Beneficial Uses and Misuses of the California Historical Building Code

Historic preservation allows society to maintain and keep relevant for future generations the buildings and neighborhoods that have played a meaningful role in our past. Preserved buildings can range from humble residences to grand monuments. Allowing continued use and reuse while retaining character defining features of these older buildings requires different building code considerations than those used for non-historic buildings. Fundamental to historic preservation is a balance between maintaining existing historic materials, building systems and configurations, and the need to make alterations or repairs to allow continued use. California is unique in that it has an adopted building code specifically developed for historic preservation. This paper discusses some of the ways that the California Historical Building Code (CHBC) can be used to preserve existing historic buildings, while also presenting some of the more commonly misunderstood and misused provisions so that readers can gain a better understanding of the correct use the CHBC. Several case studies are presented to illustrate the intent and use of the CHBC. Also presented are recommendations for future improvements to existing CHBC language to ensure that the intent is clear, with a focus on seismic concerns and upgrades. This is the second of two companion papers that address the CHBC; the first paper provides an introduction to the CHBC, discussing history and intent.