Decisions voted on at the International Code Council (IRC) Final Action Hearings in mid-September will result in a number of changes in how homes are built in communities where the model 2009 International  Residential Code is adopted.

The most controversial change is the new mandate for fire sprinkler systems in one- and two-family homes. (For an earlier story in Nation’s Building News, click here.) The language mandating these systems was previously located in the appendix of the code as appropriate language for jurisdictions that wanted to adopt a requirement for sprinklers.

Beyond the sprinkler issue, single- and multifamily builders can expect to see changes in many other areas. View the full list of  changes in the October 20 issue of NBN. [Return to top]