Alabama Code Official License and Exam Prep

This code applies to all buildings except detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses up to three stories. The 2018 IBC contains many important changes such as:

• Accessory storage spaces of any size are now permitted to be classified as part of the occupancy to which they are accessory.
• New code sections have been introduced addressing medical gas systems and higher education laboratories.
• Use of fire walls to create separate buildings is now limited to only the determination of permissible types of construction based on allowable building area and height.
• Where an elevator hoistway door opens into a fire-resistance-rated corridor, the opening must be protected in a manner to address smoke intrusion into the hoistway.
• The occupant load factor for business uses has been revised to one occupant per 150 square feet.
• Live loads on decks and balconies increase the deck live load to one and one-half times the live load of the area served.
• The minimum lateral load that fire walls are required to resist is five pounds per square foot.
• Wind speed maps updated, including maps for the state of Hawaii.
• Terminology describing wind speeds has changed again with ultimate design wind speeds now called basic design wind speeds.
• Site soil coefficients now correspond to the newest generation of ground motion attenuation equations (seismic values).
• Five-foot tall wood trusses requiring permanent bracing must have a periodic special inspection to verify that the required bracing has been installed.
• New alternative fastener schedule for construction of mechanically laminated decking is added giving equivalent power-driven fasteners for the 20-penny nail.
• Solid sawn lumber header and girder spans for the exterior bearing walls reduce span lengths to allow #2 Southern Pine design values.

Addresses the design and installation of fuel gas systems and gas fired appliances through prescriptive and performance requirements.

Key changes include:

• Log homes designed in accordance with the standard ICC 400, Standards on the Design and Construction of Log Structures, are exempt from the building thermal envelope requirements of the IECC.
• The maximum allowable fenestration U-factors in Table R402.1.2 (for the prescriptive compliance path) for climates zones 3 through 8 have been reduced from the values in the 2015 edition.
• The ICC/RESNET 380 standard has been included as one of standards that can be used for determining the air leakage rate of a building or dwelling unit.
• The Energy Rating Index compliance alternative index values have been increased slightly however, the method for determining an index is now required to be in accordance with standard ICC/RESNET 301.
• Revisions to interior and exterior lighting power budgets and better clarity for lighting controls.
• Clarity that regardless of design methodology, system commissioning is required.
• New limits on heated or cooled vestibules.
• Mechanical provisions reorganized based on equipment type rather than design methodology.

Encourages the use and reuse of existing buildings. This code covers repair, alteration, addition and change of occupancy for existing buildings and historic buildings, while achieving appropriate levels of safety without requiring full compliance with the new construction requirements contained in the other I-Codes

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