ICC eNews

Code Council Presents on Accessibility at National ADA Symposium

Code Council accessibility experts Kim Paarlberg and Jay Woodward presented three programs—Harmonizing ADAAG and the International Building Code, Accessible Egress Design, and Accessible Housing Design—at the National ADA Symposium, June 8-10. Their programs were for those involved in building design, regulatory oversight or other advanced applications of accessibility in the built environment.

The National ADA Symposium was designed for ADA coordinators, state and local government officials, design professionals, and building industry professionals. The May 2009 publication of the 2009 International Building Code offers an unprecendented level of harmonization with the newly developed Federal accessibility regulations, including the 2004 ADAAG/ABAAG. Participants that attended the Accessible Design track gained a first-hand understanding of the Federal regulations and their implementation.

The Paarlberg and Woodward presentations were part of the symposium's Accessible Design Professional Development Program for individuals whose work or interests involve building design, regulatory oversight or other advanced applications of accessibility in the built environment. The International Code Council and the national Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTAC) network collaborated to provide training that reflected the harmonization of the International Building Code and federal accessibility standards. Leading designers from the ICC/ANSI presented training on accessible egress, harmonization of codes and federal regulations.


Senior Staff Architect Kimberly Paarlberg (right) goes over a code change during the International Code Council's Code Development Hearings in Palm Springs, California.

Kim Paarlberg

Kimberly Paarlberg is a Senior Staff Architect in Technical Services with the International Code Council. Her experience with ICC includes work in the plan review and code development departments with responsibilities for code development, conducting plan reviews, providing code interpretations, instructing technical seminars and authoring and reviewing instruction materials, code commentary and publication articles. Paarlberg serves as code development secretary for the Means of Egress/Accessibility committee. She is ICC representative for development of the referenced technical standard, ICC/ANSI A117.1 “Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities.” Paarlberg also works on the development committee for the ASME 24 “Flood Resistant Design and Construction” and ICC 300 “Standard on Bleachers, Folding and Telescopic Seating and Grandstands. Before joining ICC, Paarlberg worked as a structural engineer and architect. Paarlberg is a licensed architect in Illinois and holds an Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner certification. She attended the University of Illinois and received a Master of Architecture degree with a structural engineering option. She is a member of the Indiana Steering Committee for the Great Lakes DBTAC, which facilitates dispersal of information and technical assistance for ADA and ADAAG. She was also a member of the Illinois Building Commission Accessibility Subcommittee and the U.S. Access Board Courthouse Access Advisory Committee.


Senior Staff Architect Jay Woodward (second from left) listens to code development debate during the International Code Council's 2008 Codes Forum in Palm Springs, California.

Jay Woodward

Jay Woodward is a senior staff architect with ICC’s Business and Product Development department and works out of the Lenexa, Kansas Distribution Center. His current responsibilities include serving as the Secretariat for the ICC A117.1 standard committee and the development of new ICC publications. With more than 25 years of experience in building design, construction, code enforcement and instruction, Mr. Woodward's experience provides him with the ability to communicate effectively on issues of code application and design for code enforcement personnel as well as architects and designers. Mr. Woodward has previously served as the secretariat for ICC’s Energy Conservation Code and the International Building Code’s Fire Safety Code Development committee.