Wellness Through Adaptive Reuse
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Abstract
The International Existing Building Code (IEBC) was first
created alongside the International Building Code (IBC)
in 1997 to address health and safety concerns in the built
environment based upon prescriptive and performance
related requirements. Used as a base code standard by
most of the United States, the IEBC ensures that existing
buildings that are being altered in some significant way
are safe and accessible for all occupants. However, little
consideration is given to the effects that the built environment
has on human wellness in its entirety. Physical
and mental wellness are essential aspects of a healthy
lifestyle and are even more important in the development
of youth. With that, can the IEBC be supplemented
by an additional set of design standards which have
been created to promote human wellness?