Timnath staff brief council on proposed 2024 international building-code updates, energy and wildfire rules

Russ Weber, Timnath building official, told the Town Council at a July 22 work session that local jurisdictions in Northern Colorado are proposing to adopt the 2024 International Codes and to make them enforceable beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Weber said the town skipped the 2021 cycle, citing high construction-cost impacts, and pushed for the 2024 cycle instead.

The central change in the 2024 energy provisions is a wall-insulation requirement for wood-framed construction: the code moves many assemblies to an R-20 cavity plus R-5 continuous exterior insulation. Weber said roughly 30–40% of local builders already meet that requirement. Other state-mandated elements he reviewed include “solar ready” and “EV ready” requirements and new electric-ready provisions tied to state law; Weber said municipalities that adopt a new building code after the state deadline must also adopt those state energy and electrical provisions.

Weber outlined practical impacts he expects: duct leakage testing will be required regardless of whether ducts are inside the conditioned envelope; blower-door tests will remain required; and builders should plan for larger electrical service panels (150A to 200A) to provide capacity for electric water heaters, furnaces and EV chargers even when owners choose gas appliances. Solar-ready requirements call for an area of roof free of penetrations (not less than 300 square feet and not less than 40% of roof area in some cases) and panel-ready space in electrical panels.

On wildfire rules, Weber said the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code is state-mandated and driven by the Marshall Fire and similar events. Timnath staff do not propose to adopt the wildfire code in the same ordinance as the 2024 codes; instead, Weber recommended a standalone ordinance to give planners time to develop consistent review and enforcement procedures. He said the state has provided municipalities nine months after state adoption to take local action and that the town currently has until April 1 (year specified in state guidance).

Weber also summarized changes in the International Residential Code (IRC) and International Building Code (IBC). He noted new provisions on use of alternate means and methods (product evaluation reports), storm-shelter design provisions, stacked dwelling unit rules (stacked duplexes), rules for sleeping lofts and ladders, requirements for pool-barrier permits, and commercial-level changes such as tornado-loading recognition for risk categories used to set environmental loads. Fire-safety topics in the building code and in the Fire Code (discussed separately in the council meeting) include new rules for lithium-ion battery storage.

Council discussion touched on impact-resistant shingles, which Larimer County and Fort Collins require. Weber said the town can adopt an amendment to require impact-resistant shingles for new construction and replacements and that such changes are within the town’s authority. Weber also described a local amendment that Windsor and Severance adopted requiring reinforcement (fiber mesh, welded wire or rebar) in new exterior concrete to control shifting and trip hazards; he said he would propose similar language for Timnath.

Weber said Northern Colorado jurisdictions have met since December to coordinate code adoption, and he recommended a target for Timnath adoption by October with enforcement beginning Jan. 1. He said staff typically offers a six-month period to educate builders and provide some flexibility on non–life-safety new provisions when a code cycle begins.

Weber urged council members to stop him with questions during the presentation and offered to return with draft ordinance text and proposed amendments, including the wildfire code as a separate item once enforcement approaches are defined.

Ending

Weber concluded by restating his preference to adopt the 2024 codes, to delay wildfire-code adoption until planning and enforcement details are resolved, and to bring draft ordinances for council review ahead of a proposed adoption deadline in October.