As previously reported, the NAHB federation is engaged in its toughest battle yet in opposing mandatory fire sprinkler requirements in the International Residential Code (IRC) at the upcoming International Code Council’s (ICC) Final Action Hearings in Rochester, NY, in May. While NAHB and member HBA’s have been very successful over the years in consistently and soundly defeating code proposals to mandate fire sprinklers in single family homes, pushes for mandates continue to intensify.

The current effort by sprinkler advocates cannot be understated and is the strongest attempt ever made to mandate sprinklers in the IRC for all single family construction.

Fire and building code officials from across the country who are ICC voting members will be attending the Rochester hearings where their votes will decide the matter. To sway the vote against builders, homebuyers, building officials who oppose mandates, sprinkler advocates are attempting to recruit large numbers of fire officials to attend, directing them to vote in favor of mandatory requirements regardless of any concern raised. 

To counter this, NAHB has launched a major grassroots campaign to mobilize HBA’s to contact their building code officials to communicate builders’ concerns with mandatory requirements, emphasizing the importance of their attendance at the ICC Final Action Hearings to vote against proposals to mandate sprinklers in the IRC.

These campaign efforts are paying off. HBA’s all across the country are actively lobbying their code officials and encouraging their attendance at the Final Action Hearings in Rochester to vote against sprinkler mandates. These actions are making a difference and they are absolutely critical to defeating the mandates in Rochester and in ensuring building code officials understand that sprinkler advocates intend on bussing in fire officials for this one mandate to outnumber those whose oppose it.

However, while the campaign in progressing well, every effort still must be made. NAHB is therefore urging any HBA that is not actively involved in this campaign to take action now. Guidance for doing so is included in the EO Sprinkler Campaign Guide by clicking the title. Additional information is available on www.nahb.org/sprinklers and NAHB Codes Standards staff are also available to assist you. Please contact Steve Orlowski on 880-368-5242, ext. 8547 or at sorlowski@nahb.com for staff assistance.

Aggressively fighting this issue now, by getting local jurisdictions to vote at the national level, will stop these provisions from being written into the IRC and ultimately having to battle this issue at the state and local level all across the country.  

For More Information

If you have any questions or are looking for more information, e-mail Jeff Inks in NAHB's Codes & Standards department, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8547. [return to top]