ICC Public Comment Hearings on Proposed Changes to Building Codes Begin Sept. 21

The International Code Council (ICC) will hold its Public Comment Hearings for the 2021 Group A suite of building codes beginning Tuesday, Sept. 21 in Pittsburgh. NAHB members are encouraged to attend the event live or watch via webcast to better understand the code development process and inform their actions during voting and adoption.

The 2021/22 Group A code development cycle includes several codes of importance to home builders:

• The International Residential Code plumbing provisions
• The International Residential Code mechanical provisions
• The International Building Code provisions concerning egress, general, fire safety, and structural
• The International Swimming Pool and Spa Code
• The International Fire and Wildland-Urban Interface Codes

The public comment hearings will start on Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 8 a.m. ET at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. See the full schedule. NAHB members can attend the hearings in-person or watch the webcast through the ICC website. Materials for the hearings, including proposed changes for each code, can be found on the ICC website.

Approximately two weeks after the public comment hearings, the ICC will begin its online governmental consensus voting. NAHB will provide members with resources to facilitate discussions with local code officials to advance NAHB positions on code change proposals.

When changes are proposed to building and energy codes, state and local code officials usually agree with home builders: Change is needed only when it makes new homes safer and more efficient at a reasonable cost that does not affect housing affordability.

These officials, like home builders, reject changes that benefit product manufacturers and activists more than home owners. If just one member in every HBA shares NAHB’s positions on code changes to just one code official, the result will be better building codes. Join NAHB’s One & Done campaign and be the one member in your HBA that takes action on building codes.

For information on the hearings or the code development process, contact Craig Drumheller.