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Building Construction Categories (Iso)

Building Construction Categories (ISO)

Definition

Categories of building construction established by Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), in its Commercial Lines Manual (CLM) for purposes of developing rates for insuring commercial property, based on susceptibility to damage by fire. The six ISO CLM building construction categories and the associated ISO construction codes, from the least fire-resistive category to the most fire-resistive category, are as follows.

  • Frame—Exterior walls of wood, brick veneer, stone veneer, wood ironclad, or stucco on wood. (Construction Code 1)
  • Joisted Masonry—Exterior walls of masonry material (adobe, brick, concrete, gypsum block, hollow concrete block, stone, tile, or similar materials) with combustible floor and roof. (Construction Code 2)
  • Noncombustible—Exterior walls, floor, and supports made of metal, asbestos, gypsum, or other noncombustible materials. (Construction Code 3)
  • Masonry Noncombustible—Same as joisted masonry except that the floors and roof are of metal or other noncombustible materials. (Construction Code 4)
  • Modified Fire Resistive—Exterior walls, floors, and roof of masonry or fire-resistive material with a fire resistance rating of at least 1 hour but less than 2 hours. (Construction Code 5)
  • Fire Resistive—Exterior walls, floors, and roof of masonry or fire-resistive materials with a fire resistance rating of at least 2 hours. (Construction Code 6)

The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) uses nearly identical building construction categories in its materials addressing the development of rates for insuring commercial property in several of its programs.

Related Terms

Fire Resistive Construction (ISO)

One of six building construction categories established by Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), in its Commercial Lines Manual (CLM) for purposes of developing rates for insuring commercial property, based on susceptibility to damage by fire. The CLM description of fire resistive construction, followed by the associated ISO construction code, is exterior walls, floors, and roof of masonry or fire-resistive materials with a fire resistance rating of at least 2 hours (Construction Code 6). The construction code indicates the ranking of this building construction category within the six categories, with 1 as the least fire-resistive and 6 as the most fire-resistive.

Frame Construction (ISO)

One of six building construction categories established by Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), in its Commercial Lines Manual (CLM) for purposes of developing rates for insuring commercial property, based on susceptibility to damage by fire. The CLM description of frame construction, followed by the associated ISO construction code, is exterior walls of wood, brick veneer, stone veneer, wood ironclad, or stucco on wood (Construction Code 1). The construction code indicates the ranking of this building construction category within the six categories, with 1 as the least fire-resistive and 6 as the most fire-resistive.

Joisted Masonry Construction (ISO)

One of six building construction categories established by Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), in its Commercial Lines Manual (CLM) for purposes of developing rates for insuring commercial property, based on susceptibility to damage by fire. The CLM description of joisted masonry construction, followed by the associated ISO construction code, is exterior walls of masonry material (adobe, brick, concrete, gypsum block, hollow concrete block, stone, tile, or similar materials), with combustible floor and roof (Construction Code 2). The construction code indicates the ranking of this building construction category within the six categories, with 1 as the least fire-resistive and 6 as the most fire-resistive.

Masonry Noncombustible Construction (ISO)

One of six building construction categories established by Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), in its Commercial Lines Manual (CLM) for purposes of developing rates for insuring commercial property, based on susceptibility to damage by fire. The CLM description of masonry noncombustible construction, followed by the associated ISO construction code, is exterior walls of masonry material (adobe, brick, concrete, gypsum block, hollow concrete block, stone, tile, or similar materials) with floors and roof of metal or other noncombustible materials (Construction Code 4). The construction code indicates the ranking of this building construction category within the six categories, with 1 as the least fire-resistive and 6 as the most fire-resistive.

Modified Fire Resistive Construction (ISO)

One of six building construction categories established by Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), in its Commercial Lines Manual (CLM) for purposes of developing rates for insuring commercial property, based on susceptibility to damage by fire. The CLM description of modified fire resistive construction, followed by the associated ISO construction code, is exterior walls, floors, and roof of masonry or fire-resistive material with a fire resistance rating of at least 1 hour, but less than 2 hours (Construction Code 5). The construction code indicates the ranking of this building construction category within the six categories, with 1 as the least fire-resistive and 6 as the most fire-resistive.

Noncombustible Construction (ISO)

One of six building construction categories established by Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), in its Commercial Lines Manual (CLM) for purposes of developing rates for insuring commercial property, based on susceptibility to damage by fire. The CLM description of noncombustible construction, followed by the associated ISO construction code, is exterior walls, floor, and supports made of metal, asbestos, gypsum, or other noncombustible materials (Construction Code 3). The construction code indicates the ranking of this building construction category within the six categories, with 1 as the least fire-resistive and 6 as the most fire-resistive.

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