A recent press release from the International Code Council, Inc. (ICC) has expressed the council’s disappointment at the recent announcement that the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has decided to begin the development of a model building code. In 1995, the ICC announced their intention to cooperate in the development of a single family of model codes. The ICC decision was widely supported throughout the construction industry as a giant stride to solving the complexity and multiplicity of codes in use in the United States.
ICC Chairman, Dan Nickle C.B.O., questioned “if another model building code is really needed or even desirable with the introduction of the complete family of International Codes/2000.” Despite the recent decision by NFPA, Mr. Nickle stated that “the ICC International Codes/2000 are available and meet the needs of all levels of government, industry and the public. Despite the announced intentions of NFPA, the ICC will continue to be ready and willing to proceed with negotiations with NFPA in hopes of expeditiously achieving a resolution of organizational differences and to again jointly explore the development of a single set of comprehensive and coordinated model codes for the U.S.”
In 1994, the three national model building code organizations: Building Official and Code Administrators International, Inc., International Conference of Building Officials and Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc. accepted a monumental challenge to bring their three very successful code systems into a single code system through the ICC because it made good sense for everyone including the public. “Our goal has been accomplished,” said Mr. Nickle.
Throughout the past five years ICC has engaged in many discussions with various organizations and interests with the intent of creating alliances and relationships that would preserve ICC’s goal of a single code system. ICC has been quite successful except for their discussions with NFPA. While prior negotiations with NFPA have twice broken down, ICC remains dedicated to the pursuit of a single code system in the U.S. Mr. Nickle stated, “I would like to assure all building industry professionals that ICC has never refused to work with NFPA on this or any other matter as some have claimed. The ICC has steadfastly supported the renewal of discussions with NFPA that were abruptly broken off last year. However, both sides of the negotiating table must be equally willing to settle a dispute.”
The ICC continues to believe that the benefits of a single code system in streamlining the construction process are too important to ignore. To that end ICC remains willing and ready to resolve the nations multiple code system dilemma which appears to have been resolved once but has since reappeared.
For more information, visit ICC at www.intlcode.org.
