Safe Building Code Incentive Act – H.R. 2069

October 7, 2011

In the wake of the recent natural disasters, Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Albio Sires (D-N.J.) have introduced the Safe Building Code Incentive Act, encouraging states to voluntarily adopt and enforce model national building codes for the construction of new residential and commercial properties in order to save billions of dollars in disaster relief.

Fortunately, since the 1970’s the State of New Jersey has employed the use of model national building codes. The current adopted codes and standards include: the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC), the National Electric Code (NEC), the National Standard Plumbing Code (NSPC), the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), the International Mechanical Code (IMC), ICC/ANSI A117.1 Accessible and Usable Building and Facilities, and a host of others.

Through its policies, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) supports regulation by a single set of comprehensive, coordinated, and contemporary codes and standards, which establish sound threshold values of health, safety, and the protection of the public welfare throughout the United States. To that end, the AIA espouses the development and adoption of model building codes that:
• Include participation by architects and the public in a consensus process;
• Are the product of informed education and research;
• Are without favoritism or bias to any special interest;
• Include provision for a prompt appeals procedure for all that might be aggrieved;
• Are cost-effective in relation to public benefit; and
• Promote building code provisions that set performance rather than prescriptive criteria.

Therefore, it is heartening to see this move toward a more uniform national application of this policy through the proposed Safe Building Code Incentive Act. We at AIA New Jersey hope that through our leadership, New Jersey will be looked upon as a model for other states to emulate.

For the full text of an OpEd about this proposed legislation, please click here.

By admin | Posted in Codes & Regulations | Tagged: 2069, AIA Policies, Codes Regulations, Disaster Relief, Legislative & Government Affairs, Model Codes, Safe Building Code Incentive Act | Comments (1)