The U.S. construction sector, worth more than $2.2 trillion annually, is continuing to build in the eye of the storm. Extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, and hurricanes are no longer rare, they’re routine. In 2024 alone, the country faced 27 separate billion-dollar disasters, with damages reaching $182.7 billion.
Modern building codes are our strongest defense. They embed resilience and safety into every structure, from fire exits to flood protections. Yet here lies the paradox: the very codes that could shield communities are often fragmented, hard to access and slow to adopt. Only 21% of hazard-prone jurisdictions have updated to the latest model codes. Each year of delay increases risk and cost.
Codes at the Crossroads
For design and construction teams, the challenge is not a lack of standards but the maze of fragmented, gated and inconsistent access. Codes vary by jurisdiction, sit inside thousands of pages of technical language and are often distributed only in formats designed to slow use rather than speed adoption. Under tight project deadlines, that complexity slows the very upgrades most needed for climate readiness.
The consequences ripple:
- Safety: Codes are life-saving infrastructure. Research shows $1 invested in hazard-resistant codes saves $4–$11 in recovery, and up to $13 in high-risk areas.
- Affordability: Unclear or inaccessible codes (not just the substance of codes, but the way they’re distributed, in costly or unusable formats) drive redesigns and delays. Regulations add nearly $94,000 to the price of a new single-family home, about a quarter of the cost.
- Climate readiness: Without consistent adoption, communities face rising risks. Codes are the blueprint for resilience, but without clarity, they’re blunt tools.
Where AI Fits In
Artificial intelligence won’t stop the next flood or fire, but it can make compliance faster and clearer.
AI-driven code intelligence tools help teams:
- Parse hundreds of pages of technical text into usable answers.
- Clarify code requirements that were otherwise buried in gated PDFs or books
- Map out jurisdictional differences so the right provisions are applied.
- Flag conflicts at the design stage, avoiding costly mid-project corrections.
- Accelerate iteration, turning weeks of back-and-forth into days.
The benefits are measurable. A California architecture firm cut plan corrections by two-thirds — nine pages down to three — on a 10,000-square-foot project after using AI tools to clarify code requirements. That means fewer delays, lower risk and more predictable delivery.
Why Open Codes Matter
Technology only works if the rulebook is open. Today, most building codes live behind locked PDFs, or clunky “free” viewers that make them practically unusable, forcing readers to click page by page through hundreds of sections or accept unreadable font sizes unless they pay. In some cases, professionals must even hand over personal information and sign contracts just to read the law. That’s not access, that’s obstruction. Large firms may be able to absorb the time and cost; smaller firms often cannot. The result is inequity: the very standards meant to safeguard communities are hardest to use for those with the fewest resources. Transparent, accessible codes are the foundation for scaling resilient, energy-efficient construction nationwide.
Building Toward Resilience
Climate readiness isn’t just about advanced materials or futuristic designs. It’s about ensuring the standards already written into law can be applied quickly and correctly. That means:
- A school designed to handle rising heat.
- A hospital built to remain operational during floods.
- A home made fire-resistant without pricing out the family.
The construction industry has ingenuity. What slows us down is friction, unclear requirements, inconsistent adoption, costly rework. AI-driven code intelligence reduces that friction. The payoff is safer communities, more affordable housing and structures designed for the realities of a changing climate.
A Call to Action
- Jurisdictions: Move faster to adopt up-to-date codes. Delay compounds risk.
- Policy leaders: Tear down paywalls, eliminate gated ‘view only’ portals, and ensure the law is free to read, search and use.
- Architects, engineers, and builders: Lean into the tools already reshaping practice. A recent AIA survey found that 81% of AEC professionals now use AI at least once a month, yet barriers to adoption remain, chief among them safety, trust and clear standards for use. Piloting AI in code navigation is one way to build that trust, while also delivering faster, climate-ready projects.
Climate readiness is a practical mandate, measured in lives saved, dollars preserved, and communities kept intact. Construction professionals already carry that responsibility. It’s time we gave them clearer, faster tools to meet it. The $2.2 trillion U.S. construction sector will continue to build the future of this country, brick by brick, beam by beam. With open codes and intelligent navigation, we can make sure that the future is not only built, but built to last.
