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Chapter 3: Building and Fire Protection Code Policy

  1. The Basic Building Code is noted in the CRR 70.060. The Building Code is enforced to ensure public safety, health, and welfare in the built environment. Building Code Compliance is fundamental to the University’s responsibility to identify and reduce risk.
  2. The design of university facilities shall be done by knowledgeable professional architects and/or engineers registered in the State of èßäapp. As noted elsewhere in these polices, all drawings and specifications shall bear the professional seal of the architect and/or engineer along with a certification stating: "I hereby certify these drawings and/or specifications have been prepared by me or under my supervision. I further certify that to the best of my knowledge these drawings and/or specifications are as required by and in compliance with University of èßäapp building codes and design guidelines."
  3. Building permits: shall be established for projects as required by the code.  See the for projects exempt from permitting requirements.  Permit approvals (issuance) should preferably be completed before advertisement for bids. In no case shall construction activities be allowed to commence until a Building Permit has been issued.
    1. Permit requirement determinations can only be performed by authorized Campus staff serving as Owners Authorized Agents, where approved by the AHJ, or by procuring the services of a third party permitting agency.
    2. Permit approvals: Once approved as noted in (a) or (b) below, AHJ authorized Owners agents or qualified third party permit agents can issue permits for construction.
      1. For projects valued under $500,000: permit can be created at the Campus or agency level and approved by the Campus Director of Construction Operations.
      2. For projects valued over $500,000: permit can be created at the Campus or agency level and reviewed by the Campus Director of Construction. The permit approval will be granted by the AHJ.
      3. All building permits (applications and issued) shall be placed on file in the project construction management software program. The campus shall forward a copy of each issued permt to the AHJ.
    3. Any Conditional Use, Limited Use, or other restrictive statements included in the permit must be approved by the AHJ prior to permit issuance, regardless of project value.
  4. Review of Design & Construction documents: All plans shall be reviewed by knowledgeable architects and/or engineers to assure compliance with the code before advertising for construction bids. In particular, the area of life safety shall be thoroughly reviewed. Having ensured the project construction documents conform to the adopted codes, the construction shall be thoroughly inspected by knowledgeable staff and/or consultants.
    1. A qualified individual(s), approved by the AHJ, will be assigned from each campus to review documents for code compliance on all projects; or the campus may choose to send the documents to FPD, or a third party inspection agency for code review. For projects reviewed by the campus or third party inspection agency, code variances and/or equivalency requests must be approved by the AHJ. 
      Exception: Where project plans and documentation will be sealed at the Campus level; ensure that Plan Code Reviews are performed by someone other than the individual that will seal the construction documents to avoid a conflict of interest. 
       
    2. Projects over $500,000 will be also reviewed by FPD for code and CPDG compliance including projects utilizing an independent code consultant.
  5. Independent Code Analysis: During the design process of major projects, the university may employ, with project funds, an independent code consultant to provide a comprehensive code requirement analysis. The independent code consultant shall review complex engineered code compliance systems [such as smoke evacuation/control systems, unusual occupancies, non-standard fire alarms]. The Independent Code Analysis may be authorized by the Campus Project Manager (PM). Additionally, the AHJ may direct the Campus to proceed with an Independent Code Analysis at any time. The Project Manager (PM) will verify that the Independent Code Analysis is complete prior to the advertisement for bids.
  6. Authority Having Jurisdiction: The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) and Building Official referred to in the building codes is delegated under authority of the èßäappVice President Finance & the èßäappExecutive Director of Facilities Planning and Development [Refer to BPM 24001]. The AHJ and Building Official roles are responsible for code policy, interpretation, variances, and overall compliance. The AHJ may require a èßäappCode Compliance Report for all major project designs. Major projects include those requiring èßäappcontracting officer execution of the construction contract, new construction, and renovations that either change building occupancy or significantly modify egress components.
  7. Campus Director of Construction Operations: (title varies at each Campus): Is responsible for ensuring that Project Managers, Design staff, and Construction Managers, properly manage the building permit and code requirements related to campus construction projects, including: professional design requirements, document submittals and review, completion of all building, fire, and special inspections, and verifying certificates of occupancy are obtained prior to accepting project substantial completion.
  8. Owners Building Inspector(s) and Plan Reviewer(s): Campuses may hire qualified building inspectors or plan reviewers to perform plan reviews and perform trade specific or combination trade inspections. The Campus will provide inspectors and plan reviewers membership to the International Code Council (ICC) and ensure inspectors are provided professional training as necessary to obtain certification, maintain certification(s), and keep up to date with current èßäappadopted codes.
    1. If not currently certified; within 6 months from hire date, the staff member must become ICC certified as a Commercial Plan Reviewer, or Commercial Building Inspector, or Mechanical Inspector, or obtain Electrical Inspector certification. Inspectors are encouraged to become combination trade certified.
    2. Campus building inspectors shall not perform any duties which would create a conflict of interest with their inspection or plan reviewer role.
  9. èßäappCode Compliance Report: The èßäappCode Compliance Report may vary in detail depending on the project size and complexity of work. At a minimum it must include basic information about the project as it relates to the applicable building codes. The basic information required includes the following:
    1. Title Sheet with project name, number, location, list of consultants
    2. List of applicable codes
    3. Occupancy classification (describe separated or non-separated if mixed occupancy)
    4. Type of construction
    5. Seismic Design and Site Class Category
    6. Building area (each story and total building area) and height (stories/feet)
    7. Whether fire sprinklers will be installed, and which NFPA sprinkler standard is being followed
    8. Whether incidental or accessory use provisions will be employed
    9. Allowable area calculations
    10. Means of egress information
    11. Fire resistance of structural elements
    12. Plumbing fixture counts and calculations
    13. ASHRAE 90.1 Calculations
    14. ASHRAE 62.1 Ventilation Calculations
  10. Other èßäappCode Compliance Report Requirements:
    1. In a mixed occupancy building, a floor plan showing the different occupancies in a building is required to describe the locations and treatment of the different uses. If the building is a separated occupancy building, the ratio calculations required by the code should be provided. For a non-separated occupancy building, the allowable height and area calculations for the most restrictive occupancy must be provided to support the design.
    2. Means of egress information includes the location, construction, size, and character of the means of egress. Every floor and all rooms and spaces must be shown on egress floor plans. Occupant loads and how they were determined must be provided. Show the number of occupants passing through egress components to confirm the egress capacity. The common path of egress and travel distances must be shown on the egress plans.
    3. Fire-resistance rating construction requirements for the building based on the type of construction must be provided. If the means of egress includes fire-resistance rated construction, the ratings and locations of these components must be shown on the egress plan.
  11. èßäappCode Compliance Report Process:
    1. At the start of a campus project, the campus will forward a (PIF) to the èßäappExecutive Director of Facilities Planning and Development to notify the Director of a new design & construction project.
    2. The Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Development will indicate a primary staff contact for the campus on subsequent code reviews, board actions, etc., and return the PIF to the campus. The campus also uses a PIF to notify the èßäappExecutive Director of Facilities Planning and Development that other project related actions may be pending such as Board of Curator actions, and/or execution of consulting agreements and construction contracts.
    3. The Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Development will indicate on the PIF whether the AHJ will require a èßäappCode Compliance Report, see section 5 and 6.
    4. The PM will submit review material so that FPD can complete review before the advertisement for bid, including variance requests and 3rd party code reviews, etc.
    5. FPD will issue the campus written acceptance and/or review comments to the Code Compliance Report, variance request, or any other code submittal, within 10 working days of submittal. FPD will notify the PM if additional time is required for due diligence.
    6. The contracting officer shall not issue the Notice to Proceed if the èßäappCode Compliance Report has not been submitted, reviewed, and approved, or if the Building Permit has not been issued.
  12. : It is the University's general practice not to deviate from the adopted codes. No area of life safety affecting design features, construction systems, and furnishings will be compromised or otherwise sacrificed by utilizing code variances to obtain a construction cost savings. If variances are necessary, the PM, through the campus Director of Construction, shall submit a request for a variance to the Authority Having Jurisdiction with recommendation for rejection or approval. All variances from code require AHJ approval; variances, equivalencies, interpretations, etc.
  13. Use of International Existing Building Code (IEBC) – The IEBC shall only be used for projects meeting criteria of an Alteration Level 1 or 2.  Any project classified as an Alteration Level 3 is required to be designed to the IBC, and other model codes as applicable.
    Campuses must obtain approval for using the IEBC (Alteration Level 1 or 2) from Campus Staff Inspectors, èßäappFPD (Managing Architect, Managing Engineer, or Building Official), or the èßäappAHJ.  Inspectors shall obtain èßäappFPD/AHJ concurrence for IEBC approval regarding complex or technical projects.
  14. Building Inspection requirements: All permitted projects, regardless of project size or cost, shall have all necessary building inspections completed and all code violations corrected prior to issuance of the (TCO) or (FCO) and project close out.
    1. Building inspections shall be performed by either qualified campus CSM Building Inspectors or qualified third party inspection agencies.
    2. The assigned inspector shall post the sheet at the project site and use this document to track completion of inspections.
    3. The building inspector or third party inspection agency will verify all required inspections are completed, and can modify inspection requirements based on changes in scopes of work or as identified via deferred submittal reviews.
    4. The assigned building inspector shall perform SWPPP/site inspections, as required.
    5. The inspector shall provide building and site inspection reports to the contractor superintendent (or the Campus construction services staff for in house projects) for corrective action. A copy of the report shall be forwarded to the Owners representative and the Design Professional in Responsible Charge. Reports shall be uploaded to the Campus construction management software program.
    6. The inspector shall perform reinspections, as required, to verify code violation corrective action(s) are complete.
    7. Utility service connections: all construction/temporary power, permanent power, and gas service, sewer, or storm sewer connections shall be inspected prior to completing the utility connection. When the utility service inspection has been approved, the inspector shall notify the utility provider that the service is ready for connection, as required.
    8. The inspector shall issue and/or letters to the project Owners representative for Substantial Completion and project close out. Any conditional use, limited use, limited occupancy, or similar statements as part of conditions to a Certificate of Occupancy must be reviewed and approved by the AHJ prior to issuance.
    9. The Owner shall not take project Substantial Completion or close out the project until the final inspection notice, or proper certificate of occupancy has been issued by the inspector.
  15. Fire code plan reviews and inspection requirements: Each Campus may utilize the staff Fire Marshal or local Fire Department personnel (Fire Marshal) to the fullest extent possible to assist with fire code plan reviews, project drawing development, review of fire related deferred submittals, inspections of permitted construction projects, and periodic inspections of existing buildings. If not available, the Campus shall hire a third party fire code agency to perform these services.
    1. Fire code plan review comments from the fire marshal or agency shall be forwarded to the PM and design team for inclusion in the design documents.
    2. The fire marshal or third party fire code agency shall coordinate substantial completion or final inspections with the building inspector and provide concurrence that the project meets code requirements.
    3. Any fire code variance requests will follow the deviation (variance) policy above.
  16. Special Inspections: Campus Project Managers (PM) will ensure that the statement of special inspections provided by the design consultant(s) is submitted and complete during the project design phase. When special inspections are required, the table of Required Special Inspections and Tests shall be included in the project drawings. Campuses shall hire a third party agency for code required special inspections per Chapter 17 of the International Building Code (IBC).
    1. The PM shall verify all required special inspection agency agreements are executed prior to commencement of any construction activities (prior to issuing Notice to Proceed).
    2. Correction of Special Inspection Discrepancy Log entries: The inspector shall obtain remedial measures in writing from the Design Professional in Responsible Charge describing the necessary discrepancy corrective actions. The special inspector shall reinspect the work prior to approving the discrepancy corrective action.
  17. :
    1. The building inspector shall issue Stop Work Orders as necessary.
    2. Campus Construction Management staff shall issue Stop Work Orders as necessary when unsafe site or construction practices are observed, and to cease campus work activities that do not have a required building permit (non-permitted work).
    3. A copy of the Stop Work Order shall be forwarded to the AHJ when issued.
  18. Records: Code compliance records will be kept by the campus according to the Planning Design and Construction records retention authorization, refer to èßäappRecords Management Records Retention Authorization. Code Compliance Records and associated documentation will be made available to the AHJ at all times.
  19. Leased Property: Property either leased from or to the University is considered owned by the Curators of the University of èßäapp and are subject to the University Building Code. Refer to Leased Property Construction in another section of this document.
  20. Building Code Permitting and Inspections at Off-Site Facilities: A third party inspector may be retained by the University of èßäapp to ensure compliance with the applicable regulatory codes and standards, as well as perform plan reviews, perform site code inspections, and issue building permits on behalf the Curators of the University of èßäapp, for off-site or off campus properties, and/or as directed by the AHJ.
  21. Other Applicable Codes: All facilities shall conform to the codes and standards identified in the University of èßäapp's General Conditions of the Contract for Construction.
  22. Fire Suppression: All new buildings shall be designed with automatic fire suppression systems throughout. The èßäappExecutive Director of Facilities Planning and Development may grant exceptions to this requirement for facilities such as garages, temporary facilities, etc. As a minimum, work to existing facilities shall be designed to meet code.
  23. Adoption of Building Code Changes: Changes to the International Building Code and Fire Code (issued in both the annual supplements and the revised edition issued every three years), and to the National Fire Protection Assoication standards, including the National Electric Code, shall be fully adopted by the January 1 following issuance by the ICC and the NFPA. See for a list of current applicable codes. Accessibility standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be implemented as required by ADA. Projects with Design Development Approval generally will not be required to incorporate subsequent code revisions. However, a project where construction does not begin twelve (12) or more months after approval of construction documents shall be revised to incorporate the code updates before bidding. Also, all projects will include changes that significantly improve the access, health, and safety of building occupants before construction documents are issued for bids.

Reviewed 2024-08-15