California building standards commission completes adoptions for new California building standards code

February 5, 2007, dBusiness News© (Sacramento, CA)

SACRAMENTO -- The California Building Standards Commission has completed adoptions of new building standards that will take advantage of the latest technology in construction.

“For the first time in nearly ten years, California will have a complete set of building codes based on the latest national and international model building codes, making use of the most current technologies and methods of construction. This will put California back in the forefront as a leader in the use of the latest technology for building safety, fire prevention, safe construction, and code enforcement,” said Rosario Marin, Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency and chair of the Commission.

The Commission’s Executive Director, David Walls, concurred, saying, “We anticipate that the 2007 California Building Standards Code will be published this summer.”

The improved standards will allow California to utilize the latest technological advances in the construction and remodeling of residences, state government buildings, schools, hospitals, and other occupancies regulated by the state.

The California Building Standards Code is comprised of twelve parts that incorporate public health and safety standards used in the design and construction of buildings in California. The codes also include standards for energy efficiency and access compliance for persons with disabilities.

The new regulations include the approval of Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPVC) plastic pipe for use in residential water supply piping systems. CPVC has been a nationally accepted material since 1982, however, California has only permitted its use on a limited basis since 2001. The Department of Housing and Community Development prepared and certified an Environmental Impact Report resulting in a recommendation that the Commission adopt and approve the use of CPVC. The Commission’s vote was unanimous and CPVC will be placed in the 2007 California Plumbing Code.

Also, new seismic design standards provide the latest in earthquake safety for the construction of all buildings in California. These standards are especially important in California since this state experiences approximately 75 percent of the nation’s seismic activity. Wildland-urban interface fire protection standards were adopted to provide for better fire protection of structures located in areas prone to wildfires. In addition, changes to building standards for persons with disabilities were adopted to introduce federal Department of Justice (DOJ) certification requirements. California continues to strive for barrier-free design in buildings to ensure they are accessible to, and usable by, everyone.

The recently approved building standards were developed by the Department of Housing and Community Development, Office of the State Fire Marshal, Division of the State Architect, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, and the Commission. They will be published in the California Building Code, California Electrical Code, California Mechanical Code, California Plumbing Code, and California Existing Building Code — all parts of the California Building Standards Code.

An up-to-date California Building Standards Code and DOJ certification will help to reduce insurance rates at the local level, positively impacting the cost of housing and businesses in California.

For more information about the California Building Standards Commission and building code issues, please visit us online