A recent Q&A with Ryan Colker, vice president of innovation at the International Code Council (ICC), published in BUILDER, explores how codes and standards play into construction innovation.

Colker reflected on his takeaways from the recent Innovative Housing Showcase, for which he moderated the panel “Building Decarbonization Research & Development.” The event is aimed at raising awareness of innovative and affordable housing designs and technologies that have the potential to increase housing supply, lower construction costs, increase energy efficiency and resilience, and reduce housing expenses.

In the interview, Colker elaborated on how government entities are moving to adopt change and embrace innovation, and shared insights on the process for introduction and publication of new standards and building codes.

He also shared his thoughts on areas gaining traction related to innovation in codes and standards. “Typically, the codes and standards today are based on prior events. With the growth in number and impact of storm events and wildfires, I think we’ll see an increase in being more predictive in response rather than just backward looking,” he noted.

Access the full interview online via BUILDER.