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International Building Code § 303.4: Places of Religious Worship

Occupancy classification is a first principle in all International Code Council consensus products. Chapels and churches associated with educational institutions are grouped with all other “Places of Religious Worship” in Section 303.4 Assembly Group A-3. You may find the text of this section in the current 2024 edition in the link below:

2024 International Building Code | Section 303 | Assembly Group A

For the next few weeks we will sort through issues appearing in the transcript below:

2025 Group B Committee Action Agenda (2630 Pages)

Recent incidents in the tragic city of Minneapolis inspire revisiting the standards of care listed below:

Targeted Violence and Active Shooters: Incidents like mass shootings have increased, with 54% of attacks on U.S. houses of worship involving armed assaults, often motivated by religious or racial hatred (67% of cases). Comprehensive emergency plans and training are critical.

Vandalism and Arson: These are common, with over 400 attacks on U.S. churches since 2020, including property damage and desecration. Surveillance cameras and regular security audits can deter such acts.

Theft: Donation boxes, religious artifacts, and personal belongings are frequent targets. Access control and monitoring valuables reduce risks.

Cybersecurity Threats: Houses of worship are vulnerable to hacking, ransomware, and data breaches, especially as they rely on digital platforms. Implementing cybersecurity best practices is essential.

Internal Threats: Risks from disgruntled employees or volunteers, including theft or fraud, necessitate thorough background checks and clear protocols for handling sensitive information.

Proactive measures like risk assessments, security teams, and collaboration with law enforcement can mitigate these threats while maintaining a welcoming environment

Morning Shower

Complete Monograph: 2024 GROUP A PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE I-CODES

Annual Conference Home Page

“The Bathing Pool” | Hubert Robert (1733–1808)

CLICK IMAGE to access complete text

Design Considerations for Hot Water Plumbing

Baseline Standards for Student Housing

2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

Indoor plumbing has a long history, but it became widely available in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the United States, for example, the first indoor plumbing system was installed in the Governor’s Palace in Williamsburg, Virginia in the early 18th century. However, it was not until the mid-19th century that indoor plumbing became more common in middle-class homes.

One important milestone was the development of cast iron pipes in the 19th century, which made it easier to transport water and waste throughout a building. The introduction of the flush toilet in the mid-19th century also played a significant role in making indoor plumbing more practical and sanitary.

By the early 20th century, indoor plumbing had become a standard feature in most middle-class homes in the United States and other developed countries. However, it was still not widely available in rural areas and poorer urban neighborhoods until much later.

International Plumbing Code

Form v. Function | Function v. Form

Elevators and Conveying Systems

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

Historic Buildings

2024 / 2025 / 2026 Code Development: Group B (2025)

Complete Monograph (2630 pages)

Notre-Dame de Paris “Our Lady of Paris” Wikimedia Commons

International Existing Building Code: Chapter 12 Historic Buildings

2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

Notre-Dame de Paris “Our Lady of Paris” Wikimedia Commons

2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

LIVE: I-Code Group B Public Comment Hearings

Storm Shelters

2024 GROUP A PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE I-CODES

Electric Vehicle Charging

GROUP A MODEL BUILDING CODES: Comments on Committee Actions will be received until July 8th

International Building Code Chapter 4, Section 406.2.7

Edison electric vehicle | National Park Service, US Department of the Interior

Free public access to the 2021 edition of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is linked below:

2021 International Energy Conservation Code

Electric vehicle charging stations are addressed in the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) within two specific appendices:

Appendix RE: This appendix provides detailed requirements for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, focusing on both residential and commercial buildings. It includes definitions and infrastructure standards to ensure that new constructions are equipped to support electric vehicle charging

Appendix CG: This appendix offers guidance on electric vehicle power transfer and charging infrastructure, emphasizing the integration of EV-ready requirements into building designs. It outlines the necessary provisions for installing and managing EV charging stations, ensuring compliance with energy conservation standards

.These appendices are part of the broader efforts to incorporate EV infrastructure into building codes, promoting energy efficiency and supporting the transition to electric vehicles.

Recharging infrastructure at at Google’s Mountain View (California) campus | Pretty ugly, eh?

“Gas” 1940 Edward Hopper

This standard will be updated within a reconfigured code development cycle linked below:

2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

Keep in mind that many electric vehicle safety and sustainability concepts will track in other titles in the ICC catalog. It is enlightening to see other energy related proposals tracking in the most recent Group A code revision cycle

The following proposals discussed during the Group A Hearings ended earlier this month are noteworthy:

IBC § 202 (NEW) | G66-21 | Electrical mobility definitions

IBC § 1107.2, et al | E124-21 & E125-21 & E126-21 | Electrical vehicle charging stations for R-2 occupancies.

From the Group B revision cycle — COMPLETE MONOGRAPH:

R309.6 Electric vehicle charging stations and systems. Where provided, electric vehicle charging systems shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 70. Electric vehicle charging system equipment shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 2202. Electric vehicle supply equipment shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 2594.

IBC 406.2.7 Electric vehicle charging stations and systems. Where provided, electric vehicle charging systems shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 70. Electric vehicle charging system equipment shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 2202. Electric vehicle supply equipment shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 2594. Accessibility to electric vehicle charging stations shall be provided in accordance with Section 1108.

TABLE R328.5 MAXIMUM AGGREGATE RATINGS OF ESS (Energy Storage Systems) – PDF Page 1476

Incumbents are socking in EV concepts all across the ICC catalog. We refer them to experts in the Industrial Applications Society IEEE E&H Committee.

One of the more spirited debates in recent revision cycles is the following:

Who shall pay for electrical vehicle charging infrastructure?

The underlying assumption is that the electrification of the global transportation grid has a net benefit. We remain mute on that question; the question of net gain.

Of course, many proposals pointed the finger at the stakeholder with the deepest pockets. Accordingly, new commercial building owners will be required to install charging stations for new buildings. During 2018 and 2019 we tracked the action in the workspace below so that we could collaborate with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee:

2021 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

Given that most higher education facilities are classified as commercial, the cost of charging stations will be conveyed into the new building construction budget unless the unit takes an exception. Generally speaking, most colleges and universities like to display their electric vehicle credentials, even if the use of such charging stations remains sparse.

Cornell University

Issue: [11-40]

Category: Electrical, #SmartCampus

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey

* The education industry has significant square footage this is classified as residential; particularly on the periphery of large research campuses.

LEARN MORE:

ICC 2021/2022 Code Development Cycle

The Top 5 Energy Efficiency Proposals for the 2021 IECC

Archive / IECC Electric Vehicle Charging

IBC Electrical (Outdoor Lighting)

2025 Committee Action Hearings – Group B #1

Proposal for Performance-Based Building Premise Wiring | Chapter 27): Monograph Page 754

Electrical building — World Columbian Exposition, Chicago, Illinois 1892

The International Code Council bibliography of electrical safety practice incorporates titles published by the National Fire Protection Association which reference electrical safety science titles published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. The relevant section of the International Building Code is therefore relatively short:

2021 International Building Code: Chapter 27 Electrical

Note that Chapter 27 provides more guidance on managing the hazards created when electricity is absent*. Since the National Electrical Code is informed by a fire safety building premise wiring culture; absence of electricity is not as great a hazard as when building wiring systems are energized. (“So they say” — Mike Anthony, who thinks quite otherwise.)

2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

2025 GROUP B PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE I-CODES | Complete Monograph (2630 pages)

Although we collaborate most closely with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee (four times monthly in Europe and the Americas) we e encourage our colleagues in education communities everywhere to participate directly in the ICC Code Development process. CLICK HERE to set up an account.

Electric_vehicle_charging_stations,_Middle_Georgia_State_University_Macon_campus 1919 721

augusta university emergency health staff 1921

University of Alberta Flickr Hub Mall interior lighting canada 1921 721

BROWN UNIVERSITY AERIAL NIGHT 1921 721 featured

IRSC - Indian River State College student ICT florida 721

EPpu-vzX4AAu3J6 university of washington students interior media tech 1923 721

wash-u-data-center-expansion-new-5 washington university needs attrib 1921

University of West Florida students ICT 1921

It is enlightening — and a time saver — to unpack the transcripts of previous revisions of codes and standards to see what concepts were presented, what got discussed; what passed and what failed. We provide links to a few previous posts that track recent action in the ICC suite relevant to electrotechnologies:

Electric Vehicle Charging

Entertainment Occupancies

K-TAG Matrix for Healthcare Facilities

International Energy Conservation Code

The ICC suite of consensus products are relevant to almost all of our work; everyday. See our CALENDAR that reflects our Syllabus. Today we deal with electrical safety concepts because technical committees are meeting from November to January to write the 2023 National Electrical Code. CLICK HERE to follow the action in more detail.

* The original University of Michigan advocacy enterprise began pounding on National Electrical Code committees to install more power reliability concepts in the 2002 Edition with only modest success. Standards Michigan has since collaborated with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee to drive “absence-of-power-as-a-hazard” into the National Electrical Code; the 2023 now open for public consultation.

N.B.

Assuming building interior fire safety issues can be managed, one way of getting more electric vehicle charging stations built around campus is to install requirements into the building code — thereby putting the construction cost, operation, maintenance and risk upon real-asset Developers and Owners. Code change submittals for the Group A tranche of titles will be received until January 8, 2024.

Off-Site Construction

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

Places of Worship

“The Church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians,

but a school for the education of imperfect ones.”

— Henry Ward Beecher

WEBCAST Committee Action Hearings, Group A #2

2024 International Building Code: Chapter 3 Occupancy Classification and Use

In the International Code Council catalog of best practice literature we find the first principles for safety in places of worship tracking in the following sections of the International Building Code (IBC):

Section 303 Assembly Group A

“303.1.4: Accessory religious educational rooms and religious auditoriums with occupant loads less than 100 per room or space are not considered separate occupancies.” This informs how fire protection systems are designed.

Section 305 Educational Group E

“305.2.1: Rooms and spaces within places of worship proving such day care during religious functions shall be classified as part of the primary occupancy.” This group includes building and structures or portions thereof occupied by more than five children older than 2-1/2 years of age who receive educational, supervision or personal care services for fewer than 24 hours per day.

Section 308 Institutional Group I

“308.5.2: Rooms and spaces within places of religious worship providing [Group I-4 Day Care Facilities] during religious functions shall be classified as part of the primary occupancy. When [Group I-4 Day Care Facilities] includes buildings and structures occupied by more than five persons of any age who receive custodial care for fewer than 24 hours per day by persons other than parents or guardians, relatives by blood, marriage or adoption, and in a place other than the home of the person cared for.

Tricky stuff — and we haven’t even included conditions under which university-affiliated places of worship may expected to be used as community storm shelters.

Oral Roberts University facebook cover oklahoma chapel INTERIOR 1922 719

chapel_banner st peters college oxford university UK international interior may need attribution 1921 722

yale chapel connecticut needs attribution 1919 719

coast guard academy chapel flickr another low angle view 1919 719

Pontificia Università della Santa Croce international italy 1921 721

Georgetown University chapel spring facebook cover 1921 721

Budget-1_notre_dame chapel 1921 721 featured

southern-methodist-university-perkins-chapel-dallas-texas-5 1921 721

Wake forest university chapel night shot facebook cover susan sharpless 1921 719

Chapel at the University of the Incarnate Word wiki 1919 721

2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

~~Public response to Committee Actions taken in Orlando in April will be received until July 8th.~~

Because standard development tends to be a backward-looking domain it is enlightening to understand the concepts in play in previous editions. The complete monograph of proposals for new building safety concepts for places of worship for the current revision cycle is linked below:

2021/2022 Code Development: Group B

A simple search on the word “worship” will reveal what ideas are in play. With the Group B Public Comment Hearings now complete ICC administered committees are now curating the results for the Online Governmental Consensus Vote milestone in the ICC process that was completed December 6th. Status reports are linked below:

2018/2019 Code Development: Group B

Note that a number of proposals that passed the governmental vote are being challenged by a number of stakeholders in a follow-on appeals process:

2019 Group B Appeals

A quick review of the appeals statements reveals some concern over process, administration and technical matters but none of them directly affect how leading practice for places of worship is asserted.

We are happy to get down in the weeds with facility professionals on other technical issues regarding other occupancy classes that are present in educational communities. See our CALENDAR for next Construction (Ædificare) colloquium open to everyone.

Issue: [17-353]

Category: Chapels

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben, Larry Spielvogel

More

Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt. pic.twitter.com/H6dgJ5DnSC

— Prof. Feynman (@ProfFeynman) October 8, 2023

Building Structural Maintenance

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Metals

Any multi-story building requires inspection and maintenance of structural steel framework. The steel supports the building’s weight and resists environmental forces like wind and seismic activity. Over time, corrosion, fatigue cracks, or connection failures can weaken the structure, risking collapse. Inspections detect these issues early, while maintenance, like repainting or replacing damaged parts, preserves steel integrity. For student housing, occupant safety is critical, and compliance with building codes reduces liability risks. Neglecting these practices can lead to structural failure, endangering residents and causing costly repairs or legal issues. Regular upkeep ensures safe, long-lasting buildings.

During today’s session we examine the relevant standards with proposed revisions open for public comment. Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

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Introduction to Structural Equation Models

No single universal code or standard guarantees that buildings will never crack or fail structurally, as structural integrity depends on various factors like design, materials, construction quality, environmental conditions, and maintenance. However, several widely adopted codes and standards aim to minimize the risk of structural failure and ensure safety, durability, and serviceability. These provide guidelines for design, construction, and maintenance to prevent issues like cracking or catastrophic failure.

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Key Codes and Standards:

International Building Code (IBC): Widely used in the United States and other regions, the IBC sets minimum requirements for structural design, materials, and maintenance to ensure safety and performance. It references standards like ASCE 7 (Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures) for load calculations (e.g., wind, seismic, snow).Maintenance provisions require regular inspections and repairs to address issues like cracking or deterioration.

ACI 318 (Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete): Published by the American Concrete Institute this standard governs the design and construction of concrete structures.Includes requirements to control cracking (e.g., reinforcement detailing, concrete mix design) and ensure durability under environmental exposure.Maintenance guidelines recommend periodic inspections for cracks, spalling, or reinforcement corrosion.

AISC 360 (Specification for Structural Steel Buildings): Published by the American Institute of Steel Construction, this standard covers the design, fabrication, and erection of steel structures. Addresses fatigue, connection design, and corrosion protection to prevent structural failure. Maintenance involves inspecting for issues like weld imperfections or coating degradation.

ASCE/SEI 41-17 (Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings): Focuses on assessing and maintaining existing structures, particularly for seismic performance. Guides retrofitting to address vulnerabilities like cracking or inadequate load paths.

Maintenance Standards

ACI 562 (Assessment, Repair, and Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete Structures):
- Provides a framework for evaluating and repairing concrete structures to address cracking, spalling, or other damage.
- Emphasizes regular inspections and timely repairs to maintain structural integrity.
NACE/SP0108 (Corrosion Control of Offshore Structures):
- Covers maintenance practices to prevent corrosion-related failures in steel structures.
ASTM E2270 (Standard Practice for Periodic Inspection of Building Facades):
- Outlines procedures for inspecting facades to identify cracking, water infiltration, or other issues that could lead to structural problems.

IEEE: Structural Health Monitoring system based on strain gauge enabled wireless sensor nodes

Steel research in the steel city

Researchers Make Wood Stronger than Steel

Concrete Matters

Category Archives: @IntlCodeCouncil

International Building Code § 303.4: Places of Religious Worship

Morning Shower

Elevators and Conveying Systems

Historic Buildings

Storm Shelters

Electric Vehicle Charging

IBC Electrical (Outdoor Lighting)

Off-Site Construction

Places of Worship

Building Structural Maintenance

DIRECTIONS