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New York Decides to Adopt IBC Over NFPA 5000

Noting that the city’s current building code is the most stringent in the nation, Commissioner Patricia Lancaster said that, “The IBC will allow us to streamline the construction process while not sacrificing the effectiveness of these regulations in keeping our city a safe place to live, work and build.”

The complexity of the city’s building code was seen by many as “an impediment to progress,” she said, and the mayor appointed a commission at the end of last year to address the problem.

The commission examined the benefits of both the IBC and the National Fire Protection Association's NFPA 5000.

Among the criteria used in the selection process were comprehensiveness, ease of understanding, flexibility of upgrading, ease of adaptability to the unique requirements of New York City, as well as the training provided under each code.

The IBC was preferred over the NFPA 5000 in every category by which the two codes were measured.

To read the commission’s entire report, click here. For further information, e-mail Matt Dobson at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8290.

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