MODEL CODES 101

The International Code Council (ICC) is a membership organization whose mission is “to provide the highest quality codes, standards, products and services for all concerned with the safety and performance of the building environment.”¹ Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc., International Conference of Building Officials, and Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., founded the ICC in 1994 to develop a singe set of codes to be used internationally, and certainly across North America. Prior to forming the ICC, the three founding organizations each developed a separate, regional-based building code. The motivation behind forming a single organization to develop a unified model code was an understanding that a pooling of resources and knowledge would better protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.

ICC publishes a broad spectrum of model codes, which include the International Building Code (IBC), the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and the International Green Construction Code (IgCC). The International Codes, or I-Codes, are developed through a robust consensus-based process that invites any interested stakeholder to submit a code change proposal. The proposals are reviewed at meetings attended by ICC code development committees and eligible voting members. Stakeholder proposals also form the basis of code development committees’ recommendations that are balloted to voting members.

I-Codes are updated and published every three years, with the most recent published in 2012. Once published, federal, state and local governments may adopt the codes at the jurisdictional level. Fifty states and the District of Columbia, in addition to many federal agencies, have adopted and enforce the I-Codes. The version, or year, of the I-Codes adopted may vary between jurisdictions and certain jurisdictions may choose not to adopt the most recent versions of the various codes. And jurisdictions can amend the model codes to adapt them appropriately to their jurisdiction.

International Building Code

The International Building Code (IBC) was first published in 2000 and applies to commercial and multi-family buildings. The IBC provides minimum requirements to safeguard the public health, safety and general welfare of the occupants of new and existing buildings and structures. The code is fully compatible with the ICC family of codes, including: International Existing Building Code (IEBC), International Fire Code (IFC), and the International Plumbing Code (IPC).

While the IBC maintains a heavy focus on safety with respect to the construction and design of a building, the code is comprised of multiple chapters, including:

• Building heights and areas.
• Foundation, wall and roof construction.
• Building occupancy classifications.
• Means of egress.

The IBC also makes extensive references to other I-Codes and recognized national standards.
In the majority of jurisdictions adopting the IBC, the code applies to the construction of new buildings and alterations to existing buildings. The IBC extends throughout a building’s useful life to include changes in use and demolition.

The IBC applies to all types of buildings and structures; however, a jurisdiction may elect to exempt a certain category of buildings from the building code or from certain provisions of the code. Typical exemptions include historic buildings or buildings owned by governmental bodies other than the local jurisdiction, like a federal courthouse.

International Energy Conservation Code

Commercial buildings in the United States account for approximately forty percent of all domestic energy consumed. The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) was first published in 2000 to address the energy used by commercial buildings. The IECC’s scope includes new construction and additions, alterations, renovations or repairs to existing buildings, but does not render an existing building noncompliant if the building is lawfully in existence when the IECC is adopted.

The intent of the IECC is to “regulate the design and construction of buildings for the effective use and conservation of energy over the useful life of each building.”² The code is structured with prescriptive and performance requirements. Prescriptive requirements allow ease of design and enforcement. Performance requirements can be more complicated; however, they allow the use of innovative approaches and techniques to achieve the goal of designing and constructing more energy-efficient buildings. The IECC is not meant to supplant the safety, health or environment requirements present in other codes or ordinances adopted by a specific jurisdiction.

Chapter 4 of the IECC sets forth the requirements for commercial building energy efficiency. The chapter sections address specific portions of the building, including:

• Building envelope (roofs, walls, floors, glazing, skylights).
• Building mechanical systems.
• Service water heating.
• Electrical power and light.

The IECC also establishes requirements for total building performance.

To determine the specific requirements of a commercial building, Chapter 3 of the IECC identifies eight climate zones for the United States, and instructions on assigning climate zones outside of the United States and its territories. The climate zones are illustrated in a map and are structured based on climate characteristics like moisture and humidity. The climate zones create important distinctions between regions and optimize the energy efficiency requirements for commercial buildings. It is easy to understand that an office building in Minneapolis, Minn., will be designed differently than a similar building in Miami, Fla.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through its Building Energy Codes Program, participates in the development of the IECC to cost-effectively reduce energy consumption in buildings. The United States does not have a national energy code or standard. However, DOE does provide states and local jurisdictions with technical assistance to help facilitate the adoption process at the jurisdictional level. Currently, 41 states have adopted a statewide energy code for commercial buildings. Increasing the number of states that adopt and update their energy codes is an important factor in reducing the amount of energy consumed. The Alliance to Save Energy estimates that stronger, more widely adopted energy codes could reduce our nation’s total energy use by seven percent and save approximately $25 billion annually in energy costs by 2030.

International Green Construction Code

The IgCC is the first model code to include sustainability requirements for the building and site, addressing key issues from the design, construction and use of the building through its service life.

To publish the 2012 IgCC, ICC partnered with five cooperating sponsors that include the American Institute of Architects (AIA), ASTM International, ASHRAE, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Illuminating Engineering Society.

“The IgCC is a tool that, when adopted nationwide by states and communities, will create path for the United States to follow in cutting energy use in one of its biggest energy consumers – commercial buildings,” said AIA President Jeff Potter.

To create this path towards more sustainable commercial buildings, the 2012 IgCC is divided into twelve chapters. The chapter titles reference topics unique to green construction, including:

• Life cycle assessment.
• Material resource conservation and efficiency.
• Energy conservation, efficiency and CO2 emission reduction.
• Commissioning, operation and maintenance.

While many of the sustainability topics outlined above are commonplace in today’s green building rating system, the IgCC captures sustainable construction in a credible, enforceable code. The IgCC references existing codes and standards, including the IECC, the National Green Building Standard, and incorporates ASHRAE Standard 189.1 as an alternative compliance path.

The IgCC is intended to establish a baseline for sustainable design and construction, which is intended to be used as an “overlay code” to the existing codes like building or fire codes. The IgCC also offers flexibility to the jurisdiction adopting the code in order to meet specific conditions and goals. The code contains “core provisions” and “jurisdictional requirements” options that can be selected and customized.

Several jurisdictions have already adopted the code as a voluntary path. Scottsdale, Ariz., has adopted the code as a mandatory requirement for all new construction. States also have taken action. Rhode Island was the first state to adopt the IgCC for public facilities and Maryland has authorized the code for use by the Department of Housing and Community Development and local governments.

Even without adoption, building owners and designers are requesting and designing energy-efficient buildings, and they are using the IgCC to help make that happen.

In addition to improving the performance of commercial buildings, several studies have documented the economic benefits of green codes. According to the Green Jobs Study³ commissioned by the USGBC, adopting policies like the IgCC will support nearly 8 million green construction-related jobs in the United States. Importantly, these economic benefits can be realized without significant differences in the cost of construction for green and “non-green” buildings.⁴

To learn more about the IgCC, including access to a free webinar titled Green Building Codes 101: Navigating the Standards, codes, and rating systems, visit http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/IgCC/Pages/default.aspx?r=IgCC.

The development of the I-Codes is a continuous and rigorous process. The development process for the 2015 editions of the IECC and IgCC are already underway. For more information on these I-Codes and for the latest news from the International Code Council, visit the organization’s website, www.iccsafe.org.