Building Safety Month was established by the International Code Council (ICC) as a way to raise awareness about both the importance of safe buildings, as well as the role of new building codes in ensuring building safety. As we work closely with these codes, we believe that it is of the utmost importance to remember their purpose; their ability to improve public health, provide protection from natural disasters, and prevent property damage.
Each year, the ICC designates a theme as a part of Building Safety Month. This year’s theme is Building Codes: Driving Growth through Innovation, Resilience and Safety. Under this overarching theme, there are also designated weekly themes. They are as follows:
Week 1 | Building Solutions for All Ages
Approximately one in four US residents are baby boomers. As this boomer population ages, there needs to be sufficient retirement housing and accessible space to accommodate the needs of these people. The codes support this by requiring increased accessibly.
Week 2 | The Science Behind the Codes
As building codes are updated, they incorporate the latest science on how to prevent against floods, fires, wind, building deterioration, among other resiliency issues. These codes are also updated to improve energy efficiency and encourage sustainable practices.
Week 3 | Learn from the Past, Build for Tomorrow
The ICC encourages families to take additional measures in ensuring safety during emergency situations, including preventative measures like creating a family disaster plan. While the code works mitigate the impacts of natural disasters on buildings, emergency preparedness is still necessary for protecting both your home and loved ones.
Week 4 | Building Codes: A Smart Investment
Since building safety is so important, buildings that are not constructed to code can lower the value of your home. According to the ICC, “property insurers may not cover work done without permits and inspections. If you decide to sell a home or building that has had modifications without a permit, you may be required to tear down the addition, leave it unoccupied, or make costly repairs.”
The ICC provides numerous resources and related articles that correspond with each of the aforementioned themes. To access these resources and learn more about Building Safety Month, please see http://www.iccsafe.org/about-icc/building-safety-month/2016-building-safety-month/.
