Building Codes & Regulations Flashcards
7 cards from real CMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Building Codes & Regulations flashcards as text
The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is primarily enforced at which level of government in the United States?
Answer: State and local governments who adopt it
The IECC is a model code adopted and enforced at the state and local level; no single federal mandate requires all jurisdictions to use it.
Under the IBC, a 'fire wall' differs from a 'fire barrier' primarily in that a fire wall:
Answer: Allows the building to be considered two separate buildings for area and height purposes
A fire wall creates a structural separation that allows each side to be treated as a separate building for area, height, and occupancy analysis.
Which of the following actions would constitute an 'encroachment' issue during the code compliance review of a building design?
Answer: Placing a bay window that projects beyond the setback line into the public right-of-way
An encroachment occurs when a building element extends beyond the property line or setback into the public right-of-way, requiring a special permit or easement.
The 'Means of Egress' under the IBC consists of three components. Which of the following correctly lists all three?
Answer: Exit access, exit, and exit discharge
The three components of a means of egress are exit access (path to the exit), exit (protected path), and exit discharge (path from the exit to the public way).
Historic buildings seeking to meet current code while preserving character-defining features are best served by which compliance path?
Answer: The alternative means and methods provisions or the IEBC's performance path
The IEBC's performance path and IBC's alternative means and methods allow equivalent safety solutions that preserve historic fabric without full prescriptive compliance.
Under ASCE 7, the 'importance factor' (Ie) applied to wind and seismic loads is highest for which Risk Category?
Answer: Risk Category IV
Risk Category IV (essential facilities such as hospitals and emergency shelters) has the highest importance factor, requiring the structure to remain operational after a major event.
A Certificate of Occupancy (CO) is typically issued by:
Answer: The local building department after all required inspections are passed
The local building department issues a Certificate of Occupancy once all required inspections are completed and the building is deemed code-compliant.