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We have two different building codes in the US, one for single family buildings and one for multi-unit buildings. The single family code is optimized for cost,
by epistasis 2y ago
We have two different building codes in the US, one for single family buildings and one for multi-unit buildings.
The single family code is optimized for cost, cheapness, ease, and speed. The multi-unit code is optimized for expense, difficulty, and making sure as little gets built as possible.
That means that even though the US suffers far more deaths from structure fires than the rest of the world, common-sense multi-unit designs like single-staircase that are present in safer countries are illegal in nearly all of the US.
- MichaelZuo 2y agoHow do you know it’s optimized either way? It could be semi-random, based on a lot of events, motivations, etc., that occurred or didn’t occur by chance.
- epistasis 2y agoThe earliest authors of the codes were very clear about these motivations, in books from the time, which I do not have handy. So, take that as you will from a random internet commenter. But I think that even without the motivations being written out, it's pretty clear in the nature of their differences.