type I-B: $2\,h$ - Type II-A: $1\,h$ - Type II-B: $0\,h$ - Type III-A: $1\,h$ - Type IV: $HT$ - Type V-A: $1\,h$
Bearing Walls (Interior): - Type I-A: $3\,h$ - Type I-B: $2\,h$ - Type II-A: $1\,h$ - Type III-A: $1\,h$ - Type IV: $1/HT$
Floor Construction: - Type I-A: $2\,h$ - Type I-B: $2\,h$ - Type II-A: $1\,h$ - Type III-A: $1\,h$ - Type IV: $HT$
Roof Construction: - Type I-A: $1\frac{1}{2}\,h$ - Type I-B: $1\,h$ - Type II-A: $1\,h$

State Regulations: - Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS): State-specific accessibility. - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ): Environmental protection.
Federal Regulations: - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): Focuses on worker safety. - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Protection of sensitive land and waterways; limits on air pollutant emissions. - Civil Rights Laws: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Housing Act ensure equal access to facilities.
Independent Consensus Organizations (Standards): - ASTM International: Standards for materials and methods. - American National Standards Institute (ANSI): Standards for wide varieties of products and systems. - Underwriters Laboratories (UL): Service for product testing, certification, and evaluation. - Example of Referencing Standards: Per the IRC, smoke alarms must comply with NFPA 72 and be listed in accordance with UL 217.

Construction Documents: Consist of graphic construction drawings (plans) and written specifications (specs).
CSI MasterFormat System: - A comprehensive outline for organizing information about materials and systems. - Used to cross-reference materials on plans and specifications. - Organized into $50$ primary divisions. - Division Examples: - Division 00: Procurement and Contracting Requirements - Division 01: General Requirements - Division 02: Existing Conditions - Division 03: Concrete - Division 04: Masonry - Division 05: Metals - Division 06: Wood, Plastics, and Composites - Division 07: Thermal and Moisture Protection - Division 08: Openings - Division 21: Fire Suppression - Division 22: Plumbing - Division 23: Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) - Division 25: Integrated Automation - Division 26: Electrical - Division 27: Communications - Division 28: Electronic Safety and Security - Division 31: Earthwork - Division 32: Exterior Improvements
Subdivisions (Sections): - Example: Division 05 (Metals) is subdivided into: - Section $05\,10\,00$ : Structural Steel Framing - Section $05\,21\,00$ : Steel Joist Framing - Section $05\,31\,00$ : Steel Decking - Section $05\,51\,33.13$ : Vertical Metal Ladders

Class Exercise: "What is the building occupancy classification for this classroom?" (Context provided involves IBC Group E or Group A-3 depending on the occupant load and facility type).
Design Exercise (Step 2 Implementation): Considering a building for Occupancy A-1 with design dimensions of $55\,feet$ in height, $2\,stories$ , and $8500\,sf$ per floor.
Activity: Students were instructed to open Volume One of the Francis Hall Specs in eCampus to identify items addressed in Section $12\,61\,00$ (Auditorium Chair Seating) under Division 12 – Furnishings.