Traditional Fire and Building Codes are described as prescriptive codes.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not Applicable
• D. Not Sure

Answer: (A)

Traditional Fire and Building Codes are prescriptive because they lay out explicit construction requirements and materials to meet safety objectives. Compliance comes from following these detailed rules—things like minimum fire-resistance ratings for walls, required numbers and widths of exits, specific door hardware, and stated methods of egress. There isn’t an implicit push to prove the overall performance of a design; instead, the code provides a fixed set of rules to follow. In practice, many jurisdictions enforce these prescriptive provisions, though they may allow alternatives or performance-based options through approved equivalencies. The key idea is that safety is ensured by meeting the stated specifications rather than by demonstrating a certain outcome through analysis or alternative methods.