FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
2026 Midyear Meeting Registration is OPEN ↗

Report highlights the importance of building codes

Words: Stacy AuslamThe U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released a report entitled “Including Building Codes in the National Flood Insurance Program”, which discusses the feasibility of including model building codes in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The study will be used by Congress to consider whether to make adoption and enforcement of model building codes mandatory for communities participating in the NFIP program.

“The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) supports the adoption of strong, uniform building codes throughout the country to increase the resilience of our communities and the safety of our homes and businesses,” said Julie Rochman, IBHS president and CEO.

The DHS report includes a number of very strong statements about the importance and cost-effectiveness of building codes including the major finding that “the overall impacts of including building codes as part of NFIP would be positive in helping to reduce physical losses and other hazard losses, which in turn positively affect land use planning and the regulatory climate.”

“Another key aspect of this report is that it highlights the importance of enforcing codes as a complement to technical requirements in order to make sure the expected building safety standards are actually incorporated into homes and commercial structures,” Rochman explained.

“We know that communities with strong, well-enforced building codes fare better than those with weak or no codes when disasters strike,” Rochman said. “Property damage is reduced, home and business owners are able to recover faster, the local economy and tax base are maintained, and the amount of government disaster aid is decreased in communities that have adopted and enforce strong codes before catastrophes strike.”

“Building community resilience is the most effective way to make our nation stronger in the face of continuing natural disasters,” noted Rochman. “DHS is a leader in this area and has just announced a new program called Resilience STARTM, which will assign a range of stars to homes that meet specific resilience standards, much the same way ENERGY STAR assigns energy efficiency ratings to appliances.”

Together with IBHS and other private sector partners, DHS will work to engage homeowners, builders and contractors in communities at high risk for certain natural disasters to take proactive steps to enhance the resilience of the homes in their communities. DHS is currently accepting applications from builders, contractors, and homeowners to participate in the Resilience STAR Home Pilot Project at: www.disastersafety.org/resilience-star. The deadline for submitting applications is January 17, 2014.
 0
The Behind-the-Wall Secrets Every Mason Already Knows (But Some Ignore)
May 2026

You’ve been around long enough to know this already: stone doesn’t fail on the face; it fails behind the wall. You can lay the prettiest veneer in the county, but if the prep is junk, that wall’s gonna start telling on you after a couple of winters. Manu

Rob McKay
Technical Talks
Read More
Masonry Innovation in Action: Belden Brick’s Glazed Thin Brick Redefines Design Possibilities
May 2026

Masonry innovation is pivotal in shaping the built environment, and The Belden Brick Company is at the forefront of this evolution. Architects, designers, and contractors increasingly seek materials that marry high performance with bold aesthetics, and Be

Kristie Fitzgerald
MAP Partner
Read More
Celebrating Craftsmanship and Country
May 2026

The 250th anniversary of the United States is more than a date. It is a reflection of centuries of progress, innovation, and determination. STABILA has chosen to mark this milestone with a product that mirrors those same qualities. The Patriot Series Maso

Elsa Bueno
MAP Partner
Read More
Rethinking Shelf Angle Design for High-Performance Masonry Walls
May 2026

If you've been around masonry construction long enough, you know the shelf angle is one of those details that’s easy to take for granted. It’s been used the same way for decades, set it at the slab edge, support the veneer, move on. But as building requir

Erica Oliveraz
MAP Partner
Read More