The Florida Building Code Story: Building Safety, Resilience and Affordability

For more than 20 years, the Florida Building Code (FBC) has helped save lives, protect property and safeguard Floridians’ way of life by improving building resiliency and ensuring that new construction is built to withstand Florida’s challenging climate.

Florida’s experience offers several key lessons for policymakers, builders and community leaders aiming to strengthen their built environment through effective code development and implementation.

The International Code Council has published a case study about the development of Florida’s statewide building code, its impacts to the region and how it can serve as a blueprint for other states to develop their own statewide codes.

Key takeaways: 

• Strong, regularly updated and well-enforced building codes are essential for building safety and resilience;
• The FBC stays effective by continuously incorporating new updates, allowing it to adapt to evolving challenges;
• A statewide code helps unify regulations across disaster-prone regions, making enforcement more efficient and consistent;
• Proper code enforcement is vital to prevent violations that can lead to serious risks for lives and properties;
• Public education and awareness are critical to gaining support for building codes; Florida’s proactive approach serves as a model for other states;
• Ongoing communication with stakeholders ensures smoother implementation and greater compliance with code changes. 

View the Florida Building Code Story case study here.  

Learn more about how our Government Relations department works in collaboration with chapters, members and stakeholders to support the adoption and effective use of the Code Council’s codes, standards, products and services, here.