Seattle Building Code AI

Seattle adopts the International Building Code through Washington State amendments and adds substantial local amendments through the Seattle Building Code (SBC). The city has one of the most progressive green building programs in the country, with the Seattle Energy Code requiring performance well beyond the base IECC.

The Seattle Energy Code has been a model for other jurisdictions, with stringent envelope requirements, mandatory solar readiness, and building performance standards that require existing buildings to reduce energy consumption over time. AI checks new construction against these aggressive energy targets and, for existing buildings, evaluates compliance with the performance standards that trigger at specified benchmarks.

Seattle's seismic requirements reflect its location in a high-seismic zone, with additional provisions for soil liquefaction in areas along the waterfront and Duwamish Valley. AI compliance checking incorporates these site-specific seismic requirements along with the standard IBC structural provisions, ensuring that the seismic design accounts for both the building code and the geological conditions specific to the project site.