In this special episode of The ConTech Crew, Jeff Sample is joined by Scott Reynolds, CEO and Co-Founder of UpCodes, and co-host Nathan Wood to unpack the evolving debate around building code accessibility and the controversial Pro Codes Act. The episode sheds light on the decades-long legal battle between public access advocates and standards development organizations (SDOs) over who really owns the building codes once they become law. Scott gives us an insider’s perspective on UpCodes’ mission, the origins of the copyright conflict, and why transparent access to legal codes is critical for innovation, fairness, and public safety.

The trio also gets into another critical disruption, what some are calling the “death of SEO” and how it’s forcing companies, especially in construction, to rethink content distribution. From HubSpot’s 80% traffic loss to the rising importance of targeted, high-value content across multiple platforms, this episode is a deep dive into how legal, marketing, and technological shifts are reshaping the built environment.

Key Learnings:

Building codes become public law once adopted and must be freely accessible.
The Pro Codes Act attempts to reintroduce copyright control over laws sparking widespread concern.
True disruption comes not from free access, but from resisting innovation in how codes are shared.
SEO as we know it is changing generic content is being penalized in favor of high-relevance material.
ConTech must embrace multi-channel, targeted content strategies to survive in this evolving digital landscape.
Speed to decision-making, enabled by better access to information, is the most crucial KPI in construction.

Timestamps:

[00:00] - Introduction

[03:43] - What is UpCodes? Why building code access matters.

[06:03] - Volunteer-written codes, revenue from surrounding services, & the ICC’s business model.

[11:39] - Public access vs. copyright: Can you own the law?

[23:16] - SEO shifts: HubSpot’s 80% traffic loss and the rise of AI-powered search.

[30:40] - The importance of content specificity and platform relevance.

[34:55] - Building integrations that meet users in their workflow (e.g., Revit, Procore).

[45:50] - Time-to-decision (TTD): The #1 KPI in construction and how tech can improve it.

[45:03] - Wrap-up: where to find Scott.

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How Construction Pros Can Fight Code Copyright to Unlock Innovation and Access with Scott Reynolds

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