FEMA Says Expanded Use of International Codes Will Help Prevent Loss of Life

On June 1, 2022, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell announced a National Initiative to Advance Building Codes, a new government-wide effort to boost national resiliency and reduce energy costs. Under the initiative, U.S. federal departments and agencies will review federal funding and financing of building construction to ensure projects follow updated model codes and provide incentives and support for communities to adopt modern building codes. In addition, members of the Mitigation Framework Leadership Group (MitFLG) will review their infrastructure grantmaking processes to ensure that they align with and support the adoption and use of current editions of the International Residential Code (IRC) and International Building Code (IBC). FEMA chairs the MitFLG, which consists of another 13 federal agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).