What is the reason for this?

While doing an ispection in the laundry room, I noticed what I thought to be the washer drain coming out of the floor. Other than it being too short, It did not dawn on me right away that it was not inside the wall. There was the standard plastic housing containing the washer hose bibs and drain. SO why the extra pipe? The house was built in 2005. Why would they do this? There was only enough room for the washer and dryer against the wall.

That looks like an incomplete laundry room floor drain or clothes washer pan drain. Was this above the first floor? Usually they just dump to the exterior. Did you find a stray, similar sized pipe sticking out the side of the house near ground level somewhere?

It was on the 2nd floor. That does make sense. I did find a drain outside on the back of the home around the vacinity of the structure. I bet thats it! Thanks Chuck, you are my hero. It threw me off because you usualy just see a pan or nothing at all.

BTW can anyone tell me when and where in the plumbing code book that came into affect?