ICC Government Relations Chapter Monthly Update – February 2019

Follow @ICC_GR on Twitter for breaking news & announcements throughout the month

 

Attention focusing on Group B proposals at Committee Action Hearing April 28-May 8 in Albuquerque

The first hearing on the 2021 Group B proposals, called the Committee Action Hearing, is set for April 28 to May 8 at the Albuquerque, N.M., Convention Center. In those meetings, code officials, architects, builders, engineers, fire and energy conservation professionals and the interested public will be invited to watch and to testify on proposals. The CAH are free to attend. Pre-registration is encouraged. Register Here. And if you want to review the final actions to the Group A 2021 International Codes made last fall, they are available by clicking here.

 

ICC Board, Membership Council Governing Committees and Major Jurisdiction Committee also meet

Participating in the Committee Action Hearings ensures the I-Codes are the best model codes for our communities, but you can also check in with other activities in Albuquerque April 27 and 28:

·         ICC Board of Directors meeting 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27.

·         ICC Membership Council Governing Committee meetings Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, April 27-28.

·         Major Jurisdiction Committee meeting 8-11 a.m. Sunday, April 28.

·         ICC Members Forum 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Sunday, April 28.

Reduced room rates are scheduled to end April 8. Click here for lodging information and scroll down.

 

The official poster for the 2019 Building Safety Month events is available online with other downloads

The 2019 campaign poster for the 2019 Building Safety Month celebrations is now available for downloads and distribution, as are other items to help with your displays and public presentations. Some Code Council members enjoy making presentations on building safety to elementary school classes. The ICC Store provides rolls of Junior Building Safety Inspector sticker badges for $8 per roll of 100, a set of 25 Building Safety pencils for $6.50 and free downloads of the Building Safety Month Activity Book for Kids, the “Safety First — Disaster Preparedness: Tips for Your Home and Family Brochure” and several other useful handouts for events at offices, schools and display booths. With its theme “No Code, No Confidence,” the 2019 celebration includes weekly themes for the month of May:

• Week 1 – (May 1- May 5): Preparing for disasters: Build strong, build smart
• Week 2 – (May 6- May 12): Ensuring a safer future through training and education
• Week 3 – (May 13- May 19): Securing clean, abundant water for all communities
• Week 4 – (May 20- May 26): Construction professionals and homeowners: Partners in safety
• Week 5 – (May 27- May 31): Innovations in building safety

 

March 15 is deadline to submit nominations for ICC awards presented at 2019 Annual Conference

Nominations are now being accepted for major ICC Awards presented at various events, including the 2019 ICC Annual Conference. ICC Awards will be presented in several categories to honor accomplishments and service to ICC and building safety.  Detailed information about awards, including a description of each award and past winners, is now available. To nominate someone for an ICC Award, please complete and email the form indicated below to Karla Price Higgs, Vice President, Member Services, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The deadline to submit nominations is March 15.

• 2019 ICC Awards Call for Nominations 
• 2019 Chapter/Region Awards Program Application
• 2019 Educator of the Year application 

 

March 15 is also deadline to nominate Honorary Members to be announced at Annual Conference

The ICC Board of Directors is requesting nominations for 2019 Honorary Members, a person who has rendered outstanding service to the ICC. The Honorary Member Committee will consider submitted nominations when compiling its list of candidates. The Board of Directors will present its list of potential Honorary Members for approval by Governmental Member Voting Representatives in attendance at the Annual Business Meeting at Las Vegas, Nev. To nominate someone as an Honorary Member, send the form below to Karla Price Higgs, Vice President, Member Services, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The deadline to submit nominations for this year’s ICC Awards is March 15.

·         2019 Honorary Member Call for Nominations 

• 2019 Honorary Member Call for Nominations 

 

February 19 is the date set for the Group B cycle editorial and scoping issues teleconference

The ICC Code Correlation Committee teleconference meeting set for 2-4 p.m. Central on Tuesday, February 19, will consider editorial and scoping issues related to the proposals submitted in the 2019 Group B cycle. The agenda will be posted on the ICC website at www.iccsafe.org/ccc. All meetings are open to the public. Those wishing to attend the telephone conference must contact Edward Wirtschoreck, Committee Secretary, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., for the required dial-in information.

 

Cost analysis of 2018 ICC Code changes reports minimum cost impacts for multi-family buildings

Home Innovation Research Labs, an independent subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders, released a report on the cost analysis for multifamily buildings — Estimated Costs of the 2018 ICC Code Changes for Multifamily Buildings — which shows minimum cost impacts for typical multifamily buildings ranging from $2,500 for a small two-story multifamily project to $25,000 for a larger five-story project. The higher costs are primarily due to significant changes involving elevators and wind load design. The study examined a list of 26 code changes affecting multifamily construction that were approved for incorporation into the 2018 International Codes. The changes affect the International Building Code (IBC), the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), the International Fire Code (IFC) and the International Mechanical Code (IMC). Read more and obtain copy of study report here.

 

Code Council honored by National Institute of Building Sciences for role in national mitigation study

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) recently honored the International Code Council with its Institute Honor Award during its Building Innovation 2019 conference in Washington, D.C. The Code Council received the award along with other sponsors of the updated and expanded Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves Study. The 2018 Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2018 Interim Report highlights significant savings that result from implementing mitigation strategies in terms of safety, and the prevention of property loss and disruption of day-to-day life. It found that adopting the 2018 International Codes generates a national benefit of $11 for every $1 invested. The national mitigation benefit-cost ratio associated with code adoption is $6 to $1 for floods, $10 to $1 for hurricanes and $12 to $1 for earthquakes, with benefits coming through avoided casualties, post-traumatic stress, property damage, business interruptions and insurance premiums. These findings demonstrate the importance of regularly updated codes and consistent enforcement in order to mitigate damage from natural disasters.

 

Code Council CEO Dominic Sims named to National Institute of Building Sciences board of directors

International Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO, was recently named to the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) board of directors. Since 2012, Sims has been responsible for the overall activities and financial performance of the Code Council, including its five subsidiaries. Prior to his work with the association, Sims served as the CEO of the Southern Building Code Congress International (SBCCI). The Institute was established by the U.S. Congress in the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to bring the public and private sector together to advance the built environment. NIBS provides an annual report to the U.S. President and Congress outlining important issues before the building industry. Sims will serve a three-year term.

 

Major Jurisdiction Committee provides a free access to discussions on big city code issues

It’s free to join, and participating on its phone conference meetings can be worthwhile if you work in one of America’s metropolitan areas. The ICC Major Jurisdiction Committee is the premiere contact portal for federal, state, and major city jurisdictions and is a representative example of the synergetic power that code officials working together can generate for the benefit of all our communities. If you are interested in joining the Major Jurisdiction Committee, please enroll by going to the MJC Website and clicking the “Enroll Now” button. Is your jurisdiction eligible to be part of the Major Jurisdiction Committee?  The MJC is open to ICC Members from any of the following:

·         Representatives of state enforcement agencies

·         Members representing the capital cities of each state

·         Members from the two largest jurisdictions from each state (in addition to capital cities)

·         The capital city of a country

·         Member representatives from communities with a population of 500,000 or more

If you are interested in joining the Major Jurisdiction Committee, please enroll by going to the MJC Website and clicking on the “Enroll Now” button.

 

The new 2018 Significant Changes guides can help save time with focus on most critical changes

The 2018 Significant Changes guides are available for the International Building, Residential, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes. This valuable series can help any code user save time by zeroing in on the most critical changes in the 2018 International Codes (I-Codes). The Code Council’s technical experts provide summaries, analysis and graphics for these changes making them clear and easy to understand. Click here to read more.

 

Special webpage offers complete insights on the Code Council’s Global Services and its activities

The International Code Council is the leader in building safety not just here in the United States, but also around the world. ICC Global Services focuses on expanding the Code Council’s presence in support of our clients and stakeholders, and on increasing the successful international implementation of the Code Council’s systems and expertise. For instance, the Code Council is the official U.S. representative organization to the Inter-jurisdictional Regulatory Collaboration Committee (IRCC), which provides a forum for international building regulatory bodies to interact and share best practices related to building regulatory systems. For more on the Code Council’s leadership in Global Services, visit this webpage on ICC’s website, which includes contact information for This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Vice President ICC Global Services.

 

GOT PULSE?Vice President of Federal Relations offers insights on midterm election and new Congress

In this month’s episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, Code Council Vice President of Federal Relations Gabe Maser gives an update on the federal government after the 2018 midterm elections. Gabe shares insight on the federal government’s involvement with the codes, various legislative agendas related to the built environment and what to expect from the 116^th Congress. Click here to listen.

 

Upcoming from the ICC Learning Center: Institutes, training, seminars, webinars, etc.

Online learning is available from the ICC Learning Center. Find course listings you’d like to attend in the Learning Center using the Search function. Single-day training events are an opportunity to focus on topics to ensure your code knowledge stays up to date, with some seminars offering a Virtual Classroom option so you can participate in the event from any location with an internet connection:

·         February 6 - Residential Building Inspector webinar series Chapters 4–10 Part II

·         February 7 - 2016 CBC Essentials

·         February 7 - Permit Technicians series Building Department Processes

·         February 12 - Code Enforcement: Compliance Inspections Webinar

·         February 13 - Residential Building Inspector webinar series Existing Buildings

·         February 14 - 2016 CRC Essentials

·         February 14 - Permit Technicians series Overview of Code Enforcement 

·         February 20 - Online Zoning Tools: An Overview of Municity and MapLink

·         February 21- Permit Technicians series Simple Plan Review

·         February 26 - Flexing Your Leadership Muscles

·         February 27 - Commercial Building Inspector Webinar Series

·         February 28 - Permit Technicians series Reading Construction Documents

·         March 5 - Commercial Building Inspector Webinar Series Building Planning

·         March 6 - Commercial Building Inspector Webinar Series Wall Construction

·         March 7 - Permit Technicians series Legal Principles

·         March 14 - Permit Technicians series Finding the Answers in the I-Codes®

·         March 20 - Commercial Building Inspector Webinar Series Public Safety and Special Construction

·         March 27 - Commercial Building Inspector Webinar Series Footings and Foundations

·         April 11 - Code Enforcement Webinar series Drug Awareness for the Code Enforcement Officer

·         May 7 - Code Enforcement Webinar series Gang Awareness for the Code Enforcement Officer

 

The following is the updated list of ICC Institutes and other training opportunities across the nation, many of which offer virtual options for those who cannot travel. Find course listings you’d like to attend in the Learning Center using the Search function:

·         February 6, in Austin, Texas, Significant Changes from ASCE 7–10 to ASCE 7–16.

·         February 11-13 in Portland, Ore., Principles of Building Safety Institute.

·         February 15 at Country Club Hills, Ill., Accessibility & Usability: Commercial and Residential.

·         February 22 at Country Club Hills, Ill., 2018 IFC® & IBC® Hazardous Materials Provisions.

·         February 28 at Louisville, Ky., IRC® Performing Residential Plumbing Inspections.

·         March 5 at Charleston, S.C., Significant Changes from ASCE 7–10 to ASCE 7–16.

·         March 11-15 at Las Vegas, Nev., EduCode 2019.

·         March 18-22 at Austin, Texas, Residential Inspection Institute.

·         April 15 at Sacramento, Calif., Permit Tech Institute.

Certification Test Academies feature interactive and question-based review for the exam. Students will receive a voucher to take the exam at a later date. Upcoming opportunities:

·         Available daily online, 2015 Permit Technician 14 Study Guide.

·         Available daily online, IRC® Online Study Guide for Residential Building Inspectors B1

·         April 30-May 3 in Austin, Texas, B1 Residential Building Inspector Certification Test Academy

·         May 6-8, at Sacramento, Calif., and online, 14 - Permit Technician Certification Test Academy 2015.

·         June 12-14  at Denver, Colo.,  P1 Residential Plumbing Inspector Certification Test Academy.