To achieve the minimum standards of safety and welfare of residents of a building, the governing body defines a set of guidelines to regulate the construction activities termed as building codes. A building code is a set of rules to regulate the construction activities across the country.

Actually they can be traced back to Hammurabi, founder of the Babylonian Empire about 2000 BC and beyond as many experts claim they go back at least 4,000 years. The first building codes in the United States where established in 1625 by addressing fire safety and specified materials for roof coverings.

Recent History In an attempt to address the problems of fire, disease, and natural disaster, the United States initially looked to English laws and slowly adopted them. The first American codes focused on fire prevention and the first building law on record dates to 1625 in New Amsterdam (now New York).

Visit your local building department after you have researched your local building codes and inspected your home yourself. Ask the staff there if they provide a courtesy re-inspection of your home to check compliance to local codes.

Improper installation of draftstopping. Improper installation of smoke alarms/detectors. Failure to install safety glazing in hazardous location. Improper means of egress.

The National Building Code (NBC) 2005, which was released last week and is under discussion at various fora, will be mandatory once it is notified. The 1970 and 1983 versions of the code were recommendatory in nature.

BIS has formulated more than 150 standards on fire safety in buildings and firefighting equipment & systems and important ones are: Code of practice for fire safety of building (IS 1641 to IS 1646), electrical generating and distributing stations (IS 3034), cotton textile mills (IS 3079), rubber and plastic (IS 11457 …

The National Building Code of India (NBC), a comprehensive building Code, is a national instrument providing guidelines. for regulating the building construction activities across the country. It serves as a Model Code for adoption by all.

BIS has, therefore, formulated an Indian Standard on IS 16700 : 2017 on ‘Criteria for structural Safety of Tall Concrete Buildings’, to cover structural safety and serviceability aspects relating to reinforced concrete buildings of height greater than 50 m and up to 250 m.

In the U.S., the National Fire Protection Association defines a high-rise as being higher than 75 feet (23 m), or about seven stories. Most building engineers, inspectors, architects and similar professionals define a high-rise as a building that is at least 75 feet tall.

Answer: As indicated in the definition for a high-rise building in Section 202 of the 2015 International Building Code (IBC), a building is considered a high-rise when there is an “occupied floor” more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.

Low-rise buildings are defined as buildings with 4 floors or under. Mid-rise buildings are defined as buildings that have between 5 to 12 floors. High-rise buildings are defined as buildings that have 13 floors or above. Skyscrapers are buildings with over 40 floors and are considered part of the high-rise category.

Low-Rises: The Cons of Low Rise Apartment Living

• Typically have very few amenities in each building, lacking fitness centers, pools, and gardens.
• Often won’t have any laundry facilities available.
• Landlords and Supervisors may not necessarily live in the building, and may take longer to contact.

• Disadvantages of Living in a High-rise Apartment. High-rise apartments are great to live in for many reasons.
• Neighbour Interference.
• Lifts and Power.
• No view from balcony.
• Difficulty of maintenance.
• Difficulty in Repair work.
• Chaotic Internet and TV connections.
• Difficulty keeping a pet.

Glass doors and windows may blow out of their casings and weaken the structure. If you live in an evacuation area, you’ll have to leave when the order is given. If you live outside the evacuation area, seek shelter between the third and 10th floors to keep you safe from the storm surge and high winds.