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ICC Votes to Mandate Sprinklers
The International Residential Code (IRC) 2009 Edition will require all one and two family homes built after January 1, 2011 to include a fire sprinkler system. That was the result of a recent and controversial vote of the International Code Council (ICC) final action hearings in Minneapolis. In a 1,282 to 407 vote in favor of the amendment, the necessary two thirds majority was easily reached.
Immediately following the vote, some 900 voting devices used by eligible members were turned in, suggesting that the majority of those attending the hearings were there for that one issue.
"We welcome the insight and experience that fire officials bring to the code development process because our model codes are focused on life safety issues," said James "Andy" Anderson, chair of the NAHB Construction, Codes and Standards Committee. "However, it seems clear that these particular officials were focused on one issue only - residential fire sprinkler mandates - without any benefit of perspective regarding how such mandates jibe with the hundreds of other code proposals considered at this hearing. That's unfortunate, because such reasoned discussion is what the model code process was designed to accomplish." Travel costs for attendees supporting the sprinkler vote were funded by the IRC Fire Sprinkler Coalition, a diverse group supporting the national mandate. This group also purchased advertising on the American Airlines in-flight entertainment and pro-sprinkler videos on in-house channels at the major conference hotels.
New Hampshire has adopted the IRC 2006 Edition. If the state adopts the 2009 Edition, the sprinkler requirements will become effective beginning in 2011.
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