Development and Adoption of the 2013 Florida Building Code

2011 Legislative changes to the Code Change process – HB 849

Expired amendments

Florida specific amendments currently in the 2010 FBC will expire as of the effective date of the 2013 FBC.

Florida specific amendments required to be carried forward to the 2013 FBC

- Amendments related to state agency regulations

- Amendments related to the wind resistance design of buildings and structures within the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.

Resubmittal of an expired amendment

The 2011 Florida Legislature amended the approval criteria for accepting code change proposals to include the following criteria:

The provisions contained in the proposed amendment are addressed in the applicable international code.

The amendment demonstrates by evidence of data that the geographical jurisdiction of the Florida exhibits a need to strengthen the foundation code beyond the needs or regional variations addressed by the foundation code, why the proposed amendment applies to the state.

The proposed amendment was submitted or attempted to be included in the foundation codes to avoid resubmission to the Florida Building Code amendment process.

Proposed Scope of Work - Approach

Florida specific amendments required to be carried forward to the 2013 FBC

- Amendments related to state agency regulations

- Amendments related to the wind resistance design of buildings and structures within the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.

Approach: Staff will correlate and publish the current state agency regulations as a supplement to the 2012 I-Codes.

Staff will work closely with Miami-Dade and Broward Counties’ staff to develop a supplement to the 2012 I-Codes which will consist of those amendments related to wind resistance design of buildings and structures for application within the HVHZ.

Florida specific code changes mandated by law – with no pre-evaluation required:

- Chapter 1: Administration – correlation with the law including Commission’s initiatives.

- Florida Accessibility Code

- Airport noise standard

- Wind mitigation / opening protection

- Mechanical equipment on roof

- IRC/R313 – fire sprinkler not to be included in the FBC

- Group S2 occupancies of Type II construction - calculation mezzanines area

- Fire protection – Mini-warehouses

- Carbon monoxide

- Building less than 400 SF – door exemption

- Roofing – permitting aggregate on roofs

- Private swimming pools and correlation with Ch. 515, FS.

- Plumbing – potty parity

- Threshold building act.

- Commission’s interpretations, declaratory statements, local technical amendments

Approach: Staff will correlate the above stated Florida specific changes with the 2012 I-Codes and propose them as part of the code change process for the updated code.

Florida specific code changes mandated by law – with pre-evaluation required:

- Fire correlation between the FFPC and FBC (Florida Law)

Approach: Conduct a comprehensive comparison of the 2012 changes to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Life Safety Code and the 2012 International Building Code, including reference standards, for the purpose of determining potential conflicts and necessary changes to both the proposed 2013 Florida Fire Prevention Code (FFPC) and 2013 Florida Building Code (FBC) for the purpose of making both codes consistent. Please note that a conflict for the purpose of this study is defined as a construction specification such as a dimension in one code that would prevent compliance with the other code; and

Review the current (2010 FBC- Building, Existing, and Mechanical) Florida specific changes “fire and life safety code correlation “modifications” against the 2012 (NFPA 101) and the 2012 IBC changes and determine whether an existing correlation is not covered by the updated codes and should be proposed for the 2013 FBC.

Determine specific code correlation “modifications” necessary to make both the 2013 FFPC and the 2013 FBC consistent and propose such modification through the BCIS/code modification module for consideration by the Commission during the upcoming code update.

Present the outcome of this study to the Department and the Joint Fire TAC/Fire Code Advisory Council for consideration no later than April 1, 2012.

- Efficiencies of the Florida Energy Code

IECC must be modified by the Commission to maintain the efficiencies of the Florida Energy Code (Florida Law)

Approach: Staff will develop a list of efficiencies for the Florida Energy Code similar to those in the 2010 FBC, Energy Conservation and present the list to the Energy TAC for review and approval.

Staff will correlate the approved efficiencies with the 2012 IECC and submit them for consideration during the upcoming code change process.

Florida Specific changes – Commission/Workgroup initiatives;

Residential/IRC – adapting the IRC to Florida (high wind area)

Building/Residential – Florida specific wind resistance / water infiltration / flood standards (Roofing, wind loads, windows and doors testing and labeling, …etc.)

Approach: Staff will identify a list of Florida specific changes on this subject and coordinate with the specific interest groups for submittal and consideration during the upcoming code change process.

Formatting:

Removal of seismic and snow provisions from the foundation code

Approach: Staff will continue to remove such requirements from the FBC or in place of removing these provisions from the Code, include a statement in the preface to clarify that seismic and snow provisions are not part of the Code.