Code Council to collaborate with IBHS to update residential construction standards

The International Code Council is accepting applications to serve on the newly formed Consensus Committee on Multi-Hazard Resiliency for Residential Construction. In collaboration with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the committee will develop a comprehensive set of standards to increase the resiliency of residential structures in the face of potential hazards such as high winds, earthquakes, flooding and wildfires and at the same time make it easier for builders to achieve compliance.

The committee’s first task will be to discuss and understand the scope of the project as outlined by the Code Council Board of Directors, based on feedback received from a broad cross section of the construction and real estate industry. Initial work to update the ICC 600 Standard for Residential Construction in High-Wind Areas will be based on the 2014 edition of the standard. The High Wind Committee members will develop recommendations on resistant design and construction details to ensure the structural integrity of residential buildings. These recommendations will include prescriptive details for walls, floors, roofs, foundations, windows, doors and other applicable components of construction and will be consistent with the International Codes and applicable industry practices.

The scope and work of the multi-year project will result in the publication of a series of standards — one for each hazard — as well as design guides to aid designers, manufactures, builders and code officials in delivering residential buildings that are safe, marketable and affordable in the face of rising risks.

“With the increasing frequency of extreme weather and other disasters, it’s more important than ever to make sure residences are built to withstand these hazards,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “These new standards will help the industry adapt building practices quicker thereby reducing future losses. By partnering with IBHS, the committee members will have the benefit of their research and expertise as they develop the update to these residential standards.”

The Institute brings to this effort its extensive body of research and deep expertise on making communities more resilient. As part of the collaboration with the Code Council, IBHS will provide building science research and technical review and support to the committee’s work in developing the new standards. In addition, the resulting standards will be co-branded by the Code Council and IBHS.

“With every severe weather event, we see structures built to modern codes perform better. Homes can and should be built to prevent avoidable damage,” said IBHS President and Chief Executive Officer Roy E. Wright. “IBHS is proud to partner with ICC — bringing our science, data and ongoing research — to advance evidence-based codes that make our communities more resilient.”

The committee will consist of 12–15 members representing the following industry categories: manufacturer, builder, standards promulgator/testing laboratory, user, utility, consumer, public segment, government regulator and insurance. Other stakeholders including, but not limited to, code officials, design professionals and installers should apply. Applicants are not required to be Code Council members. Code Council Director of Standards Karl W. Aittaniemi, P.E., will provide oversight to all standards projects. Code Council Chief Structural Engineer Larry Novak, S.E., F.SEI., is the staff secretariat to the committee responsible for staff support of the committee activities.

The committee application can be found here. The deadline for submission is June 12, 2019.