Adoption of the International Residential Code in a High Natural Hazards Region-An Overview

South Carolina was among the first jurisdictions to adopt the 2000 International Residential Code (IRC). The adoption of this statewide building code met with significant opposition and resulted in moratoria being placed on all seismic design and wind-borne debris provisions in the code. A study was conducted to determine how well the IRC has been adopted by coastal South Carolina communities, with the discovery that most plan preparers and building departments are not following the IRC. This paper documents some of the activities and observations made during this process. The observations are troubling and point to a significant need for ongoing professional education. The findings also demonstrate the need for greater resources to be allocated not only to educational needs, but also to code enforcement.