- Author
-
Ehrenkrantz Group
- Title
- Cost Impact of Duplicate Life and Safety Requirements in Codes. Final Report.
- Coporate
- Ehrenkrantz Group, Washington, DC
- Sponsor
- Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
- Report
-
HUD-0002970
July 1983
126 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- HUD-H-5220
- Keywords
-
building codes
|
life safety
|
smoke detectors
|
multifamily housing
|
cost benefit analysis
|
fire safety
- Identifiers
- regression analysis; housing costs
- Abstract
- Conformance to model housing codes in the 1952 to 1977 period increased the cost of multifamily housing by less than 2 percent, but reduced the cost of single-family homes and low-rise apartments. This study sought to determine if compliance with code revisions in the 25 year period would have resulted in costs that exceeded benefits. The three model codes analyzed were the Uniform Building Code, the Basic Building Code, and the Standard Building Code. The study found that during this period, housing costs, increased due to interest rates, permits and fees, labor rates, processing time, and consumer preference, none of which can be attributed to model codes. The model codes, though significantly expanded, became more flexible and performance oriented, often allowing traditionally specified materials to be replaced by lower cost alternatives. The study also found that the rapid growth in the use of smoke detectors, now required by all model codes, has been a major factor in reducing the loss of life due to residential fires. While cooperation between the model code organizations has led to several joint efforts at uniformity, local level enforcement practices vary greatly. Recommendations for improving the code revision process, code changes, a guide to the variables used in the regression analysis, an explanation of the prototypic housing used in the analysis, and 21 references are supplied.