2015 NJ Code Update

March 2, 2016

On September 21, 2015, NJ formally adopted the 2015 ICC series of codes including the International Building Code (IBC), the International Residential Code (IRC), the International Mechanical Code (IMC), the International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) along with the National Electric Code NFPA 70-2014.

As with all NJ subcode revisions there is a 6 month grace period in which the design professional can chose to use either the current or previous version of the code. The grace period is about to expire, and all applications submitted for plan review after March 21, 2016 will be required to use the 2015 codes.

The National Standard Plumbing Code 2015,  was not adopted until January 4 2016, so the option to use the previous version of the plumbing subcode only, is still available until July 6, 2016.

This is the first code update since 2009 and it comes with literally hundreds of changes.

Below is a small sample of some of the significant changes to the code.

• Wind born debris regions that trigger the requirement for impact resistant glazing have been modified. This will affect many buildings along the NJ Shore.
• Institutional uses, including medical offices & assisted living facilities will be affected by the addition of “Occupancy Conditions.”
• Most of the Barrier Free Subcode requirements have been moved to Chapter 11 of IBC.
• Egress requirements from mezzanines have been changed.
• New sprinkler requirements for buildings with assembly occupancies on roofs.
• New requirements for low level “Exit” signs in some occupancies.

Visit the NJ Department of Community Affairs (DCA) home page for a complete list of code adoptions with links to full versions of the codes online. http://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/codes/codreg/

Robert Longo, AIA
AIANJ Codes & Standards Chair

By admin | Posted in AIA-NJ News, Architecture in NJ, Business, Codes & Regulations, NJ Architect Newsletter | Tagged: 2015 IBC, 2015 IRC, National Standard Plumbing Code, NJ-DCA | Comments (0)