IBHS Applauds Legislation to Provide Strong, Well-Enforced Statewide Building Codes
TAMPA, FL – May 22, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) —The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) today applauded legislation introduced by Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and Michael Arcuri (D-NY) encouraging the adoption and enforcement of statewide building codes throughout the nation.
IBHS has been a leader in using building science to develop real-world approaches to reduce the risks posed by natural disasters and other perils. Events in recent years have given IBHS researchers opportunities for field work, during which they have learned a great deal about how to better engineer structures against certain risks.
IBHS supports the federal legislation (HR 2592, the Safe Building Code Act), which was developed by the Building Code Coalition (BCC), a group created by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) to draft a law giving incentives to states to create or better enforce statewide building codes.
“Building codes are minimum acceptable standards,” said IBHS President and CEO Julie Rochman. “They are based on established scientific and engineering principles, and no person, no matter where they live or work, should be denied the result of that knowledge.”
State standards for construction, code-related inspection, and enforcement vary widely from state to state. An effective way to incentivize states to strengthen and enforce building codes is to increase the amount of post-disaster mitigation aid a state can receive following a natural disaster based upon whether that state has adopted and enforced stronger statewide building codes.
Under the proposed legislation, 13 states would qualify for the additional monies, while 10 additional states could qualify with minor legislative modifications. Another 8 states have adopted statewide codes, but lack enforcement authorization.
Rochman added, “Everyone – homeowners, commercial property owners, taxpayers across the nation, state and federal public policymakers, insurance companies, and the broader economic and business community – benefits from the establishment and enforcement of stricter building codes. We commend Reps. Diaz-Balart and Arcuri for taking the lead on this important issue.”
IBHS research, which underscores the safety benefits and cost-effectiveness of strong building codes, will help to educate members of Congress on the need to incentivize states to adopt and enforce these essential standards.
IBHS is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization supported by the property insurance industry. The organization works to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other risks to residential and commercial property by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices.
Contact:
Wendy Rose (813) 675-1045
(813) 486-8365
wrose (at) ibhs (dot) org
