Building Code – Fire Wall Construction

The International Building Code (IBC) identifies three types of walls used for fire separation of areas within a building. These three wall types are Fire Walls, Fire Barriers, and Fire Partitions. The use of these walls is dependent upon the occupancy separation required by the IBC and whether a fire sprinkler system is provided/required.

The Fire Wall is the most restrictive of the wall types in the IBC, by creating a complete separation of the building based on the allowable building area, allowable building height, and type of construction. One goal of this system is to restrict the spread of smoke and fire within one building. The Fire wall is designed and constructed so that the structure on either side of the fire wall will collapse without the collapse of the wall under fire conditions. The fire resistance rating of the Fire Wall can range from 4 hours to 2 hours, based on Occupancy Group of the building. The Fire wall will be continuous and extend not more than 18 inches beyond the exterior surface. This extension is intended to stop the potential fire from traveling from one building to the other around the fire wall. The Fire Barrier are wall types that that provide a higher degree of protection than fire partitions. The fire barriers are used for separating exits, exit passageways, incidental use areas, shaft enclosures, separated occupancies, and fire areas. Fire barriers also include interior walls that subdivide a space into adjacent fire areas. The fire resistance rating of the Fire Barrier can range from 4 hours to 1 hour, based on the Occupancy Group of the building. Fire Barriers extend from the top of foundation or floor/ceiling assembly below to the underside of the floor or roof sheathing, slab or deck above. The joints at the intersections of the fire barrier walls must be sealed with a fire-resistance joint system (caulking). The Fire Partition are wall assemblies that enclose an exit access corridor, separate dwelling units in the same building, corridor walls, and tenant spaces in malls. Fire partitions have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour. Fire barrier corridor walls can have less than 1 hour, depending on Occupancy type and sprinklered building. Fire Partitions extend from the top of foundation or floor/ceiling assembly below to the underside of the floor or roof sheathing, slab or deck above. The Fire Wall is the most restrictive fire rated walls because of the requirements to separate the building within fire areas and provide a continuous fire rating from the foundation to the roof. The Fire Barrier is less restrictive than the Fire Wall in that it will provide a rated wall around shafts and separation of Occupancy Groups within a building. The fire barrier wall will be continuous from the floor through the concealed space at each level. The fire partition is the least restrictive fire rated wall system used in fire rating corridors and separation of dwelling units.

Building Code Overview

October 12, 2020

Scott Huber, AIA

Senior Architect

Building Codes establish a building’s quality, safety, and energy performance for many years to come. There are code requirements, such as fire safety codes and structural standards that we can see the obvious affects, but others such as light quality, acoustics, and indoor air quality have major effects on the public health and welfare.

The regulation of building construction can be traced through history back to more than 4,00 years to the Code of Hammurabi, one of the first translatable Babylonian legal documents. This code, written in stone, established harsh penalties for people who are designing and constructing buildings for others are accountable for their work.

Portions of the Code of Hammurabi are paraphrased below:

1. If a builder has built a house for a man and his work is not strong, and if the house he has built falls in and kills the householder, that builder shall be slain.

2. If the householder’s son is killed, the builder’s son shall be slain.

3. If the slave of the householder is killed, the builder’s slave is to be given to the householder as payment.

4. The builder shall repair or replace any properties damaged by the collapse of his work at his own expense.

The Code of Hammurabi might seem harsh in today’s standards, it does show that there was some control of building safety.

The great fires in London (1666) and Chicago (1871) led to building codes that addressed the risks of one building posed to adjacent buildings and public safety. The San Francisco Earthquake in 1906 left the city in ruins. The primary concern was the integrity of building structures during and after an earthquake. The other concern was the resulting fire from the earthquake and the inability to provide water to put out the fires.

Early attempts to prevents fires included widening streets, placing limitations on building spacing & heights, and eliminating the building construction of thatched roofs and wooden chimneys in cities. Sanitation was also a major concern for providing early codes. The public health and safety concerns lead to plumbing standards, light and ventilation requirements, fire escapes, water supply, toilets and sanitary drains, and stairs and railings.

In 1905, the National Building Code was created to minimize risks to the property and public. This code led to the formation building official organizations. By 1940, there were three regional building code organizations within the United States. These three code organizations were consolidated into the International Code Council (ICC) in 2000. The ICC codes include International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC), International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), International Existing Building Code (IEBC), as well as mechanical, plumbing, fire, and other codes.

Each State regularly updates the Building Code every three years, which helps to ensure that new building methods, materials, technology, and updated public health & safety standards can be incorporated into the next generation of buildings. The adopted Building Code will usually have amendments added by each state, which makes changes to the code as deemed necessary by that State’s Building Code Advisory Committee. Building codes are transformed into local law when they are enacted by state legislature or local governments, and thus becoming local building codes.

The building codes are enforced by local code officials, building inspectors, and plan reviewers. Code enforcement can improve public health and safety, as well as preserving a high quality of life throughout the community.

In 2020, North Dakota State Building Code adopted the 2018 International Building Code (IBC), 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC).

The International Building Code (IBC) is the base code standard used by must jurisdictions in the United States. The IBC intent is to protect the public health and safety by focusing on fire prevention requirements for building systems.

The International Residential Code (IRC) contains information and regulations applying to residential construction, including both new construction and remodeling practices.

The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) contains minimum design and construction requirements for energy efficiency for the building envelope, mechanical systems, light systems for new and remodeled construction.

The International Existing Building Code (IEBC) provides requirements for repair and alternate approaches for alteration and additions to existing buildings, without requiring full compliance with the new construction requirements of the current building code.

Scott brings over 29 years of experience to the design team including project coordination, building code studies, construction drawings and specifications, and construction administration. If you have any questions throughout this series or would like more information on a particular topic, please feel free to reach out to Scott.

Interior Design Projects, a cure to the Quarantine Blues

Have you found yourself with a little extra time during this pandemic?  if you are anything like me, while I welcomed the downtime for a couple of weeks and Netflixed my way through the Narcos series,  after a good month I was ready to do more. We have spent an inordinate amount of time with our lives interrupted. Well, we are here to help you ease the pandemic blues.  

The easiest way to change space is through color. And who doesn’t need a change of color in their life? Especially now, we need to shake things up a bit. Color has the power to evoke so many emotions, from tranquility to highly energetic and everything in between. Find your shade and go for it! Whether it is one wall, a focal point, or a whole room, color can bring life back to a space and improve the overall mood of its residents.  Once you pick your shade you drive eagerly to the paint store just to be bombarded with many different type

s of paints and finishes, it can be overwhelming. To minimize confusion the Master Paint Institute created a standard method for designating glass and sheen based on gloss levels.   Flat / Ultra-Flat.  Flat finishes have the lowest level of gloss, making them a great choi

ce for hiding wall imperfections due to a lack of reflectance. Flat finishes are good for seamless touch up but lack the ability to remove stains easily. Matte Finish. Slightly more sheen than flat finish, very little reflection. Easier to clean than flat finish, best use in low-traffic areas. Matte finishes are also very forgiving of wall imperfections.  Eggshell Finish. Slight sheen. Washable and good stain resistance, yet it is dull enough to be forgiving of wall imperfections.  Pearl / Satin Finish. Easy to clean and quite durable, good use for busy areas of the home.  Semi-Gloss Finish. Suitable for high-traffic areas, withstand repeated cleaning. High resistance to

moisture and stains.  Less forgiving on wall imperfections. High Gloss Finish. Can be very dramatic and attractive due to the high degree of reflectance, not forgiving of wall imperfections. Highly durable withstand scrubbing and heavy use. Resistance to mildew and stains. 

To make it easier we have created the table below to help you navigate the paint store like a pro.  

Finish Description Use

Flat/Ultra Flat Least reflective; hides minor imperfections Low-Traffic Areas, Ceilings

Matte More reflective than flat, added durability Living, Dining, Bedrooms

Eggshell Soft polished glow and easy-to-clean surface Living, Dining, Foyers,

Bedrooms, Hallways

Kitchens

Pearl/Satin Medium sheen finish, without full gloss Hallways, Family Rooms

Playrooms, Children's

Bedrooms, Bathrooms,

Kitchens, Trim, Doors

Semi-Gloss Smooth, highly reflective finish, durable High-Traffic Areas, Trim,

and withstands repeated cleaning Doors, Cabinets/Millwork

High Gloss High reflective sheen Trim, Doors, Cabinets/

Furniture/Millwork

Live Colorfully! 

Jessica has a passion for Interior Design and has been serving the region around Minot for the past 23 years. If you have any questions throughout this series or would like more information on a particular topic, by all means contact us and we'd be more than happy to have a conversation.