Iowa Engineering Society & American Council of Engineering Companies of Iowa

Engineering Matrix Revisions:

Draft – Engineering Matrix Revisions – February, 2003

BUILDINGS NEW CONSTRUCTION
Building Use Type	Description	Engineer Required	Engineer May Not Be Required
Agricultural Use	Facilities for private use only, as well as, individually owned and operated including grain elevators and feed mills		X
Agricultural Use	Facilities corporate or publicly owned including grain elevators and feed mills		X
Churches and accessory buildings whether attached or separate	One or two stories in height, up to a maximum of 2,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
	Any number of stories in height, greater than 2,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
	More than two stories in height	X
Commercial Use	One story in height, up to a maximum of 10,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
	One story in height, greater than 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
	Two stories in height, up to a maximum of 6,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
	Two stories in height, greater than 6,000 square feet of gross floor area	X
	More than two stories in height	X
Detached Residential Use	One, two or three stories in height, containing 12 or fewer family dwelling units		X
	More than twelve family dwelling units	X
	More than three stories in height	X
	Outbuildings in connection with detached residential buildings		X
Educational Use		X
Governmental Use	When the occupancy is of another building use type listed herein, those exemptions shall apply	X
Industrial Use		X
Institutional Use		X
Light Industrial Use			X
Places of assembly		X
Warehouse Use	One story in height, up to a maximum of 10,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
	One story in height, greater than 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
	More than one story in height	X
Factory-Built Buildings	Any height and size, if certified by a professional engineer licensed under Iowa Code chapter 542B		X
	One or two stories in height, up to a maximum of 20,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
	One or two stories in height, greater than 20,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
	More than two stories in height	X
	More than 20,000 square feet in gross floor area	X

ReDraft 2/21/03

ALTERATIONS TO EXISTING BUILDINGS
Alteration Type	Description		Engineer Required	Engineer May Not Be Required
Structural alterations to exempt buildings	Modifications which change the structural members, means of egress, handicap accessible path, fire resistivity or other life safety concerns			X
Structural Alterations to nonexempt buildings	Modifications which change the structural members, means of egress, handicap accessible path, fire resistivity or other life safety concerns		X
Nonstructural alteration	Which does not modify means of egress, handicap accessible path, fire resistivity or other life safety concerns			X
Nonstructural alteration	Which maintains the previous type of use			X
Nonstructural Alteration which changes the use of the building from any other use to:	A place of assembly of people or public gathering		X
	Governmental use		X
	Educational use		X
	Hazardous use		X
	A place of residence exempted	and is one, two or three stories in height and contains not more than 12 family dwelling units		X
	A place of residence not exempted otherwise	and is more than three stories in height	X
	A place of residence not exempted otherwise	and containing more than 12 family dwelling units	X
Nonstructural alterations which change the use of the building from industrial or warehouse to:	Commercial or office use	and is one story in height and not greater than a maximum of 10,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
		and is one story in height and greater than 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
		and is two stories in height and not greater than a maximum of 6,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
		and is two stories in height and greater than 6,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
		and is more than two stories in height	X
		and is greater than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area	X

ReDraft 2/21/03

ALTERATIONS TO EXISTING BUILDINGS (CONT.)
Alteration Type		Description	Engineer Required	Engineer May Not be Required
Nonstructural alterations to:	Agricultural Use	Including grain elevators and feed mills		X
	Churches and Accessory Building Uses	One or two stories in height, up to a maximum of 2,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
		Any number of stories in height, greater than 2,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
		More than two stories in height	X
	Commercial Use	One story in height, up to a maximum of 10,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
		One story in height, greater than 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
		Two stories in height, up to a maximum of 6,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
		Two stories in height, greater than 6,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
		More than two stories in height	X
	Detached Residential Buildings	One, two or three stories in height, containing 12 or fewer family dwelling units		X
		More than 12 family dwelling units	X
		More than three stories in height	X
		Outbuildings in connection with detached residential buildings		X
	Educational Use		X
	Governmental Use	When the occupancy is of another building use type listed herein, those exemptions shall apply.	X
	Industrial Use		X
	Institutional Use		X
	Light Industrial Use			X
	Places of Assembly		X
	Warehouse Use	One story in height, up to a maximum of 10,000 square feet in gross floor area		X
		One story in height, greater than 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
		More than one story in height	X
	Factory- Built Buildings	Any height and size if entire building is certified by a professional engineer licensed under Iowa Code chapter 542B		X
		One or two stories in height, up to a maximum of 20, 000 square feet of gross floor area		X
		One or two stories in height, greater than 20,000 square feet in gross floor area	X
		More than two stories in height	X
		More than 20,000 square feet in gross floor area	X

ReDraft 2/21/03

Engineering Matrix Notes

Definitions and Exceptions/Exemptions
The information contained on this matrix is intended as a general guide and does not replace the law, Iowa Code 542B or the Administrative Rules, Iowa Code 193C.
Refer to 193C-1.1.(3)(542B) for the definition of the practice of engineering and to 193B-1.5(544A,17A) for the definition of building use terms. This matrix addresses the practice of engineering only. The laws and rules governing the practice of architecture are not summarized herein

These general guidelines notwithstanding, the building code official shall have the authority as defined by the building code to require that all documents shall be prepared by a licensed professional engineer.
a. If there is a structural element or elements that do not fall within the Building Code definition of Conventional Light Frame Construction then at the discretion of the building code official, a licensed professional engineer may be required.
b. Special inspections of construction involving structural materials, members and/or components shall be performed under the direction of a licensed professional engineer as required by the building code.
c. Licensed professional engineers may be required at the discretion of the building code official to evaluate and/or design building HVAC, plumbing or electrical systems.
d. If an addition would cause the original building to become non-exempt (exceed the engineer requirement threshold), then a licensed professional engineer is required for the addition and the impacted original building elements, components and systems.

ReDraft 2/21/03