NAHB Requests Member Feedback on ICC Review of International Residential Code

This post was updated Nov. 10, 2025.

The International Code Council (ICC) has announced it will begin a holistic review of the International Residential Code (IRC), the national model construction code for one- and two-family dwellings that ICC updates every three years.

As rising construction costs continue to exacerbate this nation’s housing affordability crisis, ICC is establishing a Board IRC Review Committee (BIRC) to identify potential changes that can reduce construction costs and simplify the code without weakening its existing life safety requirements.

The review will be led by an academic research team consisting of three U.S. universities, which will be assisted by an Advisory Committee of building code experts that will include participation by NAHB. The research team has issued a call for public input to guide the research team’s work. This input will help identify provisions in the IRC to improve through future ICC code development cycles. The BIRC webpage hosts a public comment portal that will be open through Nov. 28, 2025.

NAHB members are encouraged to provide their feedback by responding to this brief survey by Thursday, Nov. 20. You may comment on any IRC issue, but please see below for suggested areas to focus on. All survey responses will be confidential and will not be connected to your contact information. Your input will help inform the comments that NAHB will submit to ICC to improve future editions of the IRC.

Please contact Gary Ehrlich, NAHB director of construction codes and standards, at [email protected] if you have any questions or need additional time to complete the survey. Please include the phrase “IRC Review Feedback” in the subject line of your email.

Below are suggested IRC sections that survey respondents may focus on, though you may comment on any IRC issue. These items are listed not in any order of priority, but where numerically by IRC code section. All survey responses will be confidential and will not be connected to your contact information.

• Sec. R106 Construction Documents: Conditions across states and municipalities vary widely. The documents required for submission should be left up to the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) rather than a model code development organization.
• Sec. R109 Inspections: Conditions across states and municipalities vary widely. The inspection requirements should be left up to the AHJ rather than a model code development organization.
• Sec. R306 Flood Resistant Construction: Several IRC provisions exceed the minimum construction standards of the National Flood Insurance Program. A comprehensive look at experience from flood events is needed to determine what is actually required especially in areas of shallow flooding.
• Sec. R309 Automatic Sprinkler Systems: Data has shown residential sprinkler mandates for new homes do not reduce fire fatalities, yet the significant costs (up to $30,000) are borne by homeowners and keep potential homebuyers in older, less safe housing.
• Sec. R316 Habitable Attics: To be constructed over a two-story dwelling or to provide one larger than one-third of the floor area below, the IRC requires these to be sprinklered.
• Sec. R602.10 Wall Bracing: These IRC provisions have become increasingly complicated as house plans become more complex while their use as an alternative to retaining a structural engineer remains desirable.
• Ch. 11 Energy Efficiency
  • Complexity: The complexity of the new energy codes is becoming a barrier to design, construction, compliance, and enforcement.
  • Insulation: Requirements for some assemblies in some climate zones are not cost effective. Select examples include R-20+5 walls in CZ 4&5, R-20 walls in CZ 3, and attic insulation across all climate zones.
  • Additional Efficiency Requirements (Sec. N1108): DOE already sets minimum efficiency requirements for heating and cooling equipment based on extensive cost-effective analyses, but this compliance path pushes equipment that exceeds federal standards.
• Sec. E3902.21 Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) Protection: Tens of millions of these devices have been installed since first being required in 2002, but despite their widespread use, they have not resulted in the intended reduction of electrical fires at a cost of $200 to $300 per home.