2013 ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND
GROUP B PUBLIC COMMENT HEARINGS

Time is Running Out to Register or Revalidate Voters for Atlantic City
The Code Council requires that all Governmental Member Voting Representatives are registered and validated to be eligible to vote on code changes and other association matters. All Primary Member Representatives must designate or revalidate their Governmental Member Voting Representatives (GMVR) online by August 30, 2013, to be eligible to vote at the 2013 Annual Business Meeting and/or Group B Public Comment Hearings in Atlantic City, N.J. Check your GMVRs' status online today.


Group B Public Comment Hearings Begin on Oct. 2
The 2013 Group B Public Comment Hearings (formerly called Final Action Hearings) will start at 1 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at the Atlantic City, N.J., Convention Center. The schedule anticipates the hearings will be completed no later than 12 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, Oct. 10. Unless otherwise noted, the hearing on each code will begin immediately upon completion of the hearing for the prior code. Download the hearings schedule and the 2013 Report of the Committee Action Hearings.

Don't Miss the Live Demonstration of cdpACCESS,
ICC's Code Development Process of the Future
Make plans to attend a live demonstration of cdpACCESS during the Code Council's 2013 Annual Conference in Atlantic City, N.J. The demonstration and walk through will be held Oct. 1 at 1:15 p.m. Eastern as part of the Annual Conference Education Program. The demonstration will detail what the new cdpACCESS process will be, including how to propose code changes, collaborate, vote, and be able to access the codes and standards.

The Code Council plans to launch cdpACCESS on Nov. 15. Review how cdpACCESS will expand participation in ICC's code development process.

It's Not Too Late to Join Us in Atlantic City
As a building safety professional, this is your opportunity to have a voice in the code development process. Your participation in the Group B Public Comment Hearings, Oct. 2-10, in Atlantic City, N.J., will help lead to safer construction, saved lives and reduced property losses. Click here for more information on the Code Council's 2013 Annual Conference and the Group B Public Comment Hearings.

COMMITTEE UPDATES




Ad Hoc Committee Examines the I-Codes and
Safety in Healthcare Facilities
In 2011, the Code Council Board of Directors created an ad hoc committee to comprehensively review and update provisions in the International Codes relative to both new and existing hospitals and ambulatory care facilities. The ICC Ad Hoc Committee on Healthcare was formed in cooperation with the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE). The committee's objective is to develop code change proposals to the International Codes which will result in the most contemporary, effective and efficient provisions for hospital and ambulatory care facilities to assure the highest level of safety for all users of such facilities. Continue reading story

CACs Holding Joint Meeting Sept. 9-10
The ICC Building, Fire and Sustainability, Energy & High Performance Code Action Committees will hold a joint meeting Sept. 9-10 in Schiller Park, Ill. The purpose of the meeting is for committee members to review public comments on the Group B International Codes, prepare for the Public Comment Hearings in Atlantic City, N.J., and to develop Group C proposed changes to the International Green Construction Code that are due Jan. 6, 2014. Read the meeting notice.

CTC to Review Group B Public Comments and Develop Proposed Changes to the IgCC
The ICC Code Technology Committee will hold its next meeting on Sept. 16-17 in Rosemont, Ill. Committee members will review public comments on the Group B proposed code changes and prepare for the Public Comment Hearings in Atlantic City, N.J., in the following areas of study: Balanced Fire Protection (BFP) – Vertical Openings and Roof Vents; Care Facilities; Child Window Safety; Climbable Guards; Elevator Lobbies; IBC Coordination with ADAAG; Labeling of Fire Rated Glazing; NIST Charleston Sofa Store Fire Recommendations; NIST WTC Recommendations; Relocatable Modular Buildings; and Unenclosed Exit Stairs. The committee also will develop Group C proposed changes to the International Green Construction Code that are due Jan. 6, 2014. Read the meeting notice.


STANDARDS UPDATES

Consensus Committee Considers More Than 400
Public Comments on ICC A117.1
The ICC (ASC A117.1) Consensus Committee on Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities met last month in Washington, D.C. and considered more than 400 public comments on ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities. The committee actions are available by clicking here. The next step in the process to update the A117.1 Standard is for the committee members to confirm their actions by ballot. A first draft of the updated standard is scheduled to be available for public review and comment in October.

IS-STM to Evaluate Comments on ICC-500
The ICC Consensus Committee on Storm Shelters will hold a teleconference on Sept. 24 at 9 a.m. Central to consider ballot comments from the Committee Actions Report on proposals submitted to the revision to ICC 500-2008, and public comments on the first Public Comments Draft for the development of ICC 500-2013. This meeting is open to the public. If you plan on participating in the teleconference please contact David Bowman, Committee Secretary, for the required dial-in information. Read the meeting notice.

First Meeting of Solar Thermal Standard Committee Scheduled for Sept. 23
The ICC Solar Thermal Standard Consensus Committee will hold its first meeting by teleconference on Sept. 23 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. The purpose for this meeting is for the IS-STSC Committee to begin the process of developing the ANSI standards for solar thermal collectors and solar water heating systems based on the current SRCC Standard 100 and 300 documents. Read the meeting notice and agenda.

August Building Valuation Data now available. The Code Council updates Building Valuation Data (BVD) every six months. ICC strongly recommends that all jurisdictions and other interested parties actively evaluate and assess the impact of the BVD table before utilizing it in their current code enforcement related activities. Download the August 2013 BVD.




Cleveland Battalion Chief DeCrane earns Fire & Life Safety Award. Sean DeCrane (pictured left) is the 2013 Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award recipient. The award, sponsored by the Code Council and the Fire & Life Safety Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, honors those who have dedicated themselves to saving lives and property through the development of codes, fire prevention practices and leadership techniques. DeCrane is Chair of ICC's International Fire Code Committee, which is developing the 2015 edition of the International Fire Code. The award was recently presented by Code Council Board of Directors President Ronald Piester (pictured right).

ICC responses to out-of-cycle changes to material properties. ICC's code development process (cdp) includes updates to standards referenced in codes. Sometimes the changes are not synchronized with the cdp schedule. When this occurs, ICC responds in two ways. In summary, the Code Council strives to keep the membership informed of significant developing issues and provides a process for the consideration of emergency action to change the I-Codes.

Standards Boost Business Campaign targets Fortune 500 executives. The Code Council is a partner in this initiative to inform and educate executives and senior public policy officials about the ways standards and conformity assessment activities boost business performance and innovation, lower costs and help U.S. industry to be more competitive globally.




65,000 and counting. Technical support is one of the most sought-after services provided by the Code Council's Technical Services division. Knowledgeable staff provide expert advice, code opinions and committee interpretations to more than 50,000 ICC Members at no additional cost beyond membership fees. The division averages receiving 75 telephone requests for code opinions each day. Additional opinions provided on the website and through written correspondence bring the total to 255 per day and 65,000 each year. Since receiving its first request in 2002, the division also has processed 632 requests for committee interpretations. Pictured providing a verbal code opinion is Senior Staff Engineer Jeff Walker. Does your jurisdiction need assistance with a code opinion or committee interpretation? If so, call us today at 888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233).