Occupancy Classification and Use

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Occupancy Classification and Use

October 9, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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In educational settings, where large numbers of students, staff, and visitors gather, these rules protect vulnerable populations, especially children, who may lack the awareness or ability to respond quickly in emergencies. Proper classification ensures adequate exits, fire-resistant materials, and ventilation suited for classrooms or assembly areas like auditoriums.
These classifications also inform zoning, insurance, and funding by aligning facilities with educational purposes.

Libraries are multi-functional spaces and at the physical, and the heart, of any school, college or university.   We take special interest in this discussion.    Leaving the evolution toward “media centers” aside, the relevant passage in the current International Building Code that applies to library occupancy classification and use is linked below:

Chapter 3 Occupancy Classification and Use

 

The original University of Michigan advocacy enterprise may have raised the level of debate on structural engineering three cycles ago.  Without any specific interest from attendees we will review our proposals in previous revision cycles:

  1. Education facilities as storm shelters
  2. Enhanced classroom acoustics
  3. Carbon monoxide detection in Group E occupancies
  4. Locking arrangements in educational occupancies
  5. Interior lighting power allowances for classrooms
  6. Occupancy sensors for classrooms
  7. Automatic control of receptacle power in classrooms and laboratories
  8. Expansion of voltage drop requirements into customer-owned service conductors

This is about as much as we can sort through this week.  We will host another focus teleconference next week.  See our CALENDAR for the date.

Finally, we persist in encouraging education industry facility managers (especially those with operations and maintenance data) to participate in the ICC code development process.  You may do so by CLICKING HERE.

Real asset managers for school districts, colleges, universities and technical schools in the Albuquerque region should take advantage of the opportunity to observe the ICC code-development process.   The Group B Hearings are usually webcast — and we will signal the link to the 10-day webcast when it becomes available — but the experience of seeing how building codes are determined is enlightening when you can watch it live and on site.

 

Issue: [16-169]

Category: Architectural, Facility Asset Management, Space Planning

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben

#StandardsNewMexico


LEARN MORE:

ICC Group B Code Development Schedule

Little Big Horn College

 

 

 

 

 

Every month we direct our colleagues in the education industry to the US Census Department’s monthly construction report to make a point: at an average annual clip of about $75 billion, the education industry is the largest non-residential building construction market in the United States.  A large part of that construction involves infrastructure upgrades of existing buildings that contribute to sustainability goals but may not make flashy architectural statements for philanthropists.

EDUCATION INDUSTRY CONSTRUCTION SPEND

The International Existing Building Code (IEBC) is a model code in the International Code Council family of codes intended to provide requirements for repair and alternative approaches for alterations and additions to existing buildings (LEARN MORE).  A large number of existing buildings and structures do not comply with the current building code requirements for new construction.  Although many of these buildings are potentially salvageable, rehabilitation is often cost-prohibitive because compliance with all the new requirements for new construction could require extensive changes that go well beyond the value of building or the original scope of the alteration.

Education facility planners, architects and managers: Sound familiar?

ICC administered workgroups have been convening with considerable frequency over the past several months to pull together a number of relevant concepts for the next (2019 Group B) revision.  For the purpose of providing some perspective on the complexity and subtlety of the issues in play, a partial overview of working group activity is available in the links below.  Keep in mind that there are many other proposals being developed by our ICC working group and others.

IEBC Healthcare for BCAC December 11 2018

16-169 IEBC BCC Worksheet October 2-3 2018

There are other many other issues we have been tracking.  The foregoing simply presents the level of detail and subtlety that is noteworthy.

On Tuesday the ICC has released its the complete monograph for use at the Group B Committee Action Hearings, April 28-May 8 at the Albuquerque Convention Center:

2019 Group B Proposed Changes

It is a large document — 2919 pages — so keep that in mind when accessing it.  There are many issues affecting #TotalCostofOwnership of the education facility industry so we will get cracking on it again next week.   See our CALENDAR for the next online teleconference.  Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Finally, we persist in encouraging education industry facility managers (especially those with operations and maintenance data) to participate in the ICC code development process.  You may do so by CLICKING HERE.   Real asset managers for school districts, colleges, universities and technical schools in the Albuquerque region should take advantage of the opportunity to observe the ICC code-development process.   The Group B Hearings are usually webcast — and we will signal the link to the 10-day webcast when it becomes available — but the experience of seeing how building codes are determined is enlightening when you can watch it live and on site.

 

Issue: [16-169]

Category: Architectural, Facility Asset Management, Space Planning

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben

#StandardsNewMexico


LEARN MORE:

ICC Group B Code Development Schedule

Little Big Horn College

 

 

 

 

Schools turn to prefabricated classrooms to create space quickly

October 9, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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CBC News (The National): Canada is challenged by a surge in asylum seekers from failed nations entering irregularly via the U.S. border or overstaying visas, straining public services amid a housing crisis. With 57,440 asylum claims in early 2025—up 22% from 2024, including 5,500 from international students—overcrowded schools in provinces like Ontario and British Columbia face acute shortages, especially for English-language programs.

To address this, jurisdictions are deploying modular prefabricated school buildings as a rapid, cost-effective solution. These portable yet permanent structures, like those at B.C.’s David Cameron Elementary, add capacity for 190+ students in months, easing enrolment pressures without long construction delays.

National Building Code of Canada 2020

British Columbia School Building Construction

Canadian Parliament Debate on Standards Incorporated by Reference

Off-Site Construction

October 9, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

The latest version of the ICC/MBI Standard 1200 is the 2020 edition, specifically the ICC/MBI 1200-2020: Standard for Off-Site Construction: Planning, Design, Fabrication and Assembly. This standard, developed by the International Code Council (ICC) in collaboration with the Modular Building Institute (MBI), addresses the planning, design, fabrication, and assembly of off-site construction projects. It is part of a series of standards aimed at ensuring safety and compliance in off-site construction processes.

READ ONLY 2021 Edition

 

More

ICC Off-Site and Modular Construction Standards Committee

Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities

October 9, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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Elevators & Lifts

October 8, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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The first elevator in the United States was installed at Harvard University in 1874. It was not a passenger elevator as we typically think of today, but rather a freight elevator used to move heavy items within a building. The installation of this elevator marked an important development in building technology and transportation within multi-story structures. It was based on the design of Elisha Otis, who is famous for inventing the safety elevator with a safety brake system that prevents the elevator from falling if the hoisting cable fails. Otis’ innovation played a pivotal role in making elevators safe and practical for everyday use, leading to their widespread adoption in buildings around the world.

Elevator design by the German engineer Konrad Kyeser (1405)

Education communities are stewards of 100’s of lifts, elevators and moving walks.  At the University of Michigan, there are the better part of 1000 of them; with 19 of them in Michigan Stadium alone.   The cost of building them — on the order of $50,000 to $150,000 per floor depending upon architectural styling — and the highly trained staff needed to operate, maintain and program interoperability software is another cost that requires attention.   All building design and construction disciplines — architectural, mechanical and electrical have a hand in making this technology safe and sustainabile.

We start with international and nationally developed best practice literature and work our way to state level adaptations.  Labor for this technology is heavily regulated.

Its a rarefied and crazy domain for the user-interest.  Expertise is passionate about safety and idiosyncratic but needs to be given the life safety hazard.  Today we review o pull together public consultation notices on relevant codes, standards and regulations today  11 AM/EDT.

Московский государственный университет имени

Elevators 500

More

NFPA 70 Article 620 Elevators, etc.

NEC Article 620 | David Herres

Elevator U

International Building Code Chapter 30: Elevators and Conveying Systems

Inside Higher Ed: Tragedy in an Elevator

Jimlielevators

University of Michigan Elevator Recall Control Wiring Schematic

University of Michigan Elevator Shaft Lighting Schematic

 

Elevators and Conveying Systems

October 8, 2025
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

Latest 2024 / 2025 / 2026 Code Development: Group B Documents

Partial selection of topics:

ADM39-25 IFC: 105.6.26 (New) | p 224

G52-25 403.6.1 Fire service access elevator | p 556

SECTION 3003 EMERGENCY OPERATIONS | p 557

TABLE 403.6.1 AMBULANCE STRETCHER-SIZED ELEVATOR CAR

Add new standards EN 8, EN 77 (Seismic condition design) and ISO 8002 | p 758

SECTION 3006 ELEVATOR LOBBIES AND HOISTWAY OPENING PROTECTION | p 762

3002.3 Emergency signs | p 765

3002.4 Elevator car to accommodate ambulance stretcher. | p 774

(To be continued)

Variations in Backup Power Requirements for Elevators

Group B Proposed Changes 2024 Editions Complete Monograph (2630 Pages)

The International Code Council bibliography of elevator safety practice incorporates titles published by American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the National Fire Protection Association and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.  The relevant section of the International Building Code is therefore relatively short and linked below.

2021 International Building Code: Chapter 30 Elevators and Conveying Systems

The 2021 IBC is the current edition but committees are now forming to developed the 2024 revision according to the schedule in the link below:

2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

2024 GROUP A PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE I-CODES

Comments on changes to the Group A tranche of titles will be heard in Long Beach California, October 23-31st. 

IBC Electrical (Outdoor Lighting)

Means of Egress

International Mechanical Code

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