On March 19, 2024, Governor Spencer Cox signed into effect a bill to create a statewide off-site construction program based on joint standards created by the International Code Council and Modular Building Institute (MBI). This bill is an effort to boost affordable housing and leverage advanced technologies and practices. Utah joins 39 other states in regulating off-site construction at the state level to support consistency and efficiency in the process. It’s the first state to establish such a program in over 25 years.

ICC/MBI Standards 1200 and 1205 are part of ICC/MBI’s existing series of off-site construction standards. Standards in the 1200 series address the entire life cycle of off-site construction projects from design and fabrication through approval and inspection. More information can be found here. Salt Lake City previously adopted ICC/MBI 1200 and 1205 in 2021.

Utah is aiming to combat the affordable housing crisis it faces and sees off-site construction as part of the solution. This new program will help facilitate the efficient use of off-site construction throughout the state and create a regulatory path for modular home builders.

Benefits of using off-site construction include accelerated project timelines, cost savings and improved project quality. Off-site construction also has lower wastage rates, resulting in environmental benefits and cost savings. States like Utah that are looking to address housing affordability issues can use off-site construction as a solution.

Those factors along with the job sites being safer for workers make off-site construction a great solution for states like Utah that are looking to address housing affordability issues.

The signing of this bill follows the strong support from stakeholders including manufacturers, homebuilders, Utah League of Cities and Towns, and code officials. Sponsored by Senator Fillmore and Representative Whyte and supported by the Utah Commission on Housing Affordability, this program will go into effect on May 1, 2024.

“Off-site construction has proven to be a great solution to the affordable housing crisis,” said Code Council Vice President of Innovation Ryan Colker. “This program will help improve the health, safety, affordability and welfare of the built environment in Utah, and the signing of this bill into effect emphasizes the state’s efforts to address the critical need for affordable buildings.”

More information on off-site construction can be found here.