SUBJECT: Ordinance to adopt the latest editions of the Building Code, Residential Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Fire Code, Existing Building Code, Electrical Code, Swimming Pool and Spa Code, and amendments.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that City Council approve an Ordinance to adopt and modify the updated Houston Construction Code to include local administrative provisions, coordinate with local ordinances, and conform with local construction practices.
SPECIFIC EXPLANATION:
Houston Public Works / Building Code Enforcement: The purpose of this request is to pass an Ordinance adopting the 2015 International Building Code (IBC), 2015 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), 2015 International Residential Code (IRC), 2015 International Fire Code (IFC), 2015 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), 2018 International Swimming Pool And Spa Code (ISPSC), 2020 (NEC) National Electrical Code, with Houston Amendments thereto, to continue to set the minimum standards of building regulations in residential and commercial buildings located on private property. Establishment of these standards will increase resiliency, minimize the probability of fire situations, and protect the welfare of the public.
The adoption of these codes is recommended to update current codes and because the Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) program by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) assesses the building codes in effect in a particular community and how the community enforces its building codes, with special emphasis on resilient construction mitigation and loss from natural hazards. The city is under review by ISO, which will provide the City with a rating credits classification (1-3, 4-7, 8-9, 10) based on the current codes. This rating affects the City’s insurance rates regarding how well the City can mitigate against natural hazards. This rating also affects the Houston Fire Department and the City’s participation in the National Insurance Flood Program.
The update to permit fees associated with one- and two-family residential and townhouse construction is not an increase in fees, but a transition from valuation to square footage.
The IBC is published by the International Code Council. The IBC regulates the standards in structural application, fire and life safety, and administrative enforcement. The IBC is the nationally recognized building code adopted in most jurisdictions and is the minimum code standard for construction in the City, as established by section 214.216 of the Local Government Code.
The IRC is also published by the International Code Council and is the minimum code standard for one- and two-family dwellings, excluding the electrical provisions, as established by section 214.212 of the Local Government Code.
The IEBC is also published by the International Code Council and is the minimum code standard for repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition to and relocation of existing buildings.
The IFC is also published by the International Code Council and is the minimum code standard for fire prevention and fire protection systems using prescriptive and performance-related provisions.
The UMC and UPC are published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials and regulate the installation, repair, and alteration of mechanical and plumbing systems primarily in commercial and residential multifamily construction. The amendments to these codes establish certain administrative policies and procedures as well as modify other base code principles to be more applicable to the welfare and safety of the citizens of Houston.
The ISPSC is also published by the International Code Council and is the minimum code standard for controlling the design, construction, installation, quality of materials, location and maintenance or use of pools and spas, as established by section 214.103 of the Local Government Code.
The NEC is published by the National Fire Protection Association, the national standard for the Electrical industry. The Electrical Code is also adopted by State Law, Chapter 1305 - Title 8 of the Texas Occupations Code for the installation, maintenance, and repair of electrical work. The NEC will be updated from the 2014 version to the 2020 version.
The proposed amendments were reviewed by the International Building, Residential, Existing Building, Fire/Wildland-Urban Interface and Swimming Pool & Spa Code Committees of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) as well as Uniform Mechanical, and Plumbing Code Committees of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials during a series of meetings.
A public meeting was held on August 5, 2021 as part of the Transportation, Technology and Infrastructure Council Committee Meeting.
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Carol Ellinger Haddock, P.E., Director
Houston Public Works