Page 8 - GSABA Builder Brief August 2020 Issue

KRISTI SUTTERFIELD Executive Vice President
Building Codes & Standards
Changes Are Coming!
The residential construction industry must adhere to comprehensive building codes and standards. The purpose of having building codes is to protect the public health and safety and to provide a level playing field for builders, remodelers, manufacturers and suppliers/vendors. Most communities adopt the International Code Council’s I-Codes with local and state amendments.
The Greater San Antonio Builders Association (GSABA) was recently made aware of detrimental actions taken by the International Code Council (ICC) to advocate for certain changes that would benefit specific product manufacturers and reduce
our members’ options in the 2021 proposed codes. Their proposed changes will also harm housing affordability. For a private entity to reach out directly to the local associations and key members is highly unusual and, particularly in this case, inappropriate.
The National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Senior Officers sent a letter to both President Jeff Czar and myself on July 7th to inform us of this situation and their plan of action moving forward. The letter stated that over the past several months, the relationship between NAHB and ICC had become increasingly contentious because of controversies that were brought forward during the 2021 codes cycle.
It is apparent that the ICC is increasing their advocacy for more stringent, less affordable codes at all levels of government. Their proposed changes will fuel the housing affordability crisis because many of the proposed changes are not practical or cost effective.
The I-Codes are updated every three years and they address all aspects of single and two-family as well as multifamily construction. This includes structural elements as well as the electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and energy conservation requirements.
Your Government Affairs leadership team and committee members are monitoring this situation closely. Not only will these changes impact cost, they will also have an effect on the design and construction processes.
The Energy Code changes alone could increase the cost of housing by $7,000 because they include one electric vehicle outlet in every new home garage, the requirement to add electrical receptacles with the installation of gas appliances, limiting options on hot water heaters and in some cases drastically increasing insulation standards. Many of the changes have been spearheaded by special interest groups who will profit from the changes.
We are fortunate to have a strong relationship with the City of San Antonio. The recent invitation by the City’s Development Services Department to serve on a review committee and provide input on new proposed requirements for the swimming pool and spa code is a great example of how industry and government can work together successfully toward a common goal.
We will need to come together to make our voices heard with code officials across our 22-county jurisdiction. Building codes can have a profound impact on the comfort and safety of our homeowners as well as the construction and cost of operating their homes. We urge you to get more involved. Whether through providing PAC donations or your expertise, your contributions are necessary for our collective success.
Warm regards,
8 AUGUST 2020 | GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT