Chicago Building Code AI

The Chicago Building Code is one of the few remaining major municipal codes that has not fully adopted the International Building Code. While Illinois has adopted the IBC, the City of Chicago maintains its own Municipal Code of Chicago with significant amendments — including unique provisions for fire protection, building construction, and elevator requirements that differ substantially from the IBC.

AI for Chicago code compliance must maintain both the IBC provisions (which apply in most of Illinois) and the Chicago-specific amendments. This is particularly important for firms that work both in Chicago and in suburban Cook County or DuPage County jurisdictions, where the base IBC applies without the Chicago amendments. The same building type designed for two adjacent jurisdictions can have materially different code requirements.

The Chicago fire protection requirements are notably different from the IBC in several areas — including specific requirements for standpipe coverage, fire department connection placement, and fire alarm system configuration. AI compliance checking for Chicago projects checks against these local requirements rather than the generic IBC provisions, preventing the costly surprise of plan review comments based on Chicago-specific provisions that a generic code checker would miss.