PA sprinkler law opposed

By TOM KANE

PENNSYLVANIA — A new Pennsylvania building law that will require the inclusion of sprinkler systems in all new one-family and two-family homes has raised a major tsunami of protest from the Pennsylvania Building Association (PBA), real estate brokers, some township officials and many homeowners.

The law that was passed in 2009 will require sprinkler systems to be installed in newly constructed single-family homes and townhouses next year. Pennsylvania will be the first state in the union to pass such a law.

Earlier this year, the PBA sought an injunction in Commonwealth Court to keep the state from enforcing the new law. When the court ruled against them, they took the case to the State Appellate Court who also ruled against them.

The PBA, then, turned to the state legislature to reverse the law and succeeded in getting the Senate to postpone the law’s deadline. The measure then went to the House, but members will not have a chance to consider the case this year.

Still, John Viniello, President of the National Fire Sprinkler Association, applauded the law. “This is a tremendous victory for the residents and fire service professionals in the Commonwealth.

The inclusion of residential fire sprinkler requirements in the 2009 International Code Council’s new law is in response to the growing U.S. fire problem, fire officials say. About 85 percent of all fires occur in homes and many are accelerated by more flammable home contents; additionally, new “lightweight” construction materials cause the building to fail quicker.

“Smoke detectors are no longer enough in residential fire protection, as the time to escape a house fire has dwindled from 17 minutes, 20 years ago, to three minutes today,” Viniello said.

However, not everyone agrees with these assertions. In fact, some have vilified proponents of this measure because of the higher cost it will cause in the building industry, which is experiencing the biggest turndown in home construction in decades.

The PBA had argued that the updated code would add excessive costs that would discourage new-home buyers, according to association spokesman Scott Elliot. “The organization estimates that sprinkler systems cost about $3.49 per square foot of house, or just shy of $8,000 for the average home,” he said.