Abstract:
Every effort has been made to provide accurate clarifi cations of the code sections selected. To this end,
I attended public hearings and have examined hundreds of proposals for changes that were subsequently
approved or disapproved since the fi rst drafts of the code. Proposal reasoning and comments of the technical
committees were studied for additional insight to intentions. I attended annual code seminars to better
understand code language in general and specifi c code sections. Every section of the handbook was traced
back to its origin in a model code or a change proposal to verify accuracy and intent. Commentaries for earlier
editions of the International Building Code were studied. Many cited standards such as those for accessibility
regulations and fi re codes were examined. Every cited reference was examined for content and accuracy.
Through this research it has become apparent that in spite of the best intentions of the code sponsors, there
will be differences of opinion regarding interpretation. The individual who proposed the original version of a
section is not the person providing the offi cial interpretation at the job site. Original intent is easily obscured
in the several stages of review, modifi cation, and approval that occur between the fi rst proposal to the fi nal
interpretation at the local level. Consequently, the meaning imparted by the actual phrasing in the code
dominates original intent.
Many actual building projects are used in the handbook to illustrate how real buildings comply with
code requirements. This has been done for two reasons. It is intended to bring a sense of reality to students
studying the code who otherwise would fi nd it remote from their life experience. It also provides an
opportunity to explore code intent as related to complex building circumstances. Such an explanation is
not possible using only imaginary examples having simple rectangular shapes that neatly fi t into condition
