National Building Code for Single Family Houses

History

• The first International Residential Code was developed between 1996 and 1999 and published in 2000. The Code was authored by representatives from the National Association of Home Builders and the International Code Council. In 1996, the ICC consisted of three bodies: the Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc., the International Conference of Building Officials and the Southern Building Code Congress International. The International Residential Code is compatible with other building codes by design, including the International Building Code, the International Existing Building Code, the International Fire Code, the International Fuel Gas Code, the International Private Sewage Disposal Code, and the International Plumbing Code. Changes to the Code are based on proposals submitted by interested parties and an open code review process.

Jurisdiction

• The ICC and the ICC founding members do not oversee the enactment or ensure compliance to the Residential Code. Instead, jurisdiction and oversight is provided by governmental authorities in areas where the Code is adopted. The Code is available for adoption in the U.S. and international locations.

Contents

• The International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings contains the preface, the Ordinance, chapters one through 43 and appendixes A through Q. The first two chapters deal with generalities -- chapter one discusses administration while chapter two deals with definitions. The remaining chapters cover rules for the specific areas of home construction, such as planning, foundations, wall construction, chimneys and fireplaces, heating and cooling equipment, exhaust systems, plumbing administration, sanitary drainage, power and lighting distribution and swimming pools. Subjects covered in the appendixes include appliance installation, radon control, permit fees and fire sprinkling systems. The Code is written in logical format, beginning with design and ending with the final trim.

Developments

• In 2007, the ICC and the NAHB developed the ICC 700 National Green Building Standard. The standard defines green building guidelines for residential homes, duplexes, townhomes, residential remodeling and site development. The CC 700 National Green Building Standard is approved by the American National Standards Institute. The NAHB oversees standard certification for residential buildings in four levels: bronze, silver, gold and emerald. Each standard level has different requirements. For example, emerald, the highest level, is given to builders who incorporate energy savings of at least 60 percent. In 2008, the ICC passed a building code requiring fire sprinklers in new single family homes, duplexes and townhomes. The new law went in to effect on January 1, 2011.