Building Officials

Performance and Quality Beyond Expectations

Did you know polymeric exteriors can deliver all the lasting protection and beauty of other siding options with the added benefit of lower maintenance and greater sustainabilityThat’s right, and it’s why vinyl siding, composite roofing and other polymeric exteriors are a leading choice for builders, architects and homeowners across the continent. 

 

North America’s Choice

Polymeric exteriors meet the stringent requirements of building codes across the United States and Canada. These codes require vinyl siding, insulated vinyl siding and polypropylene siding to be manufactured and certified to their respective ASTM standards. When manufactured to the appropriate material standard and installed correctly, they meet the demands of these regulations, such as providing protection from the elements.

Polymeric Exteriors Categories

Polymeric exteriors offer versatile beauty and unbeatable strength over the life of any structure.

Certified Products Assure Compliance

As the first and only cladding product backed by an industry sponsored cladding program, with results verified by Intertek—one of the industry’s largest independent testing and certification bodies—all certified vinyl siding products are held to the highest testing and performance standards in the industry. From wind load to weatherability and fire performance, the VSI Mark represents quality and compliance you can depend on.

Energy Code Compliance With Polymeric Cladding

Polymeric claddings, such as vinyl siding, insulated vinyl siding and polypropylene siding, are well suited for building envelopes incorporating continuous insulation. This compatibility is particularly relevant in meeting newer, more stringent wall insulation requirements set forth by the International Energy Conservation Code.

North American
Building Codes

These building codes impact polymeric cladding product performance and installation requirements for work in Canada and the United States, including Florida. These systems provide safety for single and multifamily structures and ensure cladding can withstand high winds and resist heat, cold, rain and moisture. Please note, the International Codes, or I-Codes, published by the International Code Council, provide a regulatory framework for the construction of homes and buildings and are adopted by every state in the United States.

What are I-Codes?

The International Codes, or I-Codes, published by the International Code Council, include considerations for resilient construction and safe use of cladding, as well as its role in protecting against water, wind and fire.

FIRE

Cladding may be required to be part of an assembly that provides necessary fire resistive construction, including use in high density settings and wildland-urban interface zones

WATER

Cladding aids in the continuous drainage of water away from the building envelope and allows for venting to help prevent the growth of mold and mildew

WIND

Tested and verified to meet the wind requirements for the U.S. and Canada; certain polymeric cladding is specially designed for coastal, high-wind areas

ENERGY EFFICIENT

Insulated vinyl siding meets the International Energy Conservation Code's (IECC) continuous insulation requirements to provide the required total wall R-Value.

 

AIA Education Accreditation

Earn CEUs for credit with the American Institute of Architects in our free courses. Become well-versed about vinyl siding's cladding properties in one of three ways: in-person, live online, or on demand. In addition, we present courses throughout the year at industry gatherings, including the Congress of the New Urbanism, Building Officials of Georgia and Ohio and National Town Builders Association, among many others.

Code Reference Guide

Our at-a-glance, printable PDF guide provides a quick code resource for International, Florida and Canada building requirements, with installation and performance requirements, a helpful inspection checklist and more to help you ensure code compliance.

Man installing a piece of vinyl siding

Ensuring Code Compliant Installation

Use these quick tips for your inspections to ensure code compliant installations of polymeric cladding and soffit, especially in high-wind regions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find the information you need fast about the Polymeric Exterior Products Association's work—in advocacy, workforce training and certification, building code resources, sustainability and more—in our Frequently Asked Questions.