Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Transferability of credit depends entirely upon the institution to which the student wishes to transfer.  

Upon completion of the course students will be able to:

• Analyze plans for compliance with code requirements for commercial structures, as related to occupancy groups and building height and area.

• Analyze construction for compliance with codes for commercial structures, as related to construction types and fire resistive standards.

• Communicate commercial code requirements to design and construction professionals.

Activities include in-class illustrated lectures showing concepts of the codes related to occupancy groups, building height and area, construction types, and fire resistive standards.  The lectures are supported by collaborative group review of mock plans.  In-class work will be supported by out-of-class individual reading, research of codes and application to mock problems.

·        Course materials will be presented in a lecture and discussion format, using multimedia presentations (slides, overheads, videos) showing examples of code applications related to occupancy type, area and height, and construction types, in various buildings, and online building codes.

·        Discussions will be supplemented by posting of additional references and resources, on the PCC Course Tools files. 

·        Weekly assignments will provide an opportunity for student to apply codes related to occupancy groups, area and height, and construction types to actual building examples.

·        Short answer exams will cover a summary of information from the Building Codes.

Student will work on projects using sample commercial plans, and they will identify applicable codes related to occupancy groups, area and height, and construction types, and apply to design and construction details.  Assessment will include review of projects, along with exams requiring ability to find and cite related code requirements. Student to demonstrate willingness and ability to work in small groups during class to provide input and solve in-class assignments, and articulate findings to class.  Student to demonstrate time management skills by completion of projects by assigned deadlines and by meeting specific objectives for each phase of class projects.

• Commercial building codes regulate the design and construction of commercial structures, specifying the minimum requirements for fire and life safety in public and multi-family structures.

• Building Inspectors need to understand their role in interpreting and applying commercial building code requirements.

• Skills:  Review plans and construction to determine:

Occupancy Group, based on building use

Maximum allowable height and size, based on occupancy and construction type

Fire resistive standards for buiding materials and details, based on construction type