The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), developer of the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) and Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), has posted online the timeline for the development of the 2027 editions of these prospective American National Standards.

The development timeline can be viewed at 2027 UPC/UMC Timeline. For more information on IAPMO's code development process, visit the code development homepage at https://www.iapmo.org/codes-standards-development/code-development.

Introduced in Los Angeles in 1928 and formally published as the Uniform Plumbing Code in 1945, the UPC is developed to govern the installation and inspection of plumbing systems as a means of promoting the public's health, safety and welfare. Later published by IAPMO in 1967, the UMC provides the same governance for mechanical (HVAC, combustion, exhaust, refrigeration) systems. Developed and subsequently republished at the conclusion of each three-year code cycle, the UPC and UMC are designed to provide consumers with plumbing, heating, and mechanical systems that meet all applicable standards while, at the same time, allowing latitude for innovation and new technologies.

IAPMO employs a consensus development process accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), gathering one of the largest assemblies of plumbing and mechanical experts in the world at its annual education and business conference and technical committee meetings, enabling anyone — members and nonmembers alike — to lend their voice to proposed changes to the code. The 2027 editions of the UPC and UMC will mark the ninth time these codes have been developed in this manner.

IAPMO urges its members and other interested parties to get involved in the process to ensure effectiveness in preserving the public's health, safety, and welfare through fair and balanced development of its codes and standards. Installers, plumbing and mechanical officials, the construction industry, engineers, and manufacturers all benefit from a cooperative effort in developing codes.

For more information, contact Alma Ramos at 909-230-5528, or alma.ramos@iapmo.org.