New building standards are set to take effect in Clay County following a debate over whether additional energy efficiency requirements should be included.

The Clay County Commission recently approved updates to the county’s building codes, adopting the 2018 versions of several construction codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code, with amendments, while rejecting a proposal to include additional residential energy efficiency standards.

The updates move Clay County from the 2012 family of building codes to the 2018 International Residential, Building, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Existing Building codes, along with the 2017 National Electrical Code. The new standards will take effect Jan. 1, 2027, with the changes intended to guide construction in unincorporated areas of the county.

Beyond adopting newer code editions, the ordinance includes provisions addressing residential construction, building safety and construction-site conditions, according to the ordinance. These include requi…