Code Compliance That Reads Every Sheet, Not Just the Code Summary
AHJ plan reviewers don't stop at the code summary, and neither should your internal compliance check.
The code summary sheet is where architects document their code analysis. It's also the only sheet most internal compliance checks bother with. Helonic reads the entire set against the same code requirements the AHJ will apply, sheet by sheet, finding the implementation issues that the summary alone can't catch.
Where compliance gaps actually live
A correct code summary doesn't mean the building is code-compliant. The summary says 'corridors shall be 44" minimum clear.' The corridor on A-103 narrows to 41" at a column enclosure. The summary is right; the implementation is wrong; the AHJ catches it. Helonic checks the implementation - the dimensions, the heights, the slopes, the door clear widths - against the code requirements the summary asserts.
How Helonic helps
Checks against the adopted edition, not the latest published
Helonic ships with adopted-edition-aware checks. If your project is under 2018 IBC with 2022 amendments, the rules engine runs that exact combination - not the latest published edition.
Implementation-level checks, not just summary checks
Corridor width, door clear width, ramp slope, ramp landing dimensions, accessible parking space dimensions, mounting heights, restroom clearances - every dimensioned compliance item, checked sheet by sheet.
Multi-code reasoning
Most issues touch multiple codes. An accessible toilet room intersects ADA, plumbing fixture count, and IBC egress all at once. Helonic reasons across codes simultaneously.
Local amendment awareness
Many jurisdictions modify base codes with local amendments. Helonic maintains a database of common amendments by jurisdiction and lets you upload custom amendment language for any AHJ.
Example issues Helonic catches
Real-world issues detected by AI analysis, specific to architects running code compliance:
Corridor on A-103 narrows to 41" at column enclosure C5 vs. 44" required (IBC 1020.2)
ADA toilet room T-201: lavatory clear floor space dimensions 28" × 48" - does not meet 30" × 48" required (ANSI 606.2)
Ramp slope on civil C-301 calculated at 1:11.5 from spot elevations - exceeds 1:12 max (IBC 1010.1.5)
Accessible parking space P-7 striped 8'-0" wide with 5'-0" aisle - van-accessible space requires 8'-0" aisle (ADA 502.3.4)
Egress travel distance from room 308 to nearest exit measures 273'-0" along the actual path - exceeds 250' for B occupancy sprinklered (IBC 1017.2)
Fire-rated assembly at corridor wall terminates at ACT ceiling on A-201 but rating extends only to deck above per UL listing - discontinuity at the ceiling line
Key features for this workflow
Corridor clear width verification at every measurable point
Door clear width and maneuvering clearance from dimensioned plans
Accessible route slope analysis end-to-end
Restroom dimensional compliance against ANSI A117.1 / ADA
Egress travel distance and common path recompute
Fire-rated assembly continuity check across plans, sections, and details
Running a code compliance check
Confirm adopted edition
Confirm the IBC, IFC, IECC, and local amendment editions adopted by the AHJ. Helonic loads the matching rule set.
Upload the set
Architectural drawings are the base; structural, MEP, and civil bring additional code-relevant content.
Run multi-code compliance
IBC, ADA / ANSI A117.1, IFC, IECC, local amendments all run in parallel and produce a unified findings list.
Resolve and re-run
Fix the high-severity findings, re-run, and verify the rule set is now satisfied before submission.
What construction professionals told us
“Architects we interviewed said the same thing about compliance: they're not worried about the headline rules, they're worried about the implementation details - the inch here and the slope there that turn into a correction notice three weeks into plan review.”
Conversations with architects who run their own internal code review and architects who outsource it to dedicated code consultants.
FAQs
Can it check against local amendments?
Yes for many major jurisdictions, and you can upload amendment text for any other AHJ. Helonic re-runs affected rules with the amendment substituted.
What about codes Helonic doesn't cover natively?
Helonic supports IBC, IFC, IRC, IECC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, NEC, NFPA 13, NFPA 72, ASHRAE 62.1 / 90.1, ANSI A117.1, and ADA. Other codes (industry standards, federal agency requirements) are checked via custom rule packs.
Does it replace a code consultant?
For the implementation-level checks, often yes. For complex code interpretations, alternative methods, and AHJ negotiation, you still want a code consultant. Helonic complements the human expert by handling the pattern-based work.
Manas Gandhi
Co-founder & CTO, HelonicManas is the co-founder and CTO of Helonic, where he leads engineering and AI research for construction drawing analysis. He works directly with structural, MEP, civil, and fire protection engineers to translate the way they review drawings into AI systems that flag the issues that actually matter in the field. Before Helonic, he built machine learning pipelines for technical document understanding and has spent the last several years interviewing licensed design engineers and discipline leads to ground product decisions in real practice rather than industry assumptions.
- AI for technical document understanding
- Cross-discipline coordination workflows
- Code compliance automation (IBC, NEC, NFPA, IPC, IMC, ASCE)
- Structural and MEP drawing review systems
How this page was researched: Conversations with architects who run their own internal code review and architects who outsource it to dedicated code consultants.
Last reviewed by Manas Gandhi · May 2026
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