Model Building Codes

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How building codes have changed over the years
A building code is a set of rules that specify minimum standards for constructed objects such as buildings and non-building structures. Building codes are generally applied by Architects, Engineers, Constructors, and Regulators. Building codes are also used for various purposes by safety inspectors, environmental scientists, real estate developers, subcontractors, manufactures of building products and materials, insurance companies, facility managers, tenants, and others. Codes regulating design and construction of structures were adopted into law. Codes in developed western nations can be quite complex, and exhausive. Building codes began in Ancient times. They have been developing ever …show more content…

The concept of the model building codes has successfully been applied since the early 1900s in the countries where regulation of building construction is a responsibility of the local authorities. The popularity of model building codes can be attributed to two factors: 1) the developing of building codes is expensive and 2) the ability of the model codes to accommodate local conditions. Since modern building regulations are very complex, their development and effective maintenance are far beyond the technical and financial capabilities of most areas. Rather than drafting its own building codes, a local authority might choose to use the model building codes instead. The model building codes are either adopted (accepted without modifications) or adapted (modified) to a particular jurisdiction and then enforced by the adopting …show more content…

Originally called the “American Society for Testing and Materials”, it changed its name to “ASTM International” in 2001. Now, ASTM has offices in Belgium, Canada, China, Mexico and Washington, D.C. Membership in the organization is open to anyone with an interest in its activities. Standards are developed within committees, and new committees are formed as needed, upon request of interested members. Membership in most committees is voluntary and is initiated by the member's own request. Members are classified as users, producers, consumers, and general interest. The latter include academics and consultants. Users include industry users, who may be producers in the context of other technical committees, and end-users such as consumers. In order to meet the requirements of antitrust laws, producers must constitute less than 50% of every committee or subcommittee, and votes are limited to one per producer company. Because of these restrictions, there can be a substantial waiting-list of producers seeking organizational memberships on the more popular committees. Members can, however, participate without a formal vote and their input will be fully considered. As of 2015, ASTM has more than 30,000 members, including over 1,150 organizational members, from more than 140 countries. ASTM International has no role in requiring or enforcing

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