The International Code Council Board of Directors has issued a final decision on the second groups of appeals within the 2019 Group B code cycle – surrounding scope and intent, and the impact of online voting (CP 28), cost impact, voting guides, voter eligibility and validation process – completing the appeals process. 

 

 

The American Gas Association, the American Public Gas Association, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Leading Builders of America (LBA) appealed three proposed changes to the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) on the grounds that the proposals in question are outside the scope of the codes. The code changes appealed were RE147-19 (requiring electric readiness) and CE217-19, Parts I and II (requiring electric vehicle supply equipment).

 

Following the recommendation of the Appeals Board, the Code Council Board determined that the code changes in question are outside the current scope and intent of the energy provisions of the IECC and IRC and sustained the appeals. RE147-19 and CE217-19 will not appear in the 2021 International Codes.

 

 

NAHB and LBA appealed a group of twenty code changes to the 2021 IECC on the grounds of ineligible voters, cost impact, not meeting the spirit and intent of the process, and improper use of voting guides.

 

The Appeals Board found no clear violation of process or procedure and recommended denial of the appeals. The Code Council Board of Directors voted to deny the appeals. 

 

In addition, the Code Council Board referred a number of issues to the Board Committee on the Long-Term Code Development Process for further review, including the definitions of governmental members and voting representatives, the procedures for the in-person and online votes, and the issue of cost impact. This committee is a venue for stakeholders to provide feedback on the process and suggest changes.

The Code Council Board also recommended consideration of a Code Council energy standard to replace the IECC and Chapter 11 of the IRC.

 

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This concludes the 2019 Group B code cycle appeals, adding to the decisions on the first two groups of appeals – preemption and committee reconsideration.

 

The International Code Council’s code development protocols are designed to protect the integrity of the process. These appeals are one part of a longer code development process that is responsive, transparent and open. For more information about this process and how it creates the most widely used and adopted set of building safety codes in the world, click here.