The CRS Highlights the International Codes in Updated Resource to Better Understand Building Safety

On November 22, 2023, the Congressional Research Service (CRS), a non-partisan research service for members of Congress and congressional staff that prepares anticipatory and on-demand research and analysis, released an updated resource, Building Codes, Standards, and Regulations: Frequently Asked Questions. The resource highlights the Code Council’s efforts and emphasizes the significant role played by the International Codes® (I-Codes) in advancing community resilience and sustainability across the country.

The CRS conducted a report on building codes to help Congress offices interested in advancing more resilient and energy-efficient codes. Building codes have received increased attention at the federal level given several 2022 incidents, including the Surfside condo collapse, Amazon warehouse collapse and Bronx fire.  

The resource acts as a detailed guide to answering common questions about how buildings are regulated in the United States. The guide addresses building, fire and energy code functions and purposes, the difference between building codes, standards and guidelines, the code development process and natural hazards that codes address.  

The resource also details post-disaster building safety activity, determining code enforcement responsibilities and understanding the impact of federal laws and agencies.

Intersection Between Federal Government and Building Codes

With individuals spending a significant portion of their time indoors, the resource highlights the vital role buildings play in ensuring safe, healthy and sustainable environments. It provides insights into how model building codes and standards are developed by Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs), like the International Code Council, and how different government entities adopt and enforce codes, leading to a wide variety of building regulations across jurisdictions.

SDOs usually lead efforts to update model building codes, but the federal government has also contributed to codes’ enhancement. In 2022, the Biden Administration launched a National Initiative to Advance Building Codes, outlining federal agency actions to improve codes. These include research and development toward enhanced model building codes, helping state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) entities adopt and enforce them, and expanding the federal government’s adoption and enforcement of enhanced codes for federal and military buildings.

International Code Council Building Codes and Standards

In the resource, the Code Council is highlighted as a leading SDO responsible for creating and maintaining the I-Codes, which serve as model-building codes on a global scale.

The document also dives into the Code Council’s procedures for the development and regular updates of the I-Codes, offering readers valuable insights into the essential aspects of this process. Organizations typically use a consensus-based approach to develop, modify or update building codes. The Code Council exemplifies this process by publishing 15 model building codes and updating them every three years through a governmental consensus process.

To access this resource, please click here.