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Ask Bing Safety Codes Consultant Ltd. Senior Building Code Consultant | Expert in Building Code Compliance & Permit Optimization

Existing Buildings Do Not Automatically Have to Meet Today’s Building CodeOne of the most expensive assumptions in a ren...
08/11/2026

Existing Buildings Do Not Automatically Have to Meet Today’s Building Code

One of the most expensive assumptions in a renovation project is: “The building does not meet today’s Code, so we have to upgrade it.” That may not be correct.

For an existing building, an important first question is: Was the building lawfully constructed under the Code requirements applicable at the time?

Before recommending major upgrades such as sprinklers, new exits, fire separations, or noncombustible construction, it is important to understand:
• When was the building constructed?
• Which Code applied at that time?
• Were later additions or alterations completed under different Codes?
• Is the use changing?
• Does the proposed renovation create a new non-compliance or reduce life safety?

Sometimes the answer requires reviewing Building Codes from decades ago. That historical research can have significant financial consequences. A single Code provision may determine whether a project needs a relatively minor renovation—or a major building upgrade.

The goal is not to avoid legitimate safety requirements. The goal is to determine which requirements actually apply.

Building Code is the tool. Optimization of construction cost is the goal.

The Building Code Is Not the Starting PointAfter reviewing more than 8,000 building permit applications over the past tw...
07/10/2026

The Building Code Is Not the Starting Point

After reviewing more than 8,000 building permit applications over the past two decades, I came to an unexpected conclusion:

The Building Code is rarely the real problem.
The real problem is often how we approach it.

When a project runs into trouble, the first question I hear is usually:
"What does the Building Code require?"

I ask a different question:
"What is this building trying to tell us?"

Before opening the Code, I want to understand:
• Why was the building originally designed this way?
• What code was in effect when it was constructed?
• What is the owner's real objective?
• What concern is the Authority Having Jurisdiction trying to address?

Only then do I begin reading the Building Code.
Because the Code doesn't exist in isolation.
It applies to a real building with a real history, serving real people.

Over the years, I've learned that many difficult code issues are resolved not by finding another clause, but by asking a better question.

For me, strategic building code consulting has never been about memorizing regulations. It has always been about understanding the building first.
Everything else follows.

The Building Code is not the starting point.
Understanding the building is.

What do you think?
Have you ever solved a difficult project by changing the question instead of searching for another answer?

🔍 Building Code Discoveries #1: A Building Code Provision I Had Never Fully AppreciatedEven after reviewing more than 8...
06/27/2026

🔍 Building Code Discoveries #1: A Building Code Provision I Had Never Fully Appreciated

Even after reviewing more than 8,000 building permit projects, the Building Code still surprises me.

Today I was reviewing a comment regarding an unenclosed exterior exit stair.

Like many consultants, my first instinct was straightforward:

Unenclosed exterior exit stair = adjacent glazing should be protected with wired glass.

That has been my interpretation on many projects.

But this time, I decided to read the entire provision again.

After reading Sentence 3.2.3.13.(4)(c) more carefully, I noticed that it permits a closure conforming to Subsection 3.1.8.

That led me to ask another question:

If the exterior wall itself requires no fire-resistance rating because the limiting distance permits 100% unprotected openings, what type of closure is actually required?

Following that line of reasoning, a standard window may satisfy the closure requirement without additional fire protection.

Whether this interpretation is accepted on a particular project should always be confirmed with the Authority Having Jurisdiction. However, the experience reminded me of an important lesson:

Never stop reading after finding the answer you expected.

Many valuable solutions are discovered by reading the next clause—and then asking how it connects with other parts of the Code.

After more than 30 years in engineering and over 20 years working with building codes, I'm still discovering new perspectives.

That's one of the reasons I continue to enjoy this profession every day.

As building code professionals, our job is not simply to memorize code provisions. Our responsibility is to understand how different provisions work together to achieve the objectives of the Code while helping clients find practical, compliant solutions.

Question for fellow building code professionals:

Have you ever discovered an overlooked Code provision that completely changed your approach to a project?

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