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Design+ Evaluating a building code app

The Federal Emergency Management Agency Foundation Classes format under the BIM platform
conducted a nationwide study, Building Codes Save, which has improved collaboration and information exchange,
reveals that adopting and enforcing both the International aiding the development of automated checking systems.
Building Code and the International Residential Code These systems generally consist of stages such as rule
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could reduce property losses by US$132 billion. According interpretation, building model preparation, rule execution,
to the study, as of November 2020, over half (65%) of the and reporting, with rule interpretation being the most
U.S. counties, cities, and towns had not adopted updated crucial and complex. Various techniques have been
building codes. In some countries, the rate of code explored to improve the accuracy of rule interpretation,
adoption is even lower, increasing the risk of hazardous including utilizing software like Solibri Model Checker;
environments. While building codes are often seen as developing a plug-in application; and establishing object-
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restrictive, they ultimately serve to enhance the quality and based, logical, and ontological approaches. 5
safety of built environments, fostering innovation within
the framework of established guidelines. 2.2. Building code in design education
These codes govern various aspects of design, Traditional methods of teaching building code topics are
including structural integrity, fire safety, accessibility, and often perceived as passively learned content with little
environmental efficiency. Code analysis is a step-by-step appeal that minimizes student engagement and immersion.
process that begins with determining occupancy levels, To address this, a study was conducted to discuss the
which influences almost every other decision. Familiarity development and effectiveness of self-contained teaching
with building codes is crucial for building designers, yet modules that can be incorporated within existing courses.
many face challenges due to the complexity and frequent These modules utilize active content with engaging topics
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updates of these regulations. Design tools, such as that demonstrate the relevance of building codes to
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automated code compliance checking, can aid designers students’ careers. A more recent study’s findings indicate
in navigating these complexities and enhance their that the current approach to teaching building codes is
understanding of relevant codes. However, those tools are ineffective and requires revision. While the researchers
mostly helpful toward the end of the design process. The acknowledge teaching building code as a separate course
Building Code Calculator App introduced in this study is a positive step in bridging the gap between professional
was evaluated as an early-stage design tool. practice and university education, it is also important to
incorporate building code into theoretical and practical
This study employed a survey design with a mixed- courses. To achieve this, course content should be revised
method approach to assess whether the Building Code to include a stronger focus on relevant topics related to
Calculator App facilitated cognitive progression through building code. Another interior design-focused study
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Bloom’s Taxonomy and reduced stress during building code revealed that the topic of laws, codes, and standards ranked
calculation tasks. Nineteen senior interior design students first or second in importance among various content units.
from a CIDA-accredited program participated voluntarily These findings suggest that interior design curricula should
in this IRB-approved study after giving informed consent. place greater emphasis on laws and codes to better prepare
Participants completed building code scenarios using entry-level designers for success in the marketplace. 8
traditional methods and the app, which was designed
to reduce cognitive load and minimize calculation 2.3. Multimedia learning
errors. Afterward, they responded to a questionnaire
assessing perceptions of building codes, cognitive skills, One of the benefits of computer technology for educational
technology adoption, and stress levels. Data, collected purposes is its capacity to combine text, sound, images,
through Qualtrics, included demographic information animations, and video to create multimedia learning
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for additional analysis. The process took approximately environments. This learning method has become widely
40 min per participant. used and can result in more effective, efficient, and enjoyable
learning experiences based on how they are used along
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2. Literature review with students’ learning preferences. Researchers have
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been challenged with finding the most effective media for
2.1. Automated building code compliance checking learning. Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning
The process of checking building designs for compliance suggests that multimedia learning is composed of three
with regulations is time-consuming and prone to errors. levels of cognitive processing, namely selecting relevant
The automation of this process has been explored since information, organizing information into visual and verbal
the 1960s, gaining momentum with the rise of Building models, and integrating models with prior knowledge.
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Information Modeling (BIM). The use of the Industry This new information is stored as mental representations

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/dp.4730