Outdated building and plumbing codes have long driven up the cost of rehabilitating Chicago’s existing housing stock—especially for small and mid-sized multifamily properties. Requirements that limited material choices, added administrative hurdles, and applied new-construction standards to rehab projects made preservation more expensive and, in some cases, infeasible.

The Preservation Compact partnered with developers, property owners, and public agencies to identify practical, cost-saving code reforms that maintain safety while reducing unnecessary expense. A key strategy was piloting real-world alternatives, collecting data, and using that evidence to inform policy change.

Alternative Plumbing Materials Pilot Program
Based on recommendations from the Compact and its partners, the City launched the Alternative Plumbing Materials Pilot Program to test expanded use of PVC piping. Over four years, the pilot saved Chicago developers and property owners more than $38 million, while demonstrating that modern materials could be safely and effectively used in residential construction.

That data directly informed amendments to the Chicago Plumbing Code, passed by City Council in October. The updates:

• Authorize expanded use of PVC for drain, waste, and vent piping in residential occupancies
• Eliminate the need for an Alternative Code Approval Request (ACAR)
• Allow use of PVC in residential and mixed-use buildings up to 60 feet in height
• Include new guidance from the Department of Buildings clarifying PVC use in mixed-use buildings

Building Code Modernization
Chicago also adopted the first comprehensive update to its Building Code in 70 years. The modernized code helps owners complete more rehabilitation at lower cost by:

• Streamlining the permitting process
• Expanding flexibility in construction methods
• Allowing a broader range of compliant building materials

Electrical Code Update
Advocacy by the Compact and its partners led to several commonsense electrical code changes, including:

• Expanded use of flexible metal conduit
• Updated rules for electrical disconnect box placement
• Clarification that only newly constructed walls and ceilings must meet new-construction Energy Code requirements during rehab

The Impact

Together, these reforms remove unnecessary barriers to reinvestment, reduce rehabilitation costs, and make it easier to preserve and improve Chicago’s existing housing while also maintaining safety and performance standards. By grounding advocacy in pilot data and real-world outcomes, The Preservation Compact helped translate practical solutions into lasting policy change.