The White House is launching a multi-agency initiative aimed at modernizing state, local, tribal and territorial building codes and standards. The initiative is geared toward improving building energy performance as well as community resilience to extreme weather events and other effects of the climate crisis.
Announced on June 1, the first day of the Atlantic hurricane season, the initiative cites Federal Emergency Management Agency studies that show nearly two out of every three U.S. communities have not adopted the latest building codes. These localities, many of which are in historically underserved areas, face increasing vulnerability to events such as floods, tornadoes, tropical cyclones and wildfires.
