Fire Code Interpretation Guide to be Released
As reported in this blog previously, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) amended the Building Standard Law (BSL) to streamline fire-related regulations for wooden buildings in order to facilitate increased wood use in Japanese construction. However, the amended code provisions are very complicated and are difficult for designers to comprehend and implement. With this in mind COFI Japan, in partnership with the Japan 2×4 Home Builders Association, therefore conducted a joint project to publish a code interpretation guidebook to explain the amendment overview. The guidebook was drafted by the technical development committee in which COFI (Council of Forest Industries) Tokyo participates. The guidebook will be officially published in December 2020 and will provide architects and designers with a hands-on resource to optimize the use of MLIT’s new BSL fire-related regulations. This guide will be used as a reference source in 2×4 construction training seminars going forward.