ORS 455.500 Reach Code; applicability; amendment

The Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, in consultation with the appropriate advisory boards, shall adopt, amend and administer a code separate from the state building code, to be known as the Reach Code. The director shall design the code to increase energy efficiency in buildings that are newly constructed, reconstructed, altered or repaired.

The Reach Code shall be a set of statewide optional construction standards and methods that are economically and technically feasible, including any published generally accepted codes and standards newly developed for construction or for the installation of products, equipment and devices. When adopting or amending the code, the director, in consultation with the appropriate advisory boards, shall:

Review generally accepted codes and standards that achieve greater energy efficiency than the energy efficiency required by the state building code; and

Review technical components of generally accepted construction documents as the director considers necessary to address federal, state and local financial incentives and advances in construction methods, standards and technologies.

When amending the state building code under ORS 455.030, the director shall consider whether any of the standards and methods contained in the Reach Code should be removed from the Reach Code and adopted in the state building code.

The inclusion of a standard or method for construction or for the installation of products, equipment or devices in the Reach Code:

Does not alter any licensing or certification requirements under ORS 446.003 to 446.200, 446.225 to 446.285, 447.010 to 447.156, 460.005 to 460.175, 479.510 to 479.945 or 480.510 to 480.670 or this chapter or ORS chapter 693 or Department of Consumer and Business Services rules;

Exempts products, equipment and devices from product certification requirements under ORS 447.010 to 447.156 and 479.510 to 479.945 and the state building code; and

Requires that a municipality administering and enforcing a building inspection program under ORS 455.148 or 455.150 must recognize and accept the standard, method, installation, product, equipment or device if a person applies to construct, reconstruct, alter or repair a building in conformance with the Reach Code.