Coastal Building Codes

You may be curious as to who is responsible for coming up with building code rules and regulations. Actually, it’s a combination of folks, including state and local agencies. However, much of the country has adopted the standards set by the International Code Council (ICC). The ICC came into being when regional building code groups across the country decide to join forces. From their website:

The International Code Council (ICC) was established in 1994 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing a single set of comprehensive and coordinated national model construction codes. The founders of the ICC are Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. (BOCA), International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), and Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc. (SBCCI). Since the early part of the last century, these nonprofit organizations developed the three separate sets of model codes used throughout the United States. Although regional code development has been effective and responsive to our country’s needs, the time came for a single set of codes. The nation’s three model code groups responded by creating the International Code Council and by developing codes without regional limitations the International Codes.

In 2003, the ICC published its most comprehensive set of changes, addressing what many felt where inadequate, and unsafe, standards. This set of changes was especially important for those building homes in coastal areas. The net result is that, during catastrophic events, homes built to the new code are fairing much better than the older structures. Which is great news for those of us who live and make our livings in this industry.

If you’re interested in learning more about the International Code Council, check out their informative website at www.ICCSafe.org