Code Council a Pioneer and Partner in World Standards

When the United States celebrates World Standards Day Oct. 13-14 in Washington, D.C.,—with the theme Advancing Safety and Sustainability Standards Worldwide—the International Code Council will be much more than a sponsor and exhibitor; it will participate as a pioneer and partner in the global mission of safe and sustainable construction.

As a member of the World Standards Day Planning Committee, the Code Council will be front and center during this year’s celebration including the Capitol Hill briefing to promote the importance of codes and standards in assuring the health and safety of people and the environment. Other World Standards Day events will focus on raising awareness of the importance of global standardization to the world economy and to promote its role in helping meet the needs of business, industry, government, and consumers worldwide.

The Code Council continues to be a leader in safe and sustainable construction through its development of the International Codes, including the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Public Version 2.0 of the IgCC, developed in 2010 following a Public Hearings Committee’s review of 1,500 comments and nearly 120 hours of testimony during Code Development Hearings in Dallas, provides a resource tool for jurisdictions considering adoption or amendment of regulations for green and high-performance construction. Final Action Hearings for the IgCC Public Version 2.0 are scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 6 during the Code Council’s 2011 Annual Conference in Phoenix.

The IgCC, in the words of ICC Chief Executive Officer Richard P. Weiland, “underlines the importance of how baseline codes can complement and enhance cutting-edge rating systems such as LEED, which have raised awareness and moved the industry forward in reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.”

The updated IgCC provides guidance for indoor and outdoor water efficiency and conservation. The International Green Construction Code — Water Efficiency Provisions is intended for jurisdictions with a special concern regarding the efficient and sustainable use of water. It is ideal for users who want to rapidly deploy the most advanced water efficiency codes, providing real water savings without giving up flexibility and ease of use.

Requirements in the 2012 IECC are expected to improve commercial and residential building energy efficiency by 30 percent more than those built under the 2006 edition, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. For communities using the 2009 IECC savings in energy use of approximately 15 percent could be gained when properly applied, compared to older energy conservation standards. As a result, structures built or upgraded in jurisdictions that adopt the 2009 or 2012 IECC will consume less energy, reduce building operation costs and save money.

“While the use of our codes can have a major impact on energy-efficiency in America, to reach the maximum benefit the most recent editions must be adopted and enforced at the federal, state and local levels,” said Code Council Board of Directors President Jimmy Brothers.

The International Code Council is a member-focused association dedicated to helping the building safety community and construction industry provide safe and sustainable construction through the development of codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes.