Residential Building Code: Navigating the Safety Requirements + Limitations Governing All Homes
This course includes:
- Anytime access to the recording of our live presentation plus supporting materials for 60 days - learn or reference the material when it's convenient for you.
- Access to office hours: live Zoom meetings in which you can ask questions about the recording or supporting materials. (Details below.)
You can explore an outline of the course curriculum below!
This course includes:
- Anytime access to the recording of our live presentation plus supporting materials for 60 days - learn or reference the material when it's convenient for you.
- Access to office hours: live Zoom meetings in which you can ask questions about the recording or supporting materials.
Cost: Your investment of $29 will help you make better decisions about your house and give you access to the instructor during your time in the course.
We designed this course to walk you through the residential building code to explain how and why it sets the minimum safety and performance standards for our homes. You’ll be able to make better decisions in the course of maintaining or improving your home.
This course makes the building code accessible to homeowners and real estate professionals alike. We’ll walk you through how the building code is organized and how to find requirements. We’ll also explain the paths to building code compliance.
You’ll be empowered to check when someone says you must or can’t do something because of the building code. You’ll even be able to use the building code as a guide when responding to a safety concern or a home inspection report.
We’re planning to cover the following:
- Purpose of building codes + model building code development
- State + local adoption and amendments processes
- Permitting + inspections
- Design criteria: climactic and geographic design criteria
- Minimum safety requirements
- Minimum light, heating, ventilation + sanitation requirements
- Minimum dimensions for toilet, bath + shower spaces
- On-site power generation + storage
- Floor, wall + roof construction
- Chimneys + fireplaces
- Mechanical system requirements
- How to use the appendices
Enroll now to reserve your virtual seat for our live presentation. We welcome your questions in advance via a support request on your contact page.
We suggest all who take this course also take our free introduction to building codes titled "Where to Find Free Online Access to Building, Energy and Electrical Codes". It's a meeting recording that walks you through how building codes are developed and where to find free access to the building codes so it's a helpful compliment to the content in this course.
Access to the Presentation + Recording
Each person who views the presentation and has access to the recording must purchase (or have purchased for them) their own access to this course. Learners are not permitted to share access to courses.
What Happens After the Live Presentation?
We'll publish a recording of the live presentation in this learning management system. We'll notify you by email when the recording is available.
You may view the recording any time you choose and as many times as you wish within your enrollment period.
Your enrollment period (your access to the recording) is 60 days from the date of the live presentation. It typically takes three business days for the recording to be published.
Office Hours
We offer a live Zoom meeting twice a month for discussion. Students actively enrolled in paid courses (like this course) will be invited to office hours by email.
Your Questions + Guidance
Please share your questions and guidance at any time through our Support page.
You Need An Account
You need an account to view a course. Setting up an account is free and easy to do - just click the "Enroll Now" button below.
If you're not currently signed in yet have an account, click the "Enroll Now" button and enter the email address you used for your account. The LMS will recognize your email address, prompt you for a password. Enter your password, click "Continue". The LMS will add the course to your account and open your dashboard to display all of your available courses.
If you're signed into the LMS, clicking the "Enroll Now" button will launch the course.
Give This Course as a Gift
You can give this course to a person using the gifting feature at checkout: Click the "Enroll Now" button and then check the box to the left of the text "This is a gift".
You'll be prompted to provide the recipient's email and name plus a personalized message. The recipient will receive an introductory message with your personalized note. You'll receive an email with a link to the gift.
Our courses are a transformative gift of education: we teach people how to enjoy more healthy, comfortable and efficient homes and communities. Our courses are appropriate for all ages and backgrounds: homeowners, students, professionals, etc.
Terms of Service
Your participation in this course and all other RTA events is subject to RTA's Terms of Service.
Course Instructor
Advocate + Collaborator Ryan Taylor
Ryan Taylor is a registered architect. He’s also earned certifications in energy rating/performance verification, site design, disaster response, distance learning, etc. Ryan is active in community, legislative and building code issues. He’s been speaking/teaching since 2008 and is frequently invited to speak at community and industry events. His comments have been widely published.