Trade Offs For The International Building Code

In the United States, the regulatory environment for design and construction consists of building codes and standards that cover local, state, federal, land use and environmental regulations. These building codes are specifically developed with the view of regulating life-safety, health and public welfare. Once the building code is adopted, it becomes a law.

There are many methods for adopting building codes and many of them are internationally used and are quite similar to the ones used in the US. The international building code has taken a new meaning in the recent years with soaring energy prices as it also governs the energy efficiency of a building.