Chapter 6: Construction Classification
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You've learned how to classify buildings by use (Chapter 3). Now it's time to learn how buildings are classified by construction—the materials and methods that determine how a building performs in a fire.
"What is this building made of, and how long will it stand during a fire?"
Construction type determines how much time occupants have to escape and how much time firefighters have to fight a fire before the building collapses. It directly affects allowable building height, floor area, and the cost of construction. Choose the wrong type, and your project either fails code review or becomes unnecessarily expensive.
The IBC defines five construction types (I, II, III, IV, V), ranging from the most fire-resistant (Type I) to the least (Type V). Each type specifies:
In this level, we'll explore all five construction types, understand how they differ, and learn to identify them in real buildings.