The Code
The International Code Council or “ICC” writes regulations that building departments may enforce to ensure the public health and safety in structures built for occupation and use. The “Code” is a consortium of several individual volumes that cover different aspects of construction. For single family and two-family residential homes, the code is mainly written in the International Residential Code or “IRC”. Within the IRC a person will find regulations on the construction of building assemblies, initial planning for life-safety issues, minimum energy efficiency standards, minimum mechanical, minimum plumbing and minimum electrical for single and two-family residential homes.
The ICC also writes for enforcement by building departments additional codes. Each is separately bound and creates more detail regulations for those covered within the IRC. Together they form what is referred to as the “I-Codes”. Whenever there possibly is a conflict within the code, it is usually the more stringent code that is to be followed.
The I-Codes include in addition to the IRC the following volumes for adoption by local governments for enforcement:
International Building Code (also known as the IBC)
International Energy Conservation Code
International Existing Building Code
International Fire Code
International Fuel Gas Code
International Green Construction Code
International Mechanical Code
ICC Performance Code
International Plumbing Code
International Property Maintenance Code
International Swimming Pool and Spa Code
International Private Sewage Disposal Code
International Wildland-Urban Interface Code
International Zoning Code
The ICC releases new editions of each code every three years.
Governments adopt codes they feel address issues under their jurisdiction. Governments decide which edition of each code they want to enforce. I have personally seen where building departments were enforcing codes of a particular edition like the 2009 and enforce newer or older editions of other codes at the same time. Most will adopt codes all released from the same year. Amendments and additional codes may be written by those government bodies as they feel fit the needs of their constituents. The codes that do not reflect those needs usually do not get adopted and therefore not enforced. It is the responsibility of designers, architects and engineers to create construction documents that reflect the adopted codes as amended. It is the responsibility of all contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers to supply and install all items into structures in a way that complies with the adopted codes as amended whether they are detailed in the construction drawings or not. Failure of contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers to comply with the code can result in a requirement by the building department to undo and repair the construction to where it complies or face a “Stop Work Order” and possibly other penalties as prescribed by law. The Stop Work Order bars any forward progress in the construction until the faulty items are corrected to the satisfaction of the building department. (Section R101 thru Section R114 2012 IRC)
The National Electric Code or referred to as the “NEC” or “NFPA 70” is created by the National Electric Code Committee of the National Fire Protection Association or “NFPA”. Like the Codes written by the ICC, it can be adopted as written, amended or outright replaced by any government body having jurisdiction over construction. The NFPA 70 is amended as a new edition every three years just like the I-Codes except its anniversary year is the year before the ICC releases its new editions.
Some states and cities totally write building codes for themselves. States like California, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Oregon and Ohio have statewide codes for construction. Idaho has its own plumbing code. Cities like Chicago have their own code for construction. Therefore it is important to contact the building department you are dealing with and have them list all the codes they are enforcing before beginning any design work.