The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) – through the Task Group on Priorities – has requested the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) provide input on areas of strategic importance for the upcoming code cycle.
The CCBFC is responsible for developing the national building codes for Canada, including the National Plumbing Code, and is preparing to launch a new code cycle. The current code cycle ends with the publication of the 2020 edition of the National Model Codes.
During this cycle, the CCBFC has recognized the importance of identifying and addressing partner and stakeholder priorities, reports CIPH.
CIPH – through its Plumbing and Mechanical Advisory Council (PMAC) – recommended various areas of strategic importance under polic
y priorities, technical priorities, and maintenance priorities for the 2020-2025 code.
These include putting a priority on things like notice for meeting dates, making all proposed changes available on the NRCan website, co-operation with provincial and territorial code authorities that have different requirements, timely adoption of national codes by all jurisdictions within 18 months of publication, a review of connections and processes between the standing committees, and the use of more task groups for code work.
For technical priorities, CIPH would like to see the consideration of water-use efficiency, water re-use, water pipe sizing, drain line carry, climate change initiatives – providing revised plumbing and heating designs for greater efficiencies, better definition of potable and drinking water, sustainability definition of potable and drinking water, and sustainability issues around grey water and black water.
Lastly, maintenance priorities include updating the referenced standards in codes two times per code-cycle, reviewing new standards being developed, minimize the lag between a new standard and its adoption, and revise plumbing designs for greater efficiencies.
