Section 8-2-20. Definitions

   As used in this part, the term:

   (1) "Board" means the Board of Community Affairs.

   (2) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of community affairs.

   (3) "Department" means the Department of Community Affairs.

   (4) "Exempted building" means any of the following:

      (A) Any building whose peak design rate of energy usage for heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting is less than one watt or 3.4 British thermal units (BTUs) per hour per square foot of floor area for all purposes;

      (B) Any building which is neither mechanically heated nor mechanically cooled;

      (C) Any mobile home; and

      (D) Any building owned or leased in whole or in part by the United States.

   (5) "Exterior envelope" means those elements of a building which enclose conditioned spaces through which thermal energy may be transferred to or from the exterior.

   (6) "New building" means any building on which final design is commenced after the adoption of the International Energy Conservation Code under this part.

   (7) "Public building" means any building which is open to the public during normal business hours and is not an exempted building, including the following:

      (A) Any building which provides facilities or shelter for public assembly or which is used for educational, office, or institutional purposes;

      (B) Any inn, hotel, motel, sports arena, supermarket, transportation terminal, retail store, restaurant, or other commercial establishment which provides services or retails merchandise;

      (C) Any portion of an industrial plant building used primarily as office space; and

      (D) Any building owned by the state or a political subdivision or instrumentality thereof, including libraries, museums, schools, hospitals, auditoriums, sports arenas, and university buildings.

   (8) "Renovated building" means either of the following:

      (A) A building undergoing alteration of the exterior envelope; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems; water-heating systems; or lighting systems, for which the aggregate cost of alteration exceeds 10 percent of the assessed value of the building immediately prior to such alteration; or

      (B) A building undergoing alteration in the physical configuration or interior space, for which the aggregate cost of alteration exceeds one-fourth of the assessed value of the building immediately prior to such alteration.

   (9) (A) (i) On and after October 1, 1991, "state minimum standard codes" means the following codes:

            (I) Standard Building Code (SBCCI);

            (II) National Electrical Code as published by the National Fire Protection Association;

            (III) Standard Gas Code (SBCCI);

            (IV) Standard Mechanical Code (SBCCI);

            (V) Georgia State Plumbing Code or the Standard Plumbing Code (SBCCI);

            (VI) Council of American Building Officials One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code, with the exception of Part V -- Plumbing (Chapters 20-25) of said code;

            (VII) Georgia State Energy Code for Buildings as adopted by the State Building Administrative Board pursuant to an Act approved April 10, 1978 (Ga. L. 1978, p. 2212), as such code exists on September 30, 1991;

            (VIII) Standard Fire Prevention Code (SBCCI);

            (IX) Standard Housing Code (SBCCI);

            (X) Standard Amusement Device Code (SBCCI);

            (XI) Excavation and Grading Code (SBCCI);

            (XII) Standard Existing Buildings Code (SBCCI);

            (XIII) Standard Swimming Pool Code (SBCCI); and

            (XIV) Standard Unsafe Building Abatement Code (SBCCI).

         (ii) The codes provided in division (i) of this subparagraph shall mean such codes as they exist on October 1, 1991, provided that the department, with the approval of the board, may adopt a subsequently published edition of any such code as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 8-2-23; and provided, further, that any such code may hereafter be amended or revised as provided in subsection (a) of Code Section 8-2-23.

      (B) (i) On or after July 1, 2004, "state minimum standard codes" means the following codes:

            (I) International Building Code (ICC);

            (II) National Electrical Code (NFPA);

            (III) International Fuel Gas Code (ICC);

            (IV) International Mechanical Code (ICC);

            (V) International Plumbing Code (ICC);

            (VI) International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (ICC);

            (VII) International Energy Conservation Code (ICC);

            (VIII) International Fire Code (ICC);

            (IX) International Existing Building Code (ICC);

            (X) International Property Maintenance Code (ICC); and

            (XI) Any other codes deemed appropriate by the board for the safety and welfare of Georgia's citizens.

         (ii) The codes provided in division (i) of this subparagraph shall mean such codes as they exist on July 1, 2004, provided that the department, with the approval of the board, may adopt a subsequently published edition of any such code as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 8-2-23; and provided, further, that any such code may hereafter be amended or revised as provided in subsection (a) of Code Section 8-2-23.

      (C) References to any standard code in this part shall mean one of the standard codes listed in division (i) of subparagraph (A) or division (i) of subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.

      (D) The term "state minimum standard codes" shall specifically not include the Georgia State Fire Code as adopted by the Safety Fire Commissioner pursuant to Code Section 25-2-13 nor shall any state minimum standard code be less restrictive than the Georgia State Fire Code.

Ga. L. 1978, p. 2212, § 3; Ga. L. 1980, p. 1316, § 2; Ga. L. 1989, p. 1659, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1364, § 1; Ga. L. 2004, p. 551, § 1.