Amy Carpenter has always enjoyed the challenge of understanding building codes and getting to the true intent of them.  She has also been a passionate advocate for changing the codes, to allow architects and designers more flexibility to create truly supportive and home-like environments for older adults. 

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In 2008, Amy joined the Pioneer Network National Life Safety Code Task Force, sponsored by the Hulda B and Maurice L Rothschild Foundation, as the representative from the Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments (SAGE).  This group pushed through four significant changes to the 2012 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, with Amy doing the bulk of writing the actual code text and testifying in front of the NFPA committee.  The four changes were: 

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• Allowing full-cooking in residential-style kitchens in Skilled Nursing Households. 

• Allowing seating in corridors. 

• Allowing decorations (cards, wreaths, construction paper drawings) in resident rooms, in hallways and on apartment doors. 

• Allowing gas or electric fireplaces to be used in spaces other than resident rooms. 

 

After that, Amy started working to get these changes incorporated into the International Codes.  She wrote the code change proposals, worked with the ICC Healthcare Committee (then the ad-hoc Healthcare/Code Technical Care Committee) to refine the proposals, then presented and defended them at the ICC Code hearings. 

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Not satisfied with merely writing code changes and presenting them, Amy applied to sit on the ICC committee that votes on code changes at the hearings.  She served on the General Committee for the 2012, 2015 and 2018 code cycles, and then served on the Means of Egress Committee for the 2021 code cycle.  Amy officially joined the ICC Healthcare Committee in 2017.  Since then, she has collaborated with the committee to create several code changes related to hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living communities.  She continues to attend code hearings to present, defend and oppose code changes that impact older adults. 

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In the 2021 code cycle, Amy was instrumental in creating the scoping and technical language for assisted toileting and bathing and leading the effort for acceptance into Chapter 11 of the International Building Code.  This language, based on research from Margaret Calkins, Jon Sanford, Su Jin Lee, et. al. (2017), was specifically written to address the needs of elders in care settings and the caregivers that assist them.   

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After this language was implemented in the building code, Amy was tasked with chairing a committee for the ICC A117.1 accessibility standard, to create one of the first changes that wasn’t focused on a person being able to do things independently.  This assisted toileting and bathing language should be included in the next edition of the A117.1 accessibility standard. We are hoping this will be released in 2026.