In July, New Hampshire adopted the International Code Council’s 2015 building codes, which replaced previous 2009 standards. The updated standards apply to every building permit submitted after Sept. 15. John Kendall, the Building Inspector for Francestown and Bennington, said most updates throughout the code come with minimal changes in cost, aside from substantial energy code changes set to take effect in the next two years.
Peterborough Building Inspector Tim Herlihy said that the code changes will be instrumental in keeping homes and businesses “current with today’s building technologies, trends, and new designs for a stronger, safer, better, build.” A contractor or building permit applicant is responsible for building to the state’s code, regardless of a locality’s capacity for enforcement, and local municipalities have the authority to adopt stricter conditions than the state code, said William McKinney of the New Hampshire Building Officials Association.
The 2015 provisions include updates throughout the residential and international codes, plus plumbing, mechanical, and energy codes that apply to both. The adopted changes to the energy code won’t go into effect for 30 months, said McKinney. He said the extra time allows for opportunities to educate contractors on the changes. According to the publication Code Watcher, the changes between the 2009 and 2015 energy codes affect fields like envelope and duct leakage testing, window performance, insulation, lighting efficiency, hot water piping insulation, and whole house mechanical ventilation. There are additional energy code changes specific to commercial buildings.
“We realize as building officials that some of the provisions [in the energy upgrades] are costly on the construction side of it,” McKinney said. “But if you look at the ownership side of it, it’s a benefit.” He said the energy upgrades save the homeowner and building owner money over time.
McKinney said that although it’s ultimately a contractor’s responsibility to follow the correct building code standards, in New Hampshire there are few provisions to hold contractors accountable if work is not completed to code. “So it falls back to the property owner to go to court or do whatever they need to to get the items fixed,” McKinney said. His advice to landowners: “Be aware of the permitting and inspection process and how it works… Homeowners need to know they don’t have to give final payment [to the contractor] until there’s a final inspection… and it passes.” He said that parties planning a construction project should build a relationship with their local building officer as soon as possible.
McKinney said that states seem to have realized that building codes are proactive, promote resilient communities, and defend against serious storm damage. National building codes are drafted by the ICC every three years, but it’s a state’s decision to adopt them, said McKinney, explaining the six year gap in standards adoption. He also noted that FEMA requires a state to operate within two code cycles in order to provide benefits.
He said the state could have adopted the already-written 2018 standards this year, but those will more likely be adopted in 2021. Kendall said this adoption delay allows builders to look ahead and see what’s coming, and opt to build to more modern codes if desired. In a press release, McKinney said he hopes the state continues adopting new standards every three years, “to better recognize the benefits of lessons learned, or new advances in products or processes.” All the New England states are now under 2015 codes, McKinney said, after a period where many were not adopting new code on a regular basis. Kendall said this helps contractors who work between states.
McKinney said that local building code officials are the best resources for questions or concerns about a specific project and what codes will apply. Municipal building inspection webpages like Peterborough’s has links to codes and standards, and building code standards can also be viewed on the International Code Council’s website. The New Hampshire Building Officials Association website has information on regional code training events. Several of the adopted codes also have amendments to address New Hampshire-specific concerns. Those amendments can be found on the New Hampshire Building Code Review Board website.