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

Codes and Standards
Published

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.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Student Chapters | Workforce Development

Jul 25, 2025

NAHB's Student Chapters Helped Give Her Confidence to Pivot Careers

Zhetique Gunn's early exposure to building and problem-solving has led to national recognition and a city-level impact as an urban planner in Washington, D.C.

Jul 24, 2025

Federal Court Upholds New York State Gas Ban

The federal court for the Northern District of New York on July 23 upheld New York state’s “gas ban” legislation. New York’s legislation is the first statewide law that restricts natural gas use in new buildings, effectively banning gas stoves and other fossil fuel appliances in most new construction starting in 2026.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Jul 25, 2025

Market Share of 5,000+ Square Foot New Homes Started Declines in 2024

In 2024, there were 24,000 homes that exceeded 5,000 square feet, equating to a 2.3% market share of all new homes started. Both the number and market share for 5,000+ square foot homes experienced declines from 2023, according to the annual data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC).

Economics

Jul 24, 2025

New Home Sales Hold Steady at a Relatively Tepid Level

Challenging affordability conditions, elevated interest rates and economic uncertainty continue to act as headwinds on the housing sector as many potential buyers continue to stay on the sidelines.

Economics

Jul 23, 2025

Existing Home Sales Retreat to 9-Month Low

Existing home sales fell to 9-month low in June as home prices hit another monthly record high, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Sluggish pace of sales suggest that higher mortgage rates and elevated home prices are continuing to sideline buyers, despite improved inventory conditions.