Standards · Design principles · Practical applications · 5 Live Load Nuances in the NBCC Commentary

You’re finalizing a set of drawings, cross-checking load cases against the National Building Code, and wondering if you’ve caught every little detail. The NBCC is a dense document, and its companion, the Structural Commentaries, is packed with the “why” behind the rules. It’s in those commentaries that we find the nuances that can make or break a design, or at least save us a headache during a plan check.

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Standards · Design principles · Materials · Industry insights · Professional development · Practical applications · Navigating Wind & Snow Loads in Part 4 vs. Part 9

Canadian projects see everything from heavy snowfalls to strong winds, so our designs constantly have to stand up to the elements. The National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) gives us the rulebook, but how we apply those rules can differ significantly, especially when we’re talking about Part 4 (Structural Design) versus Part 9 (Housing and Small Buildings).

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Standards · Engineered Precision (Part 4) vs. Prescriptive Paths (Part 9)

The National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) gives us two primary structural design pathways that show up in everyday practice: the engineered requirements of Part 4 and the prescriptive provisions of Part 9. Deciding which one applies—and where they overlap—is a fundamental part of our work as structural engineers in Canada.

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