Code Issues

As part of the Brick Industry Association's commitment to making it easy to use brick, our Washington, DC-based engineering staff attends all code meeting and analyzes each change in codes.

We play an active role in advising the various regulatory agencies on changes to the codes concerning the most effective uses of brick. Key code issues and summaries of the most recent updates are found in this section.

Performance Based Building Codes

Performance vs. Prescriptive
Building codes are typically classified as prescriptive codes or performance codes. A prescriptive code specifies in detail exactly what materials are to be used and how they are to be assembled. Alternatively, a performance code describes a level of accepted performance to which the assembly or construction must conform without specifically outlining how materials are to be assembled. Intrinsically, performance codes allow more freedom in construction than prescriptive. They are also more readily adaptable to new construction materials.

Existing Codes
Currently, there are four model building codes in the United States. Commercial building codes are comprised of the National Building Code (NBC), Standard Building Code (SBC) and Uniform Building Code (UBC) and residential is handled by the CABO One and Two Family Dwelling Code (CABO) code. Which code governs depends on which code has been adopted by your local jurisdiction. However, in the year 2000, new codes will be available for adoption including the International Building Code (IBC) for commercial use and the International Residential Code (IRC) for residential. The IBC and IRC are being developed with the intention of having a national code document which will be used throughout the United States. It is anticipated that these codes will eventually take over the role of the existing model codes as more and more jurisdictions choose to adopt them.

The codes in use today have a mix of performance and prescriptive language. The CABO and IRC are more prescriptive with their extensive use of tables and diagrams while NBC, SBC, UBC, and IBC lean more to the performance side. To date, no code has been written strictly as a prescriptive or performance document. The trend in the industry is toward a performance-based code which will allow greater freedom of construction.

How Performance Codes Affect the Brick Industry.
It is the intent of building codes to "ensure public safety, health and welfare" through "safety to life and property from all hazards." Both performance and prescriptive codes serve this same purpose. Prescriptive codes meet this intent by dictating how materials are to be employed in a safe manner in a building. While the code language must be specific as to how the material is used, it does not stipulate the reason behind the code. Consequently, many factors can contribute to a particular code provision including rationalization, calculations, and (of note) accepted practice and standards based on historical performance. Performance codes meet the intent by setting the minimum performance standard to be met by a building system. Thus it is left to the design team or the industry selling the system to prove that the system performs at or above the level of the standard.

Currently, several performance documents are in their initial stages of development including the IBC Performance Code (IBCPC) and the Residential Performance Guide for Structural Safety (RPGSS). It should be noted that the RPGSS is not a building code but rather a guide to be used by industry to introduce products to market. While these documents are a long way from publication, they represent the next generation of codes. In its most recent version, the IBCPC still includes provisions for prescriptive requirements. The RPGSS, however, is written strictly as a performance-based document stipulating the material performance necessary for compliance.

But let's imagine that a performance-based code sets a standard which has not been previously used. If an existing material, such as brick, historically meets the standard through accepted practice, but the industry does not have testing to demonstrate compliance, then the material may require further testing. In other words, just because a particular design has a history of good performance, does not necessarily mean it will not need testing to show that it has the "numbers" to comply with the standard. In addition, writing a performance code which includes all the necessary standards to establish a well-constructed building is not an easy undertaking. All provisions must be well thought through so as not to give certain materials advantages over others and not bring faulty systems or products to market (such as EIFS).

While performance-based codes have a long way to go before they are on the books, now is the time to deal with them. And that is why we are constantly monitoring and participating in the review and critique of these documents to ensure that our interests are heard.

Return to BIA Main Page