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Design+ Building code app benefits for designers

and accessibility. In addition, they are required to possess code checking system that was used by the Architecture,
a diverse range of knowledge and skills to work on various Engineering, and Construction industries. DesignCheck
types of buildings, as each building has its own set of was developed to automatically check against accessibility,
requirements. 1 while SMARTcodes aimed to convert text-based building
To ensure safety and compliance, interior designers code documents into computer-readable formats for
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must follow building codes and regulations. Codes are a automated checking. Altıntaş and İlal developed an
set of laws and acts established by local, state, or national automated code compliance checking system for zoning
authorities to protect the public, such as the Americans codes to improve the manual process. However, these tools,
with Disabilities Act, occupancy load, and egress. The such as Solibri Model Checker, CORENET ePlanCheck,
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International Code Council developed building codes that and DesignCheck, contain a fixed set of rules that require
are widely used throughout the United States to ensure programming experience to create new or modify
safety and fire prevention in residential and commercial existing rules, making it difficult for non-programmers
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buildings. These codes are often found in text documents to understand and edit. Therefore, Sydora and Stroulia
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(i.e., textbooks) and written in natural language for human argued that computer-readable rules and guidelines could
interpretation. However, they can be ambiguous, causing improve the evaluation process by automatically checking
confusion in understanding what the code requires. 3 for code compliance and placing items according to design
codes and guidelines.
The design process begins with programming, where
designers identify the client’s needs. In the schematic stage, 1.3. Technology in interior design
preliminary designs are produced before the development Technology has vastly evolved in the field of interior
stage. Subsequently, construction drawings are provided design, transitioning from hand drafting and rendering
to contractors during the construction phase. These to the use of design software that saves time, effort, and
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documents must follow building and fire codes, municipal labor, such as AutoCAD, Virtual Reality, Sketchup, Revit,
codes, and other jurisdictional regulations to obtain a and Photoshop. Digital technology can also enhance
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building permit. Throughout this process, architects and cognitive skills and abilities, such as creativity and design
designers collaborate with consultants and engineers to thinking. Therefore, designers should stay updated with
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ensure that the design is both compliant and practical. 1,4 current trends and explore emerging technologies that can
Similar to architects and engineers, interior designers accomplish design tasks more quickly and more efficiently
share the same responsibility of protecting society’s well- by reducing effort, time, and labor costs. For instance,
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being. Therefore, their work is regulated to ensure safety, Almaz et al. argued that architects must adapt and learn
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requiring professionals to have knowledge about building how to use new technologies, such as artificial intelligence
rules and regulations. The National Council for Interior (AI), in both professional practice and architectural
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Design Qualification certifies individuals as professional education to prepare students for the increasingly digitized
interior designers through experience and examination. industry.
This examination assesses designers’ knowledge of codes
and regulations essential to occupant safety. Designers are 1.4. Usage of smartphones and apps for work
also responsible for selecting fabrics that comply with fire Smartphones are widely used for both personal and
codes and furnishings that meet Occupational Safety and professional purposes, offering numerous benefits in the
Health Administration standards. 1 workplace. Studies have found that smartphones promote
autonomy, improve relationships among colleagues,
1.2. Challenges with building codes and enhance knowledge-sharing, which increases job
Conventionally, checking for code compliance is done satisfaction and promotes work efficiency. Smartphones
manually and after the design is completed. This method with internet access allow individuals to perform various
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creates challenges since it heavily requires human tasks on their devices. This tool also helps facilitate
intervention and interpretation, making it costly, time- flexible, on-the-go learning. Apps are software programs
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consuming, and prone to errors. If the design is non- designed to perform specific tasks on computers and
compliant, corrections could create challenges, as it mobile devices. For instance, the use of smartphones in
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may involve various modifications and would require the medical field has increased due to their ability to run
rechecking for compliance. There have been various applications such as medical calculating apps. These apps
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efforts to create automated building code checking can help calculate complex clinical scoring systems that
systems, especially for Building Information Modeling. assess the severity or risk of diseases. Similar to building
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For instance, CORENET was the first automated building codes, these clinical scores involve complex formulas and

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/DP025190025