P l a n N Y C | Planning Information Portal

New York City Building Code

A building code is a set of construction regulations enforced by law to ensure safe building practices through consistent design and construction. The code has a tremendous amount of influence over what and how things get built in the City. The New York City Building Code is only one of two in the United States created by the municipality itself, rather than just an adoption of standard model codes set at the state or national level. This is in part due to the huge expense of creating a building code and New York City’s unique building environment.

New York City is currently performing a significant overhaul of its building code. The revision, which was initiated by Mayor Bloomberg in 2005, is the first amendment to the city’s building code since 1968. Prior to this comprehensive overhaul, the code had been amended ad-hoc over the years, in many cases creating confusion, overlap, and loopholes which are thought to have diminished the power a building code is supposed to have and, more importantly, the standards of safety. The Bloomberg administration has tried to reach consensus on these changes, by creating a taskforce called the Model Code Program. Professionals in the field such as contractors, architects, union leaders and developers have all joined together to help draft the new code. Now the hope is by incorporating more widely used model codes, such as the International Building Code, inconsistencies in the old code will be eliminated while also making it more user friendly. In addition, adopting model codes will open up national markets to NYC construction for supplies previously unavailable due to the old codes specific scope.

Through the Model Code Program the city will organize the new code as the International Building Council, a group which sets standards and drafts model codes, does while also adapting it for New York City to address density, lot size, and structural issues. Using the International Building Council’s format the City Council will revise the new model codes every 3 years to accommodate technology and policy changes in the construction field. The Building Department is also allowing online application filing and longer licensure periods to streamline the construction process.

The overhaul’s main objectives are to make the code more comprehensive in terms of safety and to make New York a more sustainable and energy efficient city, as stated in the mayor’s PlaNYC2030 initiative. Supporters of the code’s revision point to a number of fires and other tragedies, including the events of September 11th, as justification for an overhaul. Examples of safety changes in the code include more fire-resistant stairways, automatic sprinkler systems and hardwired smoke alarms in each room for new buildings over 55 feet tall. Other changes include white roofs on all buildings, offering fee rebates for green design, and encouraging the use of water efficient plumbing.

Some are worried that these new regulations and requirements will unnecessarily increase construction and housing costs due to the more stringent safety requirements and “green” infrastructure. The mayor states the opposite, saying it will help to reduce construction and housing costs while also providing a more sustainable building stock over time. He thinks this will be achieved through the use of sustainable design, lowering energy costs and also through access to new construction material markets due to the new codes more universal scope.

Revisions are still being made to the new code during the waiting period before the City Council reviews it in May. If the council approves the new code it will go into effect in July 2008.