No, we’re not trying to make a political statement. Whether or not there will be a change in the White House this year, there are changes coming for the construction industry. In 2012, the new version of the International Building Code (IBC) family is being issued. Depending on your jurisdiction, the 2012 version of the IBC could become law by the end of the year. For example, in Pennsylvania, the latest version of the IBC is automatically incorporated into the commonwealth’s Uniform Construction Code (UCC) by December 31 of the year it’s released, unless otherwise acted on by the legislature. As in the past, the adoption of the 2012 IBC will likely bring with it adoption of several other updated building codes that MEP engineers must design to. Some of those include:
- 2010 NFPA 13 – Sprinkler Code
- 2011 NFPA 70 – National Electrical Code
- 2010 NFPA 72 – National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code
During this year of code transition, certain jurisdictions may allow projects to be evaluated under either code version. Some revisions may increase the costs and some may actually result in reducing your costs. If you are considering starting a project this year, you may want to have your design professionals research the advantages and disadvantages of complying with the 2012 IBC. It may impact your decision on when to start your project and ultimately save you money!
If you need assistance in evaluating the impact of the code revisions to your project or have a question, please contact Brian Burkhart, PE at (412) 421-0145 or bgb@ba-inc.com.