Building Code and Life Safety
MAE-40039
Identify And Review The Building Features That Make A Building Safer From Fire.
There are many considerations that go into designing a building including the features that make it safer from fire. Building codes specify the minimum requirements needed to ensure the quality and safety of building structures. These codes also help safeguard the occupants by enforcing life safety features of buildings.
This course will give students the knowledge to ensure applicable and cost-effective protection measures of life and property from fire are applied. Participants will navigate the most current building and fire codes in the industry, determine how people behave in fire, apply the applicable protection measures for buildings, and understand building evacuation and human tenability conditions. Assignments will focus and use real-world examples and industry references.
Course Highlights:
- Fire statistics
- Overview of building and fire codes
- Occupancies classifications and use for buildings
- Construction types and limitations
- Means of egress
- Active and passive fire protection systems as required in buildings
- Structural fire protection
- Human Behavior in Fire
- Fire test standards
Course Benefits:
- Navigate current industry building and fire codes.
- Understand and apply the difference in building code requirements for the types of buildings.
- Design egress systems ensuring the safety of people exiting a building in a fire event.
- Determine if building designs are providing adequate levels of safety from fire.
Software: PDF viewer with mark-up capabilities or similar software is required for the course.
Course Typically Offered: Online during Winter and Summer quarter
Prerequisites: Students should have knowledge of heat transfer.
Next steps: Upon completion of this course, consider taking other courses in the Fire Protection Engineering Certificate
More information: Contact unexengr@ucsd.edu to learn more about RF Engineering and course offerings.
Course Information
Course sessions
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 1/20/2025
Schedule:
Instructor:
Derek Duval
Derek Duval is a registered professional engineer (PE) in Fire Protection Engineering and Code Consulting Expert located in the Southern California Region. He holds a Bachelor in Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master in Science in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Mr. Duval built his experience in Fire Protection Engineering from a diverse background. He has experience in the development of national codes and standards, design and review fire protection systems (including but not limited to; fire alarm systems, fire sprinkler systems, smoke control systems, fire-rated construction systems), installation oversight of fire protection systems, hazard assessment and risk analysis, and special hazard knowledge. Mr. Duval has managed projects in multiple vertical markets with a specialized focus in health care, industrial/manufacturing processes involving hazardous materials (combustible dusts, flammable and combustible liquids), detention and justice, DoD facilities, mixed-use development, higher education, and storage and warehouse facilities.
With extensive working knowledge of the building/fire codes and standards, specifically the California Building Code (CBC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Mr. Duval has participated in several seminars as a speaker and expert in the matter.
