The history of the standards we use for how we build structures -- homes, apartments and commercial and manufacturing buildings -- has largely to do with regional authorities determining what criteria they need to meet to keep the occupants of the building safe.
Building codes traditionally reside under the authority of local governments, which determine a bare minimum requirements for their jurisdiction. But the realities of a warmer climate are changing this framework.
The Biden-Harris administration recently launched an initiative to modernize building codes, improve resilience in buildings and reduce energy consumption and costs. The National Initiative to Advance Building Codes provides incentives and support for state, tribal and territorial governments to enact and enforce building codes. Adopting stronger building codes increases the resilience of structures and can help in meeting the U.S. decarbonization targets.