The Builders Counsel: A Construction Law Blog from Washington Construction Lawyer & LEED AP Douglas S. Reiser

The 2012 IBC is a major component of the proposed Seattle building code.

The City of Seattle has unveiled the newly proposed 2012 Building Code. The code is mostly based upon the International Code Council’s 2012 IBC, with a number of local amendments.

The code is not published on the City’s website, but I have pulled a copy of the September 2012 draft and you can access it by clicking here. You can sign up for updates in the code review process by accessing the City’s website.

The public comment period actually began back in March, but is on-going twice a month until the  Construction Codes Advisory Board determines it is complete.  According to the City, the code contains these “significant IBC changes” -

• High-rise buildings over 120 feet in height that have more than one elevator will be required to have two fire service access elevators instead of one.
• Chapter 10, Means of Egress, has been significantly revised, mainly to coordinate the provisions for unenclosed interior stairways and ramps that are used as a portion of the means of egress.
• Floor-level exit signs will be required in areas serving guest rooms in hotels and other transient residential occupancies.
• Code provisions for wind resistance and fire protection of photovoltaic roofing systems are added.
• Type B accessible dwelling units will be required to be added to existing buildings when there is either a change of occupancy or if there is an alteration that affects more than 50 percent of the building.

Public Comments should be directed at: Maureen Traxler, Dept. of Planning & Development, 700 Fifth Ave, Suite 2000, PO Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019; ormaureen.traxler@seattle.gov