March 20241

Risks Presented by the elimination of the Building Code Advisory Council The Council was created in 1972 and, since then, has been made up of “persons who are qualified by experience or training to provide a broad or specialized expertise on matters pertaining to building construction.”1 As such, the Council plays a crucial role in developing and advising on building codes. [...] By eliminating it and shifting its responsibilities directly to the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Iowa risks losing the valuable input of experts who possess specialized knowledge not only in building construction but also in building design, energy efficiency, health and safety, economics and environmental impacts. [...] One of the key strengths of the Council is its composition, for it requires a broad range of experts and stakeholders to consider and determine the appropriate code standards that should be in place for the state. [...] While the knowledge and input of building and construction professionals is important to consider, it cannot be the only knowledge and input to consider when developing code standards. [...] Advice from both the trades industry and other related fields is necessary to adopt the most beneficial building code for the state and its citizens.