What does construction type mean

According to the Edmonton Real Estate Board, there are 10 different structural materials a home can be built from, they are:. Most houses and condos in Edmonton are built of wood.

Because there are no earthquakes or termites here, wood is a great building material — and the cheapest of them all. All high rise buildings in Edmonton are made of concrete. There are not very many homes that are actually made of brick or stone, but are actually just faced with brick or stone on the exterior. There are more homes built of brick and stone in older parts of the country, though.

Figure 2: Type of construction required example What if the building comprises multiple classifications? Example: Consider a 3-storey building with: the first storey of Class 7, the second storey of Class 8, and the top storey entirely of Class 5. In this case, the classification of the top storey Class 5 applies. Figure 3: Building section Thus, the required type of construction by the use of Table 1 would be at least Type B construction.

As the fire resistance of the building materials increases, you have the ability to construct larger facilities. A hotel made of Type V construction might only be 7, square feet, for example, whereas a Type IV heavy timber hotel could be 20, square feet. With Type IV construction, the interior walls and framing can be heavy timber while the exterior walls can be made of non-rated materials.

Timber framing differs from traditional wood-frame construction in that the beams and girders are thicker and stronger, often made of laminated wood. The heavier timber effectively creates resistance to fire. While the exterior of an 8-inch beam may become charred, it will burn more slowly, allowing occupants more time to escape prior to collapse and giving sprinkler systems, if present, a chance to put out the fire.

Exterior walls of Type III construction are built with brick, masonry, concrete block, precast panels, or other non-combustible materials. However, interior structures and the roof can be wood-framed. In essence, the walls of the building have a good fire-resistance rating, but the interior and roof trusses may be more prone to collapsing if they catch fire.

A smaller Type III building allows occupants time to escape before a fire gets out of control. Many commercial retail buildings like strip malls and big-box stores use Type II construction. For more important real estate insights, download our e-book!

There are 6 different classes of construction that underwriters use. ISO Class 1- Frame Buildings with exterior walls, floors and roofs of combustible material — typically wood.

Frame is easy to build and economical, but burns quickly and easily. It has concealed spaces where fire can continue. Least desirable class for underwriters. Examples: Habitational stories max. ISO Class 2- Joisted Masonry Buildings with exterior walls of masonry or fire-resistive construction rated for not less than one hour and with combustible floors and roofs.

This typically includes block constructed buildings and can include heavy timber buildings.