The state of New Hampshire approved building-code changes that will require all new one- and two-family homes and townhouses built in the state to be equipped with fire-sprinkler systems starting April 1, 2012.

Last month, the state's building-code review board voted 12 to 2 to accept the International Residential Code requirement.

Similarly, the state of Pennsylvania in December voted to require all newly constructed townhouses to contain a residential fire sprinkler system starting in January, and in all newly constructed one- and two-family homes effective Jan. 1, 2011.

The Pennsylvania Independent Review Commission approved regulation #12-89, the state updates its Uniform Construction Code.

In October, International Code Council members voted 7 to 4 during the ICC code-development hearings to retain residential fire-sprinkler requirements in the IRC.

The National Fire Sprinker Association is offering state-by-state adoption status updates at its Web site, www.nfsa.org.