What are performance-based codes primarily concerned with?

Performance-based codes focus on achieving specified design objectives, emphasizing the outcomes of a building's performance rather than prescribing specific methods or materials. This approach allows designers greater flexibility in how they meet the code requirements. These objectives typically relate to areas such as safety, accessibility, energy efficiency, and environmental impact.

Unlike prescriptive codes, which detail exact requirements on elements like materials or design configurations, performance-based codes allow architects to innovate and tailor solutions that meet or exceed performance goals. This method promotes a more holistic view of building performance, enabling the design to adapt to specific conditions and user needs while still adhering to safety and functionality standards.

Other aspects, such as visual aesthetics and compliance with historical standards, while important in the overall design process, are not the primary focus of performance-based codes. Likewise, specific material usage is generally a technical consideration under prescriptive approaches but does not encapsulate the goal-oriented nature of performance-based frameworks. Thus, the emphasis on achieving specified design objectives makes performance-based codes a more adaptable and contemporary approach in building regulation.