ICC cosponsors performance-based building
codes global summit
Participants from several nations discussed building regulations
at a global summit in Washington, D.C. cosponsored by the
International Code Council. The Global Summit on Performance-Based
Building Codes, organized by the Inter-Jurisdictional Regulatory
Collaboration Committee, provided opportunities to discuss
international building regulations. Topics included terrorism
and extreme events, multi-hazards, moisture and mold, energy
efficiency, sustainability, security, accessibility and building
life cycles.
Performance building regulations can reduce trade barriers
address variations in cultures and practices of individual
countries, and allow indigenous construction methods and materials.
Such methods may not be addressed by most prescriptive regulations
and associated standards. Unlike most prescriptive building
regulations, which provide directions on how a building should
be constructed, performance regulations focus on outcomes.
"Internationally, performance-based codes are improving
our world in a number of ways," said ICC CEO James Lee
Witt, who addressed the summit. "They are increasing
trade across borders, fostering innovation and strengthening
our ability to share experiences of working with communities."
"Bringing performance-based building regulation to reality,
and doing it well, will not be a slam dunk, but it will be
well worth the effort," said Jack Snell, retired director
of the Building and Fire Research Laboratory of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology, in his remarks to the
summit. "The key to the role of performance-based building
regulations, as better regulation, is the extent to which
it facilitates the emergence of better buildings that serve
higher social ends."
The National Research Council USA facilitated the event
held at the National Academies. Grants from the National Science
Foundation, the ICC, the National Research Council Canada
and the Australian Building Codes Board funded the summit.
A report of findings and conference proceedings will be available
in early 2004. For more information on the IRCC, visit www.ircc.gov.au.
The Inter-Jurisdictional Regulatory Collaboration Committee
is an unaffiliated committee of 10 of the leading building
regulatory agencies from eight countries. The ICC, a 50,000-member
association dedicated to building safety, develops the codes
used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including
homes and schools. The majority of U.S. cities, counties and
states that adopt codes choose building safety and fire prevention
codes developed by the ICC.
*This conference and related material is based upon work
supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No.
0322760. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations
expressed related to this conference and related materials
are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of
the National Science Foundation.
