What term is used to describe the use of a specific building?

• A. Construction
• B. Target hazard
• C. Occupancy
• D. Structure

Answer: (C)

Occupancy describes how a specific building is used. Knowing the occupancy helps determine life-safety and fire protection needs, because different uses have different egress requirements, occupancy loads, and fire resistance needs. For example, a theater and a warehouse have very different demands in terms of how people exit, how fire alarms are wired, and how the structure is protected. The other terms refer to different ideas: construction is about the physical makeup and building methods, and structure is the building itself as a physical entity; a target hazard is a type of high-risk site, not a description of the building’s use.