Texas, Louisiana Improve Building Code Rankings but More Work Needed

Texas doesn’t have the worst score in a recent ranking of state building code systems but it’s pretty close to the bottom, according to a national organization committed to improving the ability of properties throughout the nation to withstand catastrophic weather events.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) recently released its “Rating the States” report, which examines 18 coastal states along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Coast and the progress those states have made in strengthening their residential building code systems since 2012 when IBHS first generated such a report. In assessing the states, the report uses as its guideline the model building code developed by the International Code Council (ICC) known as the International Residential Code (IRC), which is updated every three years.

In the 2015 report, Texas landed fourth from the bottom of the IBHS ranking, scoring a 36 on a 100-point scale, where 100 is the highest and best score. Nearby Louisiana came in just above the middle – at number eight – with a score of 82. Both Texas and Louisiana have improved their rankings since 2012, however, when Texas had a score of 18 and Louisiana’s score was 73.

The IBHS’ 2015 report shows that most states that had strong building codes in place in 2012 continue their commitment to building safety and code enforcement. Some states have taken no action since 2012 or have even weaker systems than they did at that time, however.

IBHS President and CEO Julie Rochman announced the release of the second edition of the report at the National Hurricane Conference in Austin, Texas, on April 1.

“Because building codes provide minimum design and construction standards, they are very important to the safety of our nation’s homes. When disasters strike, communities with strong, well-enforced building codes fare better than those with weak or no codes,” Rochman said. “When buildings are stronger and more resilient, property damage is greatly reduced, home and business owners are able to recover faster, the local economy and tax base are maintained, and the amount of government disaster aid is decreased. These are among the many reasons that communities should adopt and enforce strong codes before catastrophes strike.”

To create the report, the IBHS evaluated 47 key data points to assess the effectiveness of the states’ residential building code programs, including code adoption and enforcement; building official training and certification; and licensing requirements for construction trades who implement building code provisions.

The states with fewer than 70 points either have no mandatory statewide codes or have not yet adopted the latest model residential codes, the IBHS said.

In addition to rating states, the report offers specific details for states to follow as they seek to update and improve their code systems. It also cites a study done by IBHS, the University of Florida and the FEMA Mitigation Assessment Team following Hurricane Charley, which struck Florida in 2004, that found that modern building codes reduced the severity of insurance losses by 42 percent and the frequency of insured losses by 60 percent.

Texas
Though Texas does not require mandatory adoption and enforcement of its residential building code throughout the state, municipalities may adopt and enforce a minimum residential construction code.

Windstorm building code standards are in place for homeowners seeking insurance from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), the state’s insurer of last resort for wind and hail in coastal areas. However, waivers from those requirements may be obtained under certain circumstances.

Texas also has no statewide program to license building officials, but the IBHS said Texas gained a substantial number of points in the 2015 study for establishing contractor licensing programs. Plumbing, mechanical and electrical contractors must be licensed by the state, and plumbing and electrical contractors are required to take continuing education classes for license renewal.

Because Texas is highly vulnerable to a wide range of natural disasters including hail, hurricanes, strong windstorms and wildfires, adoption of a modern statewide code system would help to reduce losses in the event of catastrophic events, the IBHS said.

However, when the first report was released in 2012, the Texas Department of Insurance said statewide building codes that apply uniformly to all areas of the state may not be appropriate for Texas, given that the area most vulnerable to hurricane force elements represent less than 6 percent of the risk exposure of the state.

Louisiana

Since publication of the original “Rating the States” report, Louisiana adopted the 2012 edition of the IRC, without provisions for automatic residential fire sprinklers. But the IBHS said that by adopting the 2012 editions of the IRC design wind speed maps without the new trigger for following high-wind design requirements, the state created a deficiency in protecting residential dwellings in areas subject to high winds.

While Louisiana has a state program that requires building official certification, no mandatory code education classes are included in the certification process. General, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and roofing contractors are required to be licensed and continuing education is required for renewal of licenses for general contractors and plumbing contractors.

The IBHS recognized Louisiana for strengthening its contractor requirements, but recommended that the state fix the deficiency in regard to the windborne debris protection requirements of the code.

Virginia, Maryland and Mississippi

The IBHS recognized Virginia, Maryland and Mississippi for having made big improvements to their state building code systems since 2012. While Mississippi still ranks near the bottom of all 18 states, the IBHS said that in 2014 the state created its first ever building code law after debating code proposals for a decade.