Water leakage and water vapor condensation are two of the most serious issues affecting the durability of buildings today. There has been an enormous amount of litigation on the installation of exterior wall coverings and roof systems that is related to moisture. If these protective systems are not installed properly, moisture can cause a number of problems for a building and its contents, including a reduction in insulation performance, mold, and structural damage. Moisture can also have negative impacts on the occupants of a building.

The first part of this course is on the topic of weather protection. It covers the requirements in the International Building Code (IBC) intended to prevent and mitigate moisture problems in a building.

For people to be healthy, we must have certain basic needs met. We need adequate light in order to work and live effectively in a building. We need fresh air that is free from contaminants. When it is cold outside, we need to be provided with heat. We also need fresh clean water and sanitary waste facilities.

The final part of this course discusses interior environments. It covers the International Building Code’s requirements for providing a healthy environment in which to live and work.

• Identify the role of codes in the design profession and the importance of standards in changing the codes
• Distinguish and identify the different types of code used in the building process
• Compare and contrast between prescriptive and performance code requirements
• Identify and describe the role the federal government plays in the building process
• Provide a summary of the various standard organizations and their relationship to codes
• Identify and describe the different standards within the building process