NFPA's Consensus Codes Set Makes Progress

Some of the country's leading code organizations are moving forward in the development of the NFPA Consensus Codes set—a full set of codes for the built environment. NFPA's partnerships with the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA), Fallbrook, Calif, and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), Los Angeles, will ultimately result in an integrated set of codes developed through open consensus.

As part of the Consensus Codes project, NFPA is developing the NFPA Building Code. IAPMO and NFPA are partnering to develop plumbing and mechanical codes under American National Standards Institute (ANSI) guidelines. In November 2000, a formal call for proposals will be issued. Interested parties can participate in the process to update these codes, which will be published in 2003.

"IAMPO is committed to an open code development process," says Russ Chaney, executive director of IAPMO. "ANSI accreditation and participation in a full set of consensus codes are the next logical steps for our organization, as we continue to enhance the value of our codes."