Hoping to promote compatibility and interoperability that could accelerate the adoption of off-site construction in sectors such as multifamily housing, commercial developments and institutional projects, the International Code Council and the Center for Offsite Construction at the New York Institute of Technology are developing a critical standard for modular construction.

The creation of the CFOC/ICC 1220 Standard on Configurations and Connections for Off-Site Construction aims to enhance quality, sustainability, resilience and affordability in the construction industry. After it is published in May 2026, the standard will be available on the ICC’s digital codes platform.

The ICC and the CfOC hope establishing clear guidelines for the connection and configuration of modular components will address requirements for configuration and connections in off-site construction. This will include locations and specifications of module-to-module and building-to-module connections for essential building systems, the standardization of dimensions for modular components and coverage for componentized, panelized and modularized elements.

Establishing a framework for ensuring consistent quality and compatibility across projects could “significantly” advance modular construction methods, said Ryan Colker, the Code Council’s executive director, energy, resilience and innovation.

Colker said in a statement that the standard will “address some of the key challenges in advancing the deployment of off-site construction including supporting a project pipeline for factories, bringing certainty to developers through the availability of multiple sources for components and increasing efficiency of the fabrication and approval processes.”

Jason Van Nest, the CfOC’s director, also said in the statement that the collaboration “will transform how modular components are designed and connected.”

He added, “This partnership will support the growth of industrialized construction methods and ensure that off-site construction systems meet the highest standards of performance and interoperability.”

The collaboration comes about four months after Rhode Island became the first state in the country to adopt an ICC building code standard that advances off-site construction of mechanical, electrical and plumbing, energy efficiency and water conservation systems.