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Local Building and Facility Codes

Modernizing The Chicago Building Code

When it comes to local building codes, BOMA/Chicago's advocacy efforts have helped to ensure that tenants, employees and visitors to commercial office buildings in Chicago enjoy modern, safe and efficient buildings. This is not always an easy task as Chicago's current building code is extrememly outdated. In late 2012, recognizing BOMA/Chicago's ability and success in educating policy makers about industry trends and best practices, Chicago Building Commissioner Michael Merchant reached out to BOMA/Chicago's leadership to build support for the adoption of the International Building Code in Chicago.

Virtually all major cities in the United States have adopted some form of the model International Building Code as published by the International Code Council (ICC). Model building codes are regularly updated on  three-year cycle, making them predictable as to when to expect changes.

Adopting, and transitioning, to a model code in Chicago will take some time and can be a difficult process. While working towards suchadoption, BOMA/Chicago will continue to foster a deliberative, cost effective regulatory environment wherever and whenever possible.

The Chicago Building Code

Sections of Titles 13, 15, 18 and other related excerpts of the Municipal Code of Chicago for the Building Industry, which compromises the Chicago Building Code, is available online at the link below.

Resources