The Center for Building in North America was founded in 2022, with the goal of studying building codes and construction policy in the United States and Canada in comparative global context, and proposing avenues for reform to bring our codes in line with those in other developed countries.

We will be publishing research on the construction industry, codes, and practices, focusing first on vertical circulation – things like staircases and elevators, which make up the core of our buildings. While these elements are easy to overlook, they define how buildings are laid out, and can be the difference between apartment buildings with long, hotel-like double-loaded corridors with all luxury studio and one-bedroom apartments on the one hand, and buildings with more efficient, family-friendly layouts on the other.

The United States and Canada are global outliers in many aspects of multifamily design and construction, and much of our research will focus on introducing North Americans to standard ways of building abroad – especially practices in high-income democracies in Europe, Asia, and Oceania, with better fire safety outcomes than ours – and comparing the codes that drive these differences in costs, livability, efficiency, and safety.

Beyond research, the Center of Building provides technical assistance to groups in the United States and Canada who are interested in bringing international best practice to our own codes and construction industries. Get in touch if you’re interested in learning more.