International Code Council partners with AWC, WoodWorks on heights and areas app
The International Code Council has joined the American Wood Council (AWC) and WoodWorks in branding a free app that calculates the maximum allowable heights and areas for buildings of various occupancy classifications and types of construction. The Heights & Areas Calculator is based on provisions in the 2006 to 2015 editions of the International Building Code (IBC).
Users can input a given building geometry, site conditions (e.g., open frontage), type of construction and occupancy, and the app shows allowable types of construction that are permitted. The “basic” version of the calculator limits building input to a single occupancy and equal floor areas for the entire building. An “advanced” option permits multiple occupancies and different floor areas.
“Determining allowable heights and areas for building code compliance can often be a tedious and time-intensive task for code officials, designers and builders,” said AWC Vice President of Codes & Regulations Kenneth Bland. “AWC continuously works to make building with wood more accessible. This app streamlines the process to identify compliant types of construction.”
“Building safety is always at the core of what we do, and we’re proud to partner on a project that helps building safety professionals accurately and quickly understand the maximum allowable heights and areas in the IBC,” said Code Council Executive Vice President Mark Johnson.
“We often work with design teams that are exploring wood construction as a way to cost-effectively increase the density of their projects,” said Vice President of Operations for WoodWorks Bill Parsons. “The new heights and areas app lets building designers quickly determine if they’re maximizing value based on the objectives of the project, and to compare the options available with different construction types.”
The Heights & Areas Calculator is available for free download via Android, iOS, and Windows platforms. Visit the AWC website for links to all available free apps.
About the Author
The International Code Council is a nonprofit association that provides a wide range of building safety solutions, including product evaluation, accreditation, certification, codification and training. It develops model codes and standards used worldwide to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures.
