Issues & AdvocacyState

The AIA advocates for comprehensive, coordinated, and contemporary building codes and standards by working with national code-setting bodies; educating its members, allied professionals, and elected officials at all levels of government about code issues; and organizing and participating in building code workshops, forums, and conferences.

Background and History

The AIA has long advocated on behalf of the architectural profession in the Codes and Standards Arena. As far back as 1973, the Institute has published research and materials advocating for one model building code and was instrumental in the forming of the International Code Council from the original three model code organizations (BOCA, ICBO, and SBCCI).  Members of the AIA at every level have been involved in shaping building codes and standards in their state or local communities, and even at the national level at hearings and meetings throughout the United States. To that end, and as evidence of the importance of the architect in the code development process, the AIA recently has partnered with the International Code Council to co-author the first green code for commercial buildings.  Entitled “IGCC: Safe and Sustainable by the Book,” the initiative is committed to develop a model code focused on new and existing commercial buildings. It will focus on building design and performance since buildings consume approximately 40 percent of energy used and produce about the same amount of the nation’s carbon emissions.

• Historical Background AIA 1999 Codes Task Force Report: C3

Current AIA Codes and Standards Advocacy

The AIA's codes advocacy effort increases member and stakeholder awareness of the AIA as an integral part of codes and standards development through participation on codes committees and working with associated organizations to develop codes that are more responsive to the issues of design and the environment. For information regarding code activities, e-mail Mark Wills, manager, Codes Advocacy.

• Learn about AIA’s renewed code effort
• Current codes and standards activities
• AIA Public Policies on Building Codes and Standards
• AIA Codes & Standards Advisory Group (password required)
• AIA Building Codes and Standards Performance

Adoption of Building Codes Nationwide

The AIA has supported the adoption of codes and standards at the state and local level for decades, serving as the cornerstone of its policy on the protection of health, safety, and welfare in the built environment.

• Read more information on I-code adoption
• Read more information on NFPA code adoption
  

International Green Construction Code (IGCC)

Along with the International Code Council, the AIA, and ASTM-International are the “cooperating sponsors” for this initiative, and will have an active role in the development process. Other organizations indicating their support are the U.S. Green Building Council (the purveyor of the LEED rating system) and the Green Buildings Initiative (GBI).  Interest in participating on the development committee has been expressed from a variety of government, private sector, and non-profit sources including ASHRAE, PCA, AISI, as well as state and local officials. The initiative fully integrates with the entire family of existing I-codes builds on the good work of many organizations and advocates concerned with a more sustainable built environment. It is not designed to compete against, or minimize, the systems and standards that are already in place. We anticipate our code development process will use existing work as a resource. The timing of this activity is appropriate in the evolution of the sustainability efforts in the United States and around the world.  Now that various approaches have been tested and implemented, we have a clearer picture as to what is required in a code.  We also better understand how a code can be useful and why a code is necessary.

For more information on this ongoing effort, please visit the International Code Council’s Web site.

U.S. Department of Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy's Building Energy Codes Program (BECP) is a national resource for building energy codes information, technical assistance, training, and compliance software tools.  Access all of BECP's materials through www.energycodes.gov.  Learn about BECP’s activities and how those activities may benefit your firm in BECP's overview brochure and Fiscal Year 2008 Annual Report.  You can also join more than 90,000 Setting the Standard quarterly newsletter readers by becoming a subscriber today.  Sign up for BECP’s RSS feed to receive weekly updates on BECP’s activities and energy code-related news from around the Web.  

Accessibility in the Built Environment

In July 2007, the U.S. Department of Justice issued its Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which is the first step toward development of rules adopting the new Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). No specific timeline has been announced for formal adoption of the new ADAAG, which was published by the U.S. Access Board. The AIA will continue to engage with the Access Board and other key stakeholders to develop consensus and clarity on ADAAG requirements.

Side-by-side comparisons of current and proposed ADAAGs

• This comparison chart is the existing ADAAG as adopted by DOJ and the comparable provisions of the proposed new guidelines adopted by the Access Board.
• The second comparison chart is a listing of the provisions in the proposed guidelines that have no comparable provisions in the current rules.