What does the Building Code not function as?

The Building Code is designed primarily to establish minimum requirements for the construction, alteration, repair, and occupancy of buildings to ensure public health and safety. While it outlines certain standards related to construction practices, it does not serve as an educational textbook on building design concepts or theories. Instead, it provides practical guidelines that must be adhered to in order to meet regulatory standards.

Additionally, the other options highlight what the Building Code does not specifically address: ethical construction practices, which are moral guidelines rather than regulatory requirements; land use policy, which involves zoning laws and planning that extend beyond the scope of the Building Code; and historical building methods, which may represent past practices that are no longer compliant with modern regulations. Each of these aspects exists outside the primary regulatory and safety focus of the Building Code.