SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The California Building Standards Commission announced that it has completed the adoption of a new updated building standards code.

“For the first time in nearly 10 years, California will have a complete set of building codes based on the latest national and international model building codes, making use of the most current technologies and methods of construction. This will put California back in the forefront as a leader in the use of the latest technology for building safety, fire prevention, safe construction, and code enforcement,” said Rosario Marin, secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency and chair of the Commission.

The Commission’s executive director, David Walls, concurred, saying, “We anticipate that the 2007 California Building Standards Code will be published this summer.”

According to the Commission, the improved standards will allow California to utilize the latest technological advances in the construction and remodeling of residences, state government buildings, schools, hospitals, and other occupancies regulated by the state.

The California Building Standards Code is comprised of 12 parts that incorporate public health and safety standards used in the design and construction of buildings in California. The codes also include standards for energy efficiency and access compliance for persons with disabilities.

New seismic design standards will provide the latest in earthquake safety for the construction of all buildings in California. These standards are especially important in California since this state experiences approximately 75 percent of the nation’s seismic activity. Wildland-urban interface fire protection standards were adopted to provide for better fire protection of structures located in areas prone to wildfires. In addition, changes to building standards for persons with disabilities were adopted to introduce federal Department of Justice (DOJ) certification requirements.

The Commission noted that an up-to-date California Building Standards Code and DOJ certification will help to reduce insurance rates at the local level, positively impacting the cost of housing and businesses in California.

For more information, visit www.bsc.ca.gov.

Publication date:03/19/2007