WASHINGTON — The International Code Council announced the state of New Jersey, under the guidance of its Department of Community Affairs, Division of Codes and Standards, in partnership with the state's municipalities and affiliated code officials, has adopted its 2018 International Codes (I-Codes). New Jersey continues to lead the nation in adopting the most up-to-date building and safety codes available in the industry and implementing them with a network of highly trained, dedicated code enforcement officials.

“The decision to adopt and enforce the latest model codes places New Jersey at the forefront of protecting the health and safety of its residents,” said William R. Bryant, MCP, CBO, board president, Code Council. “We encourage all jurisdictions to update the codes on a three-year cycle as technology around the building trades evolves and becomes more advanced.”

The I-Codes are among the most widely used and adopted set of building safety codes in the U.S. and around the world. The Code Council updates the I-Codes every three years to incorporate the latest technologies. The codes are developed using an open, governmental consensus process in compliance with the OMB A-119 requirements for U.S. national voluntary consensus codes and standards. The Code Council also develops a number of standards that cover important topics, such as accessibility, energy efficiency, solar, bleachers and grandstands, log structures, storm shelters, residential dwellings in high-wind regions, and green construction using an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited process.

“Safety is the number one priority, especially in this day in age,” said Stephen Jones, New Jersey’s governmental relations regional manager, Code Council. “The I-Codes provide minimum safeguards for people at home, at school and in the workplace. Having the latest technology readily available in New Jersey helps protect its residents against building failures, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, high-rise fires and other modern-day disasters. As the state continued to recover from the devasting effects of Superstorm Sandy, New Jersey’s officials recognized the need to provide its residents with the highest level of construction safety possible. The adoption of the latest editions of the I-Codes help to ensure structural integrity and resilience for all of New Jersey’s residents.”

The latest model codes are designed to save both time and resources after a disaster occurs. Homes and buildings that are built in compliance with the most current building safety codes result in resilient structures that minimize the risks of death, injury, and property damage. Research shows that every dollar spent on mitigation saves about $11 taxpayer dollars in future disaster recovery costs.

Safety, top-notch technology, more money, and a growing economy are all advantages brought to the Garden State with the newly signed codes. Building codes also play a central role in a wide range of industries that are crucial to providing jobs for workers, such as contractors, engineers, builders, and architects.

For more information, or a fill list of the adopted 2018 I-Codes in New Jersey as of Sept. 3, visit www.iccsafe.org.