This issue of ICC eNews is dedicated to Mechanical Inspector Amador Barzaga of the Miami-Dade County Building Code Compliance Office who discovered a carbon-monoxide leak in a shopping plaza and took swift action to correct it‚ saving dozens of people from possible carbon-monoxide poisoning. Read more.

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Membership in Motion
Updated Member Categories‚ Dues

Beginning January 2009‚ the Code Council will change its membership structure to simplify some member categories‚ and help balance annual dues for individual categories with those for groups. Changes include:
• Cooperating and Professional Member categories will combine into one new Building Safety Professional category. Annual dues will decrease from $150 to $100.
• Corporate Member annual dues will increase from $300 to $350.
• ICC Chapters can save with a new bulk membership plan.
Get details of the changes.

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New ES Reports

Free to code officials‚ contractors and anyone in the construction industry‚ ICC-ES evaluation reports on code compliance provide comprehensive technical evidence that products and systems meet code requirements.
View new reports.

Event Calendar

Code Council Annual Meetings

Code Council Board Meetings

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ICC eNews
August 21‚ 2008
Volume 5‚ Issue 13
Gold Winner
2008 Hermes Creative Awards

Full Court Press Continues
Urge Your Senators to Support the CBCAG Act

The Code Council continues to rally congressional support for the Community Building Code Administrative Grant (CBCAG) Act. The legislation passed the House of Representatives and is now being considered by the Senate Committee on Banking‚ Housing‚ and Urban Affairs. An ICC delegation met with Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) on Capitol Hill to discuss his support of the CBCAG Act. Corker serves on the Banking Committee and is a former real-estate developer in Tennessee.
Follow the lead of America’s First Preventers and urge U.S. Senators to support the CBCAG.

International Code Council CEO Rick Weiland (left)‚ Council Board member Terry Cobb (second from left)‚ Fred Hatfield of CStrategies and Council Board President Steve Shapiro (second from right) meet with U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) to seek his support for the CBCAG Act.

Honolulu Mayor Endorses CBCAG Act

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann has stated his support for the CBCAG Act. In a letter to Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)‚ Hannemann says the need for additional code enforcement resources has become evident as Honolulu continues to update its safety codes. “The effective administration of codes benefits building safety‚ property values‚ and energy efficiency‚ and mitigates the impact of natural hazards‚” Hannemann explains. Read more endorsements of the CBCAG Act.

Celebrating an Accessibility Milestone


International Code Council Senior Staff Architect Jay Woodward‚ Secretary of the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Accessibility Standard Committee‚ tries out handrail designs during a recent meeting in Virginia.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau‚ there are 37.5 million people with at least one sensory‚ physical‚ mental or self-care disability‚ representing 14 percent of the population. As the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) celebrates its 18-year anniversary‚ the International Code Council and it’s legacy organizations have worked closely with the U.S. Access Board to incorporate the construction-related accessibility measures of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines into the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Accessibility Standard and the International Building Code. Learn more on the Code Council’s work to improve the accessibility of buildings for people with disabilities.

Register Now for Conference‚ Hearings
Annual Conference Just One Month Away

The Code Council’s 2008 Annual Conference and Final Action Hearings start September 14 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. This is your opportunity to discuss important code issues with colleagues‚ earn valuable continuing education units‚ and see the latest construction products and services.
Check Your Status and Make Your Vote Count.

Download the Final Action Hearings Schedule.

Conference Adds BIM Workshop Event

Learn more about building information modeling (BIM) and its current and future applications‚ including clash detection‚ cost estimating and SMARTcodes code compliance checking‚ at Annual Conference. A BIM Workshop will be held September 15‚ and webcast live. Get an overview of how BIM relates to the design‚ construction and plan review/approval processes from industry experts. In the meantime‚ check out the new voice-based SMARTcodes interaction.

Chat with the Board President


International Code Council CEO Rick Weiland (right) listens as Council Board President Steve Shapiro (left) speaks with a caller during the May Fireside Chat.

Code Council Board President Steve Shapiro will host a Fireside Chat during the Annual Conference on Friday, September 12‚ beginning at 2 p.m. EST‚ 1 p.m. CST‚ 11 a.m. PST. Fireside Chats provide an opportunity to express your feedback and opinions on matters of interest to you, your peers and fellow Council members as well as mutual issues and concerns shared by building safety officials across the U.S. and around the world. Topics could range from the Council’s continually growing initiatives related to sustainable and safe construction to the Code Official profile campaign‚ the Community Building Code Administration Grant Act or just about anything you’d like to chat about. Click here to register for the next Fireside Chat.

Don’t Miss the ICC-ES Symposium

The International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) will present an Innovative Products with Code Solutions symposium on September 15 from 1:15–4:15 p.m. during the Annual Conference. The presentations will be made by leaders in their respective industries and address issues related to the symposium theme.

Catch the Webcast of Conference Events

If you can’t make it to Minneapolis for this year’s Annual Conference‚ catch the webcast of the Final Action Hearings‚ new technologies at the BIM Workshop and IT Symposium‚ featured speakers at the Opening Session‚ and Code Council award winners.

Wildfire Preparedness in California


Representing the Code Council Foundation‚ Council Board Vice President Adolf Zubia is interviewed for a television newscast.

The International Code Council Foundation, the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes‚ and The Home Depot Foundation unveiled a nationwide wildfire prevention consumer campaign‚ A Tale of Two Houses—Wildfire at a news conference in San Diego‚ California. The campaign combats the myth that only “lucky” homes survive wildfires‚ and demonstrates that homes built to‚ or above‚ code can survive wildfires.

Tennessee Considers Fire Code Options

The Commissioner of Tennessee’s Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI)‚ Honorable Leslie Newman‚ heard testimony during a Rulemaking Public Hearing‚ to adopt the International Fire Code (IFC). The TDCI announced emergency rules that allow builders to submit construction plans under either the 2006 IFC or the state’s current fire code. Read More.

FDNY Honored by Code Council

Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta‚ Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano and members of the New York Fire District (FDNY) Law Department received a proclamation from the International Code Council commending the work they have done to change the New York City Fire Code.

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New Committee Supports Sustainable Construction

ICC-ES Launches Green Service

Building Code Grant Passes U.S. House of Representatives

Code Council Testifies before Congress

New Storm Shelter, Safe Room Construction Standard

Program Helps Code Officials Approve Metal Building Systems

New Codes Go into Effect in New York City

Candidates Pre-File for Code Council Board Election

Water for Life
August Focuses on National Water Quality

With 40 percent of the world’s population having no access to personal sanitation or clean drinking water‚ it’s no wonder the United Nations declared 2008 the International Year of Sanitation. In support of National Water Quality Month‚ see how the Code Council’s Plumbing‚ Mechanical and Fuel Gas group can help you solve a critical sanitation problem on a global level. Read more.

Increase Your Efficiency
Code Council Institutes Will Show You How

There are many issues affecting First Preventers around the country. From wildland fires and other natural disasters‚ to plan review‚ residential inspection and green building‚ the Code Council has the resources for you to increase your efficiency and effectiveness. Check out these must-attend institutes.

Updated Building Valuation Data

The latest Building Valuation Data (BVD) is now available. The Code Council recommends that jurisdictions and interested parties evaluate the impact of the BVD table before utilizing it in their current code-enforcement activities. View the updated BVD.

Code Question: Expert Staff Opinions
Unvented Crawl Spaces in the IRC

Q: Where foam plastic insulation is exposed within an unvented crawl space and entry into the crawl space is only for servicing of utilities, is the use of an ignition barrier, in accordance with the provisions of Section R314.5.4 of the International Residential Code (IRC), permitted for all the air flow methods described in Section R408.3 for unvented crawl spaces? Get the answer.

Code Update: Significant Code Changes
Electronic Monitoring for Portable Fire Extinguishers

A new exception to Section 906.2 of the International Fire Code permits the use of electronic fire extinguisher monitoring systems in lieu of 30-day inspections and annual maintenance.
View the update.

Code Spotlight: Featured Article
Understanding Adhesive Anchors

Questions have been raised about the suitability of adhesive anchors for use in applications where they must resist long-term sustained loads such as concrete ceiling panels. Discover how to use and select products suitable for long-term sustained load applications.

Code Commentary: Leading Perspective
The International Codes and Green Building

Sustainability requires a careful consideration of all factors associated with the construction, use and eventual demolition of a building. Continue reading.

Comment on ICC-ES Green Guidelines

The International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) is accepting public comments on draft guidelines that will be used in a new program to verify environmental attributes of construction products. Weigh in on the new green verification program.

The following links take you outside the Code Council’s website. We are not responsible for the content and privacy practices of outside websites.

New Institute Has the Answers to Building Green
LEED Green Building Rating System Gets Certification Bodies
County Green Building Programs Increase 400% since 2003
Costs Push Schools to Use Eco-Friendly Elements
The Dollars and Sense of Green Retrofits
American Cities Race to Mandate Sustainable Building Practices
Green Lease Guide Offers Sustainability Solutions
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Tell us if you’re going green.

House Starts Not Expected to Rebound Until 2010

New Work Force Safety Standard Slammed for Flawed Process

Building Restoration and Reconstruction Specialization Launched

Strict Building Codes Credited After California Quake

ANSI 2008 Leadership and Service Awards Recipients

Inflatable Pools Can Be Dangerous and Illegal