The District government has extended the public comment period on D.C.’s extensive new building codes through Feb. 22.
The extension adds about a month to the original closing date of Jan. 25.
We were told this might happen, because the codes cover a ton of new ground, especially in green construction, that various industry leaders need time to absorb. The proposed codes were only released Dec. 7, and given the various holidays and vacations that followed, an extension was likely.
There are 12 new code sections proposed, most based off of the International Code Council’s 2012 rulebook: green, energy conservation, building, residential, property maintenance, fire, existing buildings, mechanical, fuel/gas, plumbing, swiming pool/spa and electric.
The codes may be in place by summer, though enforcement will not start for another year.
