AWC sponsors first week of ICCs Building Safety Month

Leesburg, Va. — In recognition of the growing need for safe and sustainable structures, the American Wood Council (AWC) is participating in this year’s Building Safety Month, hosted by the International Code Council (ICC) to celebrate building safety worldwide during the month of May. This year's theme is BUILDING SAFETY: Maximizing Resilience, Minimizing Risks. Each week spotlights a specific area of building safety.

As a presenting sponsor for the first week of the event, “Code Officials: Keeping Fire in Its Place,” AWC is providing resources for professionals to gather information on the importance of fire safety and building for fire resistance. By their design, building codes are written so that compliant structures all provide the same levels of safety, regardless of principal materials used. As a result, when built according to code, wood-frame construction has a proven fire safety and performance record.

“Fire safety and fire resistance have always been important topics in the building world, especially as it relates to wood construction,” said AWC President and CEO Robert Glowinski. “We are excited to be a presenting sponsor of this year’s building safety month and hope to continue educating building professionals on how construction materials perform under varying conditions.”

Information on fire resistance for structural wood products used in residential construction is available from AWC at www.woodaware.info. Technical information on fire code requirements for wood can also be found in AWC’s Code Conforming Wood Design series, available for free download at www.awc.org.