| Codes‚ Enforcement Stand Tall in Texas |
Although damages from Hurricane Ike are expected to exceed $12 billion along the Texas coast‚ preventive building and safety measures enforced by code officials—America’s First Preventers—saved lives and lessened the impact of property damages during the wrath of the storm. Continue reading here. |
 |
Warren and Pam Adams’ home‚ rebuilt to newer codes following Hurricane Rita three years ago‚ was the only residence to survive Hurricane Ike in the coastal community of Gilchrist‚ Texas. (Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA) |
|
Final Action Hearings Feature
Major Issues, Dramatic Moments |
The effectiveness of the International Code Council’s open code development process played out during the Final Action Hearings in Minneapolis as major changes dominated the proceedings. The 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) will require sprinklers in new one- and two-family residences as of January 1‚ 2011; a change approved by more than 73 percent of Code Council voting members. Another code change will require sprinklers in townhouses to take effect when a jurisdiction adopts the 2009 IRC. |
|
| Other Code Hearings addressed stairways in new skyscrapers and pool regulations that are consistent with the Virginia Graeme Baker Federal Pool and Spa Safety Act. View the hearing results. |
|
 |
Delegates participate in the Final Action Hearings in Minneapolis. |
|
| Read Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia’s message to First Responders and First Preventers from the floor of the Final Action Hearings. |
|
| Council Elects Board Officers‚ Directors |
| Adolf A. Zubia‚ Fire Chief for the City of Las Cruces‚ New Mexico‚ was elected President of the International Code Council Board of Directors during the Annual Business Meeting of the 2008 Annual Conference and Final Action Hearings in Minneapolis. Ronald L. Lynn‚ Building Official and Director of Development Services for Clark County‚ Nevada‚ was elected Vice President. James L. Brothers‚ Director of the Decatur‚ Alabama‚ Building Department‚ was elected Secretary/Treasurer. Voting members also elected five directors to serve on the Board. Read more. |
|
The officers of the 2008-2009 Code Council Board of Directors are: (from left) Immediate Past President Steven I. Shapiro‚ President Adolf A. Zubia‚ Vice President Ronald L. Lynn and Secretary/Treasurer James L. Brothers.
|
|
| The Challenge of A Generation |
 |
|
Code Council CEO Rick Weiland addresses delegates during the Annual Business Meeting in Minneapolis. |
|
Determining the role of building codes in green and sustainable construction practices is one of the challenges that will define the future of the Code Council‚ CEO Rick Weiland told conference delegates during the Annual Business Meeting. “Our challenge—and it is‚ I believe‚ the great professional challenge of our generation—is to establish what role building codes should play in facilitating‚ promoting and regulating this expanded concept of safety‚” Weiland said. Continue reading here. |
|
| Caring about the Code Profession |
 |
|
To support the ICC Foundation’s partnership with Rebuilding Together and Project H.E.R.O.‚ Code Council outgoing Board President Steve Shapiro (second from left) and CEO Rick Weiland (right) present a $50‚000 donation to ICCF Managing Consultant Leslie Chapman-Henderson and T. J. Cantwell of Rebuilding Together. |
|
Leslie Chapman-Henderson, Federal Alliance for Safe Homes CEO and President and Managing Consultant for the International Code Council Foundation (ICCF)‚ announced a new volunteer program—ICCF Cares—to support‚ identify and celebrate volunteer service activities of Code Council chapters across the country. To kick off the new program‚ the Foundation is establishing a national day of service as part of the Council's Building Safety Week celebrations. Chapman-Henderson also announced that the Foundation is partnering with Rebuilding Together to help lead and direct the Foundation’s Project H.E.R.O. program.
Continue reading here. |
|
| Public Safety Knows No Borders |
Demonstrating their commitment to building safety‚ international members‚ representing seven nations‚ traveled thousands of miles to attend the Code Council’s 2008 Annual Conference and International Forum. The global collaboration detailed many common areas of building design methodologies‚ and allowed attendees to learn from each other to improve codes.
Continue reading here. |
 |
International delegates during the Code Council’s Annual Conference in Minneapolis. |
|
| Giving Credit to First Preventers |
 |
|
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar addresses First Preventers during the Opening Session. |
|
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) gave credit to code officials‚ America’s First Preventers‚ and the work they do to protect public health and safety while addressing delegates during the Opening Session. “Those of you in the protection and prevention business‚ I don’t think you always get the full credit that you deserve‚” Klobuchar said. “Your work as First Preventers is not well known because you’re working behind the scenes to make sure accidents don’t happen. I want you to know that I appreciate your mission and what you do with the International Code Council.” Continue reading here. |
|
| Disaster Response at the Next Level |
 |
|
“We have made strides in developing (the Disaster Support Program) and addressing our broad mission‚” outgoing Board President Steve Shapiro told Annual Conference delegates. |
|
The Code Council is taking disaster response to the next level‚ outgoing Board President Steve Shapiro told 2008 Annual Conference delegates. Shapiro said the Council’s efforts to establish the Disaster Response Network and supporting committee‚ develop new training and certification examinations‚ and the response of ICC members have laid the foundation for the Disaster Support Program that assists communities prone to disasters. “In the past year‚ we have made strides in developing this program and addressing our broad mission‚” said Shapiro. Continue reading here. |
|
Weber Receives Fowler Award |
 |
|
Bob Weber (center) receives the Bobby J. Fowler Award from Code Council outgoing Board President Steve Shapiro (right) and Awards Committee Chairman Tim Ryan. |
|
For his career accomplishments that include serving as chairman of the Code Drafting Committee that produced the ICC Performance Code for Buildings and Facilities‚ Bob Weber‚ code consultant and former building official and director of the Clark County‚ Nevada, Building Department‚ received the 2008 Bobby J. Fowler Award during the 2008 Annual Conference. Continue reading here. |
|
| Nguyen Named Code Official of the Year |
 |
|
Khanh Nguyen (center) receives the 2008 Code Official of the Year Award from Code Council outgoing Board President Steve Shapiro (right) and Awards Committee Chairman Tim Ryan. |
|
As building official for Costa Mesa‚ California‚ Khanh Nguyen successfully implemented two innovative programs in his community to encourage home improvements and green building: the Residential Remodel Incentive Program and the Building Green Incentive Program. For spurring investment in the Costa Mesa area and educating residents on the important work of the local building department‚ Nguyen earned the 2008 Code Official of the Year Award. Continue reading here. |
|
| Mueller Earns Fire Service Award |
 |
|
John Mueller (center), Deputy State Fire Administrator for the State of New York‚ receives the International Code Council Fire Service Award from Code Council outgoing Board President Steve Shapiro (right) and Awards Committee Chairman Tim Ryan. |
|
The 2008 Fire Service Award was presented to Chief John Mueller‚ Deputy State Fire Administrator for the State of New York. Mueller has served with the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control for 30 years and was instrumental in developing the world’s first fire safety standard for cigarettes—now used in 27 states—and helped develop and implement the state’s Campus Fire Safety Program. Continue reading here. |
|
Chapters Recognized for
Extraordinary Service |
 |
|
On behalf of the Heart of America Chapter‚ HOA President Tina Rakes accepts the International Code Council Chapter of the Year Award from Code Council outgoing Board President Steve Shapiro (right) and Awards Committee Chairman Tim Ryan. |
|
In addition to helping the community of Greensburg‚ Kansas‚ recover and rebuild from a devastating tornado last year‚ the Heart of America Chapter demonstrated the professionalism‚ dedication and commitment that exemplify a Code Council chapter. In honor of its continuing work‚ the Code Council presented the 2008 Chapter of the Year Award to this hard-working chapter. |
|
Four chapters receiving 2008 Merit Awards—the Michigan Association of Housing Officials‚ Rainier Chapter‚ Tennessee Building Officials Association‚ and Virginia Building and Code Officials Association—went above and beyond in supporting efforts for building codes and building safety.
Continue reading here. |
|
| President’s Award Goes to A Best Friend |
| |
 |
|
Valerie Shapiro (right)‚ wife of Code Council outgoing Board President Steve Shapiro‚ accepts the ICC President’s Service Award from her husband. |
After logging 300‚000 miles traveling on behalf of ICC, missing milestone family events such as birthdays and anniversaries during his board presidency‚ Steve Shapiro presented his President’s Award to his wife Valerie “for everything that you’ve done.” Added Shapiro: “You know, they say it’s through thick and thin‚ and being ICC president‚ there’s some thick parts and some thin parts‚ but Valerie is my best friend; she’s always stood there behind me‚ and I want her to have this award.” |
|
| Read more on the 2008 ICC Award winners. |
|
 |
Why Choose ICC-ES for
Your
PMG Product Listing? |
The International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) has established itself as the United States’ leader in evaluating building products for code compliance. According to a recent nationwide survey‚ code officials prefer ICC-ES evaluation reports as resources to use in approving alternate building products.
Find out why. |
|
TIME Names Sim Environmental Hero |
A champion of ending poor sanitation conditions worldwide‚ Jack Sim‚ founder of the World Toilet Organization (WTO)‚ has been named one of the Heroes of the Environment by TIME magazine. The WTO’s largest annual event‚ the World Toilet Summit & Expo (WTSE), will be held November 4-6 in Macau‚ China‚ and the Code Council’s Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas (PMG) Group is a key partner. Read more. |
|
| Join the PMG Safe Water Initiative |
Did you know that every 15 seconds a child dies from a waterborne-related disease? Clean water and basic sanitation is something that virtually everyone in the U.S. takes for granted. Many undeveloped countries are not as lucky.
Discover how you can help. |
|
International Opportunities
Available
for U.S. Plumbing Industry
|
| Forty percent of the world’s population has no access to personal sanitation‚ creating a large need for plumbing products and services. For this reason‚ U.S. manufacturers should consider exhibiting or sponsoring an event at the World Toilet Summit & Expo. Continue reading here. |
|
CODE COUNCIL NEWS |
|
Hurricane Information for Code Officials and the Public |
|
| Board Approves Green Construction Committee |
|
| New First Preventers Safety Checklists |
|
CODE CORNER |
|
Code Question: Expert Staff Opinions |
| Q: Where the wall of a dwelling unit serves as part of the barrier to a residential swimming pool‚ are the required door alarms permitted to be battery operated? Get the answer. |
|
| Code Update: Significant Code Changes |
A modification to the refueling of powered industrial trucks and equipment has been added to the International Fire Code.
View the update. |
|
| Code Spotlight: Featured Article |
Although the Federal Reserve is not using the “R” word to refer to the current economy‚ businesses are feeling the pinch across the board. This coupled with the sagging real estate market has meant a double whammy for the building industry. Although you might have to work a bit harder in the coming months to stay busy‚ there are still plenty of opportunities out there.
Continue reading here. |
|
Code Commentary: Leading Perspective |
Most code officials currently think of themselves primarily as stewards of building safety. Soon‚ however‚ some may carry an additional significant responsibility: serving as stewards of the environment. In fact‚ by administering local green building programs‚ some pioneering code officials are doing this already. Continue reading here. |
|
GREEN SCENE |
|
| The following links take you outside the Code Council’s website. We are not responsible for the content and privacy practices of outside websites. |
|
The World’s First LEED Platinum Campus |
|
| 2008 Beyond Green Awards Come to Capitol Hill |
|
| USGBC Launches Nationwide Green Schools Effort |
|
NEWS VIEWS |
|
First Preventers Lauded in Washington Editorial |
|
| Builder Confidence Rises in September |
|
| Building Code Adoptions Prepare Gulf States for Hurricanes |
|
| Bureau of Labor Reports Drop in Construction Employment |
