The Washington times., 1927-12-03
BUILDING CODE
ADVOCATED

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 2.-Stand-
ard building regulations for Pacific
Coast cities viii be promulgated
soon as a result of a recent con-
ference of Pacific Coast building
officials. A uniform code, applica.
BILE to all West Coast cities, will be
issued December Is. 1t defines the
uses of materials in construction
and is designed to minimize the
needless multiplicity of building laws
and to elevate the standard construc-
ton practice.
The code is the work of leading
building officials, experts of the
United States Bureau Of Standards,
the American Engineering Standards
committee, the building code com.
mittees of the United States De.
partments of Commerce and Agri-
culture, the National Board of Fire
Underwriters, the Underwriters
Laboratories and other cooperating
organizations. 1t is Anticipated
many of the Pacific Coast cities
will adopt the code in the near
future. In addition, to the adoption
of the uniform code, the conference
has pledged itself to a program of
continually improving the code and
keeping it up to date.
Commenting on the importance of
this action. A. c. Horner, Of San
Francisco, manager of the Western
division for the National Lumber
Manufacturers Association. says in
an article in House Planning:
Eliminate Waste
"The primary purpose of the uni.
form code is to standardize building
regulations. This is a large factor
in eliminating waste of time and
materials in the construction indus
try.
''The wide divergence of building
requirements in similar communi-
ties has been due, to some extent,
to lack of knowledge of the actual
merits of various building materials
and to insufficient machinery to
enforce properly the existing laws.
In the uniform code, building con.
tractors and builders will find a
guide which permits of plenty of
latitude in the choice of materials
and design, yet so constructed that
approved materials will find a right
full place without sacrifice of design
or safety.
THE standards of quality and the
standards of practice written into
the uniform code embody the prin-
ciples, experience and successful
practices, plus scientific knowledge,
of many years. This technical regu.
lation of construction promotes
convenience, efficiency and safety.
These are essentials in the growth
of any community"
Everyone TO Benefit
Contractors, builders, retail lum-
Der dealers, building and loan asso.
Citations and the individual will
benefit by the widespread adoption
| of this code, it is pointed out. In
the simplification of building stand
ards. with a consequent lessening
in the number of grades of ma
terials. there is a distinct reduction
in waste and an increase in utility.
Building and loan associations will
find in the code valuable aids in
the determination of property value.
Known standards of quality OBJ
tanned through scientific research
form a basis for certain recommen-
| dations in the code. They assure
high utility of materials and furnish
| scientific basis for fair dealing.
Unsupported claims of building ma
terials manufacturers have been
| discarded in the light of accurate
data.
Copies of the 1927 edition of the
building code prepared by the Pa
cific Coast Building Officials Con-
ference may be obtained from ]. e.
Mackie. secretary, 312 Babb Build
ing, Long Beach, Cal.