Analysis finds the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code can reduce deaths from extreme heat by as much as 80 percent As heat alerts affected nearly 110 million people, a third of the U.S. population across 15 states, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a new report on July 13 called “Enhancing Resilience in Buildings Through Read more
International Code Council (ICC)
Analysis finds the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code can reduce deaths from extreme heat by as much as 80 percent
As heat alerts affected nearly 110 million people, a third of the U.S. population across 15 states, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a new report on July 13 called “Enhancing Resilience in Buildings Through Energy Efficiency.” The report – which followed a study by a team of energy experts from DOE’s Building Energy Codes Program, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – outlines the value for states and communities that adopt the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC) to enhance resilience in response to more frequent and intense extreme weather events attributed to a changing climate.
The report underscores the impact of the 2021 IECC in protecting occupants from extreme temperatures due to power outages associated with hazard events.
The report’s findings serve as a clarion call for policymakers to adopt the IECC. The IECC’s requirements:
- Improve envelope efficiency in buildings to permit occupants to shelter in place safely for more than four days during a disaster-induced power outage coupled with extreme heat or cold.
- Extend habitability by as much as 120% during extreme cold and 140% during extreme heat and reduce deaths by up to 80% during extreme heat and 30% in extreme cold.
- Provide, for new single-family buildings, benefit-cost ratios from 2 times to over 6 times, making a strong financial argument for adoption.
For additional information on the report and the Code Councils’ continued advocacy for building resiliency, visit www.iccsafe.org/energy and www.energycodes.gov/energy-resilience.
The International Code Council’s 2023 campaign, themed “Building Safety Starts with You!” focuses on how building safety is personal, local and global This week marks the beginning of Building Safety Month 2023, the International Code Council’s 43rd annual campaign designed to increase awareness of building safety issues in homes, schools and other global buildings. “This year’s theme Read more
The International Code Council’s 2023 campaign, themed “Building Safety Starts with You!” focuses on how building safety is personal, local and global
This week marks the beginning of Building Safety Month 2023, the International Code Council’s 43rd annual campaign designed to increase awareness of building safety issues in homes, schools and other global buildings.
“This year’s theme, ‘It Starts with You’, invites people to consider how building safety impacts nearly every part of their lives including their homes and families,” said Code Council President Michael Wich, CBO. “During Building Safety Month, we encourage people to become more aware of the building codes and standards that protect us from harm. We hope it leads to more discussions around what we can all do to create safer spaces to live, work and play.”
The weekly themes for this year’s campaign are:
- Week One: Building Safety Starts at Home (May 1-7) highlights how building safety
impacts our everyday lives. - Week Two: Building Safety Professionals and You (May 8-14) clarifies the role of building
safety professionals in our communities. - Week Three: Preparing your Community (May 15-21) focuses on how to prepare for
natural disasters and other hazardous events. - Week Four: Advocating for your Community (May 22-28) provides tips and tools to
advocate for local building safety. - Week Five: Solving Challenges Together (May 29-31) illustrates what countries are doing
to address issues such as water scarcity and clean buildings.
Each year, the Code Council, its members and communities around the world celebrate building safety through proclamations, educational events and community gatherings.
To view current proclamations, or submit your own proclamation to declare May as Building Safety Month, click here.
“Building safety is something many people take for granted,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “By becoming more aware of building codes and the important role they play in the built environment, we can take an active part in keeping our homes, schools, businesses, and communities safe and sustainable.”
View the 2023 Building Safety Month Poster here, or learn about sponsorship options by clicking here.
Call for Committees: Changes to Code Development Process
The Code Council is also reshaping its code development process and seeking volunteers for three committees, beginning in 2024 for the development of the 2027 International Codes. These changes will foster a more democratized, in-depth vetting of code change proposals which will directly impact the quality of code content. The application deadline for all committees is June 1, 2023. To learn more and apply for these committees, please click here or contact Russ Manning, SVP, Technical Services.
For more information, visit BuildingSafetyMonth.org or ICCsafe.org.