Opinion: Good Codes Will Enable Offsite
Date Posted: August 6, 2024
Posted In: Discussion, Projects,
From Offsite Builder: About 12 years ago, a group of offsite luminaries, representing multiple perspectives from manufacturers, contractors, academia, designers and developers, came together to establish a forum for all those wishing to advance the use of offsite construction. Thus, was born the National Institute of Building Science’s (NIBS) Off-Site Construction Council (OSCC). One of the first efforts that OSCC was charged with tackling was the advancement of codes and standards.
A lot has happened since those initial meetings, but many of the key themes remain. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has reengaged in the discussion on opportunities to leverage offsite construction to solve the US housing crisis with a research roadmap and soon-to-be-published strategic plan. The core focus areas of both documents are regulation and standards.
States like Colorado, Utah, Virginia, and others are moving forward with programs or policies that make greater use of offsite construction. International efforts are underway as well, including in Canada and the United Kingdom.
In addition to NIBS, other key organizations have recognized the opportunities that offsite construction provides to address societal and building industry challenges. These challenges include workforce, sustainability, housing affordability, productivity, disaster recovery and building quality.
One such organization is the International Code Council (ICC, or Code Council). Offsite construction clearly aligns with the Code Council’s mission to advance safe, sustainable, and resilient buildings and communities. While some see building codes as barriers, the Code Council has taken the approach that codes, and the processes that support their effective use, are enablers to the achievement of community and industry goals. As such, the expansion of offsite construction requires a suite of solutions — one size does not fit all.