International Code Council Highlights Key Role of a Strong Building Safety Regulatory Ecosystem in Achieving Climate Resilience at COP29

From November 11-14, 2024, the International Code Council will be participating at the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Baku, Azerbaijan. The COP summit is an annual gathering where countries come together to tackle climate change and review progress under the UNFCCC. COP29 aims to bring nations together to drive stronger efforts in climate mitigation and adaptation, responding to the urgent challenges of a changing climate.

During the event, the Code Council will deliver thought leadership and present solutions focused on resilience, capacity building, strong codes and standards, and conformity assessment solutions across more than 15 sessions.

The Code Council, an active member of the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), is partnering with GlobalABC to host the Buildings and Cooling Pavilion. In collaboration with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Code Council will also present an exhibit at Booth 40 from November 18-21. This exhibit will showcase a variety of tools, frameworks and best-practice solutions, highlighting how the integration of advanced building codes and innovative architectural designs is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

“We are proud to once again participate in COP to promote the essential role of a strong building safety regulatory ecosystem in achieving resilient building solutions in the face of increasingly frequent and severe weather events and in mitigating carbon emissions,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “Our participation this year in numerous and varied sessions will continue to demonstrate to governments and stakeholders around the world that the International Code Council and our solutions are resources available to advance our shared building safety mission.”

Advancing the Buildings Breakthrough

Last year at COP28, the Buildings Breakthrough was formally accepted as part of the Breakthrough Agenda. Additionally, 17 initiatives were recognized as supporting initiatives to the Buildings Breakthrough, including the Building Capacity for Sustainable and Resilient Buildings Initiative led by the Code Council.

This year, Buildings Breakthrough signatories and supporting organizations are developing resources to address the Breakthrough’s priority action areas. The Code Council has been leading efforts around Priority Action 5 on capacity building and will release an interim report on progress.

Additionally, the Code Council and Standards Australia will release a report outlining next steps in the development of a Universal Data Protocol (UDP) for the built environment. The UDP report will be released at a session in the Buildings and Cooling Pavilion on November 16. This new tool seeks to utilize existing methods to enable transparent, auditable and verifiable data exchange for effective reporting and compliance across the built environment.

Detailed information on Code Council activities at COP, including presentations, reports and resources can be accessed here.