Cover Page

THE CODES GUIDEBOOK FOR INTERIORS

Sixth Edition

Sharon Koomen Harmon

Katherine E. Kennon









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This book is dedicated to the special men in my life: my husband,
James Kennon, Jr., and my sons Drake and Noel.

INSET INDEX

  1. Code and Standards Changes
  2. ICC Evaluation Service
  3. Codes and Standards in Other Countries
  4. Accessibility Requirements Compared
  5. Testing Agencies and Certification
  6. UL Labels
  7. Risk Factors and Hazards in Occupancies
  8. Rooms and Spaces
  9. Design Loads
  10. Combustible Materials
  11. Atriums and Mezzanines
  12. Protected or Unprotected
  13. High-Rise Building
  14. Elevators
  15. Travel Distance Factors
  16. Noise and Sound Transmission
  17. Smoke and How It Travels
  18. Carbon Monoxide Detection
  19. Fire Technology
  20. Integrated Alarms
  21. Plumbing Systems
  22. Mechanical Systems
  23. Electrical Systems
  24. Low-Voltage Cabling Systems
  25. Building Automation Systems
  26. Fire Development Stages
  27. Industry Standards
  28. CAL 133-Tested Products
  29. Flame Retardant Treatments
  30. Plastic Finishes
  31. Administration Chapter
  32. Reviewing New Code Editions
  33. Economic Options in Codes
  34. Performance Codes
  35. ADA-ABA Accessibility Guidelines Enforcement
  36. ISO Standards for Sustainability
  37. Federal Sustainability Certifications
  38. The Red List

PREFACE

Codes and standards continue to change and evolve. Even federal regulations are amended and updated. Why does this seem like a never-ending process? Because the many organizations and individuals that develop the codes, standards, and federal regulations strive to make the built environment as safe as possible. We learn from recent events and apply this knowledge to our future buildings and spaces.

A wide variety of factors are taken into consideration. Recent building fires, natural disasters, and even acts of terrorism shed light on how building safety can be improved. Industry trends, such as new building products and improved technology, provide additional options for addressing building safety. Even the growing exchange of information worldwide has affected the concepts concerning building safety in recent years. For instance, performance codes were used in other countries before they were developed for use in the United States. In addition, we are already seeing sustainability and green practices incorporated into the codes, standards, and federal regulations—and at a much faster rate than originally anticipated. All of these influences continue to lead to new opportunities for collaboration between various organizations and future changes to the codes and standards. These ongoing changes challenge design professionals to stay up to date.

This book concentrates on the interior of a building because the codes, standards, and federal regulations affect projects on the interior of a building as much as the building shell. The goal is to make the codes user-friendly and to provide a good overall understanding of the various codes, standards, and federal regulations.

What sets this book apart is that it does more than just repeat the code requirements; it explains how various requirements and concepts work together to create building safety. This book considers the requirements from more than one specific code, and discusses the relationship of the various code publications and other related documents and how to incorporate the different requirements into a single project. Understanding the overall code process creates safer buildings. It also makes code research more efficient, which can save both time and money. This sixth edition of The Codes Guidebook for Interiors includes the most recent changes and updates to the codes, standards, and federal regulations. The following previews what is included.

I hope that this book is helpful to you.

Katherine E. Kennon, AIA

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book was originally conceived and developed by Sharon K. Harmon as part of her personal education and development as an interior designer. She invited me to become part of this journey starting with the second edition. We have been partners in this endeavor through the subsequent revisions and editions. Although for this sixth edition she officially handed me the torch to carry on this work, she continued to help me with the parts of the process that she had mastered to make this task and this edition possible. I appreciate her trust and her assistance.

In order for the book to continue to be relevant and accurate, having industry professionals give perspective on the content is essential. I luckily found people willing to take the time to read, comment and suggest on sections and chapters within their professional purview. I want to thank Kim Shinn (sustainability), Steve Kemp (various engineering disciplines), Richard Graham (electrical) and Scott Lunsford (communication) for their contribution to the content of this edition.

I want to thank the International Code Council (ICC) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) who continue to allow the use of their source material and to clarify code requirements so that they can be accurately represented in this text.

I want to thank the building and associated industry representatives who continue to allow the use of their images and products such Viking Group, APCO Graphics, Steelcraft Manufacturing, Underwriters Laboratories, and ACT. They make it possible to give real examples and images of code related elements.

Even though this book is on its sixth edition, the creation of the final product is defined by new technologies, processes and people each time. For perspective, the submission process for the first edition that I worked on, involved a large amount of paper and shipping time for delivery of edited material: now, the process occurs almost instantaneously and completely through cyberspace. So, for my first solo mission on this edition, I uniquely appreciate those at John Wiley & Sons, Inc. who helped me through this process-sometimes step by step including Paul Drougas, Amy Odum and Lauren Poplawski. I also appreciate Lauren Olesky’s direction and encouragement for the added task to create supplementary resources, stretching this edition’s effectiveness beyond the book’s pages. I appreciate all those at John Wiley who continue to be advocates for this book, to value its unique place in the industry and have been integral to its development, past and present.

I would particularly like to thank the readers, who continue to buy and recommend the book. Whether you use this book as an educator or student or for your own personal professional development, your feedback and support of the book is what motivates me to keep this endeavor up to date and pertinent to the industry. I hope that this relationship continues to benefit the design community and safe building environments.