What can a home demolition tell us about standards?  A new Reverse Renovations campaign launched by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reveals how different elements of a home—from fire-rated walls to carbon monoxide detectors, and even sink pipes—are supported by a powerful system of safety codes and standards that help keep us safer.

With sledge hammer in hand, reality home renovation star Jonathan Scott tears a house apart to demonstrate what happens when we literally take codes and standards out of the picture. The campaign verdict: a world without safety standards isn’t a world any of us want to live in.

“If we don’t protect the independent standards development process that NFPA is part of, we risk measures that help keep us safe where we live, work, and gather,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president, outreach and advocacy. “We risk stalling innovation, and we put lives and property at risk. We also risk losing one of the most successful public-private partnerships in history that has safeguarded countless lives, created economic growth, and saved billions of taxpayer dollars—with no good alternative to take its place.”

Access the video and more information on the campaign on NFPA’s website.