Building safety, building confidence, worldwide: The importance of global product approval through quality conformity assessment

Conformity assessment is critical to safety for residents around the globe. Consumers worldwide have long been demanding safer building products. They require characteristics such as quality, safety, economy, reliability, compatibility, efficiency and effectiveness to be examined through conformity assessment.

“The value of product certification is a degree of confidence and trust that is established by an impartial and competent demonstration of fulfillment of specified requirements by a third party” (Annex A1.1 17065). But there is more to having confidence in certified products, including the quality of codes or standards used, the details of the certification scheme, and the expertise of authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs).

Conformity assessment standards have evolved over the years, with one of the improvements being the inclusion of reference to certification schemes. Certification bodies operate different schemes and that is one of the reasons why not all certification bodies are equal.

Third-party conformity assessment is the best tool AHJs have in order to approve products for installation with ease of mind. ICC-ES evaluates products to the International Codes, published by the International Code Council. Such codes undergo a very rigorous process and hence ensure thoroughly vetted content. ICC-ES is one of the very few certification bodies that reviews products to codes adopted by jurisdictions in addition to standards and normative documents. This is to further ensure compliance with local and state codes before approval for installation.

Conformity assessment for building products matter because at the end of the day, human lives are at stake. The Code Council family of solutions embodies all the elements required to foster confidence in the building community so that they can sleep well at night, knowing the products, processes and services they come in touch with meet the highest global standards.

For more information, access the ICC-ES Digital Global Assessment Guide.