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The Town Council has adopted the updated 2012 version of the International Building Codes with the exception of the Energy Conservation Code.
The council delayed action on the updated energy code at the urging of the Fountain Hills Association of Licensed Contractors.
The town will continue to use the energy standards found in the 2006 code, and staff made a point of stating that anyone building in town may use the updated 2012 version, it just will not be required at this point.
A letter the town received from the contractors’ association states, “there are … items within the (2012 energy code) in its current state that appear to contradict energy efficiency in our desert environment…”
The letter also states that the 2006 energy code currently being used is working well in today’s economic environment.
The association asked that the council consider recommendations to be made by a committee of the association members at a future date.
Councilman Dennis Brown, a building contractor by profession and an association member, said he believes the contractors’ request is reasonable.
Brown pointed out that the energy code is divided into seven zones, and Arizona is included in the same zone as the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
“Last time I looked we were not living in a coastal environment,” Brown said. “There are a lot of things (in the code) that are one size fits all. The (association) wants to review it and make it better for our environment.”
Brown suggested the council reconsider the updated energy code in about a year following a review.
Phillip Blackerby, an associate member of the contractors’ association and a business consultant, told the council that the association is not recommending the council not adopt an energy code.
“There are factors that are just not appropriate for Fountain Hills,” Blackerby said.
“We want to participate in addressing those issues and adopt an energy code that will work better for Fountain Hills.”
The council did adopt 2012 versions of the Building Code, Mechanical Code, Electrical Code, Swimming Pool and Spa Code, Fire Code, Residential Code, Fuel Gas Code, Plumbing Code, Fountain Hills amendments to the 2012 International Building Code and amended the Town Code to include the updated codes.
Resident Linda Bordow had a number of questions related to the code adoptions and how they impacted residents.
Bordow questioned whether residents would be required to update their residences to meet the new codes.
“You don’t need to upgrade your home just because the code changes,” Brown said.
He noted there is a percentage of work in a remodeling job that would trigger needed updates.
Jason Field, the town’s chief building official, said that only changes made in a remodel need to be done to updated code, and in any remodeling job that is considered a 50 percent renovation, a residential fire sprinkler system needs to be installed through the entire dwelling.
Several council members thanked the contractors’ association for weighing in on the code and offering to review the energy code.
The council voted 7-0 to adopt the new codes with the exception of the energy conservation code. The new codes are effective as of Nov. 21.
