Define occupancy categories

[Engineer1119]

Most building codes discriminate between the purposes of a structure as it relates to "occupancy", a term which encapsulates both its socioeconomic function and the number of people within it. However, review of previous versions of building code that there are sometimes apparently arbitrary divisions between how different building functions are treated.

The deliverable for this issue is a document that

• outlines a rationale basis for discriminating between functions,
• recommends a list of different functions,

Ideally there are references to various building codes from around the world that contrast different methods. The deliverable will be retained in the repo while the list of functions will also be pulled into the Chapter 03-Function document.

[Engineer1119]

NFPA and IBC requirements overlap significantly

[Engineer1119]

European (see page 15) and South Africa laws seem to have a similar philosophy

[Engineer1119]

great example from 1970s Japan, with illuminating history of other country's codes as well https://www.huduser.gov/portal/Publications/pdf/HUD-003328.pdf

[Engineer1119]

From Yoshiyuki Mizukoshi's "The New Illustrated Building Code":
"First, the [Japanese] Building Standards Law is integrated into the single legal format of the Building Standards Law. In Western countries the building code (regulations concerning aspects of building safety such as structure, fire prevention, and sanitation), and the zoning code (regulations concerning regional control within an urban planning district) are under separate legal formats. In Japan, however, not only the building and the zoning code, but also the housing code, the structural code, the sign code and a [art of various kinds of building and facility controls are all integrated in the Building Standards Law."