If you're using the ICC codes you can look up the definition of a story, stories above grade, and a bunch of foundation requirements on the ICC public e-code page. Just search the web for publicecodes.cyberregs.com
The comment by firai seems intuitively correct, but I am not fully convinced. Section C6.2 doesn't mention external pressures which are normally applied to gross projected areas, and although it may appear that buildings with large openings in two or more walls would have little or no internal...
