In Type 1 construction, exterior bearing walls are defined as ...

In Type 1 construction, exterior bearing walls are defined as ...

• A. Non-load-bearing partitions
• B. Decorative facades
• C. Panels used for coating
• D. Walls that carry loads from above

Answer: (D)

Exterior bearing walls are the structural elements that carry the building’s vertical loads down to the foundation. In Type 1 construction, the exterior walls aren’t just skins or appearances—they support the weight from floors and the roof, and they work with the rest of the structural system to transfer those loads safely to the ground. That’s why this description is the best fit: it identifies the walls as load‑bearing, not simply decorative or non-structural. Non-load-bearing partitions don’t carry vertical loads, so they’re not what exterior bearing walls do. Decorative facades and panels used for coating are surface treatments that don’t transfer structural loads.

Exterior bearing walls are the structural elements that carry the building’s vertical loads down to the foundation. In Type 1 construction, the exterior walls aren’t just skins or appearances—they support the weight from floors and the roof, and they work with the rest of the structural system to transfer those loads safely to the ground. That’s why this description is the best fit: it identifies the walls as load‑bearing, not simply decorative or non-structural.

Non-load-bearing partitions don’t carry vertical loads, so they’re not what exterior bearing walls do. Decorative facades and panels used for coating are surface treatments that don’t transfer structural loads.