Builders in Camas had little time last winter — just one week — to respond when they were told that their city council would be considering a proposal to mandate fire sprinklers in new single-family home construction. The mandate, which had the backing of the local fire marshal and several city council members, would have added roughly $2,500 to the cost of an average sized house.

Realizing the effect the mandate could have on affordability and consumer choice in the southwestern Washington community, the Building Industry Association of Clark County jumped into action and requested that the city council delay consideration of the sprinkler proposal. The delay was granted.

“That bought us the time we needed to push for aggressive consumer education instead of a fire sprinkler mandate,” said Matt Lewis, the association’s government affairs director.

The Clark County BIA then contacted , BIAW, its state association. and the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Construction, Codes and Standards department for information about the drawbacks of mandatory fire sprinklers.