Difference between a Building and a Fire Code - Essay Example

The building code specifies that a nightclub should be built with a fire sprinkler system and a proper means of egress system. The fire code is concerned with the maintenance of the fire sprinkler system and rules to avoid overcrowding. Building and fire codes also differ in their application to existing structures. Adoption of new or revised building codes cannot be applied to existing buildings unless it has been modified or renovated. A new or revised fire code applies retroactively to all structures and conditions within.

All hazardous conditions that were not previously marked as such are required to be addressed. Codes are usually updated every three years by the International Code Council (ICC) and the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) but adoption of these is still the discretion of state and local agencies. If it is not adopted, it is not enforceable. What is common between the building and the fire code is that it relies on standards for the regulation of building systems. Fire protection standards are important references for building code as it is used, for example, in the ratings of fire doors and firewalls.

An example of a standard is the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) E-119 otherwise known as the Standard Test Method for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials. Nonetheless, building codes go beyond fire protection measures and incorporates structural details for the durability of buildings and other protective measures for other scenarios such as seismic activity and noise control. They are almost similar but are fundamentally distinct.