One of the best ways to reduce pest problems in and around buildings is to construct or retrofit structures that keep pests out in the first place. This concept has been a pillar of integrated pest management for many years. Pest-resistant buildings reduce not only pest problems but also the need for pesticide applications. Unfortunately, architects and builders had few guidelines about how to design and construct such structures.

To address this issue, the San Francisco Department of the Environment and the International Code Council developed an online publication, Pest Prevention by Design, which provides the first comprehensive resource on pest-preventive building design tactics.

Specific guidelines are...