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February 8, 2021

Construction Codes You Should Know

construction codesWhether you’re a contractor, a construction worker, or a homeowner, it’s your responsibility to be aware of the building codes of your area. A building, office, or home will not pass an inspection if the appropriate building codes haven’t been followed.

The building codes are in place to help create safe working and living environments. They create a standard for construction and renovations to follow.

It’s important to be up to date on the latest construction codes in your area to ensure the safety of all. Read on to learn about some building codes to pay attention to going forward.

Building Code

Canadian building codes apply in numerous situations including new construction and renovations. You must be aware of these codes if you are making alterations to a building, demolishing it, or simply making some repairs.

These construction codes set a standard for the makeup of the building. They include standards for:

  • Safety
  • Health
  • Accessibility
  • Fire
  • Structural protection

If you have specific questions related to building codes you can address those at [email protected]  or your own Canadian province government offices.  Let’s take a closer look at some areas included in building codes.

Accessibility

The goal of these codes is to create structures with the highest level of accessibility for all citizens. There are increased standards in place that help to improve accessibility for places like:

  • Small retail shops
  • Common areas of condominiums
  • Apartment buildings

The accessibility codes also provide guidance for movement availability which is particularly important when making design decisions.

Energy Standards

An important structural part of any building, personal or public, is the HVAC systems in place to heat and cool the space. In addition to making the HVAC systems have maximum energy efficiency, you want them to meet those code standards in place.

Look at the future of HVAC as you consider what HVAC system will be best for your construction. You want to have systems that are:

  • Eco-friendly
  • Technologically advanced
  • Mobile controls
  • Quality MERV ratings

The HVAC industry has taken a decidedly technological approach for heating and cooling and you want to take note. As these advances happen, they also impact the building codes in place for HVAC systems.

Venting Standards

You know the importance of proper ventilation in any space, public or private. Construction codes require ventilation systems to vent to outside space to avoid the growth of mold and to keep clean air inside. The proper ventilation allows for air movement and there are codes in place to ensure it.

Be in the Know With These Construction Codes

With a booming construction industry in place, there is not only lots of new construction happening, there are renovations and repairs happening too.  It’s important to know the building codes in your area as you work in construction. It would be terrible to complete a project only to find you need to rework something because of a code violation.

Construction Methods, HVAC