Jones: Get Involved and Make a Difference

Recognizing the individuals who have helped guide his career during his inaugural address in Atlantic City, N.J., newly elected Code Council Board of Directors President Stephen D. Jones encouraged ICC Members to get involved and help develop the next generation of code officials.

"Take a look around this room," Jones told 2013 Annual Conference delegates. "What do you see? There are not too many people that are under 40. And why is that? Because we are not bringing new blood into our profession.

"My challenge to you is a simple one," he continued. "Mentor someone. Seek out new talent. Be an inspiration. Make a difference."

Jones pointed to the Code Council's Vision 2023 and cdpACCESS initiatives and ICC's High School Technical Training Program as areas where the association is focusing on the future. "We will not be performing our jobs the same way in the next decade," he said. "Embracing technology to its fullest advantage will be the key in adapting to our future needs, not only in the code development process but also as a way of enticing a newer group of code professionals to get involved."

Board Vice President Guy Tomberlin will lead the Vision 2023 committee that was created by Immediate Past President Ronald Piester to focus on ICC's business model for the future. "The committee is tasked with evaluating several aspects of our business plan, including the evaluation of the code development and adoption schedule," Jones said. "I can assure you that this is being addressed and we, as the Board, understand the importance of this facet of our business model."

The High School Technical Training Program is currently being implemented in 33 schools in nine states, with two more schools awaiting final approval in New Jersey. Jones announced that a major initiative of his presidency will be establishing a degree program for code enforcement. "We are all professionals and it is time that we are able to capitalize on the rich training that code enforcement opportunities provide by expanding it into an ultimate degree," he explained.

With the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy approaching, Jones praised code officials and emergency personnel for their work as New Jersey and surrounding states continue their recovery processes. "It was through the tireless work of code professionals and emergency services personnel at the federal, state and local levels that we were able to prevail and recover," he said.

Jones praised outgoing Board President Ronald Piester and his fellow Board members, and said his time serving the Code Council has been rewarding. "Because of getting involved I have had the pleasure of visiting places I never would have on my own," he said. "But better yet. I have met some of the most amazing people in the world. Because it doesn't matter where we are, we all have the same problems and our world is getting smaller.

"I have always told my children: Don't ever be afraid to lead. Volunteer. Step up. There are leaders sitting out here in this audience. Good leaders. I can see the talent. Embrace the challenge. There is never a good or convenient time to get involved. It's just like being married or having kids. If you wait until you're ready, you'll be too tired to make a difference. And don't tell me you are too busy, because you know what they say: If you want it done, give it to a busy person. Think about it. Get involved and make a difference."

Piester: Looking Back and Moving Forward

Presented with the unique opportunity of celebrating the Code Council's 10th Anniversary as a consolidated organization during his presidency, outgoing Board of Directors President Ronald Piester, AIA, told Annual Conference delegates that the association returned to its core values over the past year while positioning itself for a successful future.

"We have re-focused on our core functions — code development, training and education, and service to our Members," Piester said during the Annual Business Meeting. "Creating superior codes and providing the tools necessary to administer and enforce the codes is what we do best.

"This year we have taken the opportunity to look boldly and optimistically into the future," Piester continued. "The Board of Directors has spent considerable time envisioning the opportunities and challenges that might exist 10 years from now, so that we can be better prepared for what lies ahead."

Piester pointed to the Vision 2023 strategic planning initiative that speaks to both the short-term and long-term viability of our association. "This has allowed us to think about how factors such as technology, the economy and the expanding societal role of our Members affect the association, and how ICC must evolve to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world," he said.

Initiatives such as converting the International Codes to digital format with new features, automated plan review and cdpACCESS are great examples of how ICC is adapting and working with its partners to provide valuable new tools for its Members. Piester said increased involvement in ICC's Membership Councils and committees is another signal that bodes well for the future. "Our Membership Councils, Major Jurisdictions Committee and Code Development Committees are thriving, and their good work is helping to strengthen our association in a profound way," he said. "They also serve as important incubators for the future leadership of the association."

Piester said the selection of Dominic Sims as ICC's fourth Chief Executive Officer is one of the most important obligations of the Board of Directors. "Dominic shares our vision for the future of ICC and has lived our mission for his entire professional career," he said. "Dominic has already made a tremendous difference at ICC, but I am confident that the best is yet to come."

In closing, Piester thanked the membership for the opportunity to lead the association over the past year. "Your Board of Directors, CEO and staff are aligned and ready to begin another decade of service to our Members," he said. "And our Members are ready to face the challenges of today and capture the opportunities of the future. Together, we are going to make the International Code Council's next 10 years our best yet.

"I am deeply humbled by the support and confidence you placed in me, and will be forever grateful for the distinguished honor of service to our Members," he concluded. "This experience has been tremendously rewarding, both personally and professionally, and I will surely benefit from the lessons I learned for the remainder of my life."

Sims: The ICC Experiment Continues to Be a Success

Thinking back to the Code Council's 2003 Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn., CEO Dominic Sims told this year's conference delegates in Atlantic City, N.J., that the association continues to achieve its vision and mission of people helping people build a safer world. "If you were here in a room similar to this, 10 years ago, you may have wondered whether the ICC experiment would be a success," Sims said. "I'm here to tell you today that it's been a success."

Sims credited the Board of Directors, Members, Supporting Partners and staff as being the key components in ICC's first successful decade as a consolidated association. "If it wasn't for your dedication, your hard work and your commitment, ICC would not have made it through this transition," he said.

With its second decade dawning, however, Sims said the Code Council is implementing necessary changes to its business model to maintain its position as a leading codes and standards development association. "The future of the profession is changing; you've sensed that," Sims said. "And these changes impact the association in dramatic ways. Our most valuable asset, our intellectual property is under constant threat. We are supporting efforts to make sure that our copyrights are protected and that the most valuable resource we have for revenue generation is protected. But that's out of our hands, in a way, and we have to make contingency plans in the event that our copyright ultimately has diminished value.

"So we've moved into a strategy to develop a more digital platform for ICC," Sims continued. "At the heart of that digital strategy is cdpACCESS, which will not only help us develop codes and standards more effectively and give Members greater access to the development process, but it also will help ICC staff develop products and services in a more digital and effective way."

Sims pointed to the recent agreement with Avolve Software to provide online plan review services as an example of ICC's new digital transformation. He said developing a new three prong strategy for training, which includes a preferred provider program, core premium training and a robust online campus, will bring more effective and relevant training to meet the growing needs of Members and customers. "At ICC we have moved very slowly into the digital world," he said. "There are unique opportunities for ICC to develop more digitally effective products and services, and certainly the ICC online campus will be one of those key components."

Sims said the association stands on strong financial ground. "We have turned around our finances and we fully expect to end 2013 with a net positive margin," he explained. "Our investments are strong and ICC staff has been good stewards with the resources of the association. We have aligned our resources with our core mission. We have built a much stronger team and defined the roles of staff better."

In closing, Sims reiterated the importance of working together to build a better future for the association. "We have found ways to work with both the Board and our Members in a more collaborative way," he said. "And we have focused on doing our best each and every day, holding each other accountable, and remembering that it's always about the Members.

"I want to assure you that your association is in good hands," Sims said. "This is a pivotal time for the International Code Council, but I believe the future is bright. I look forward to working with the Board and ICC staff to make sure this is a more resilient association."

AIA Presidential Citation Recognizes ICC's 10th Anniversary

American Institute of Architects President Mickey Jacob (second from right) presents Code Council Board of Directors outgoing President Ronald Piester (second from left), incoming President Stephen D. Jones (left) and CEO Dominic Sims (right) an AIA Presidential Citation recognizing ICC's 10th anniversary as a consolidated organization.

American Institute of Architects (AIA) President Mickey Jacob, FAIA, presented Code Council Board of Directors outgoing President Ronald Piester, incoming President Stephen D. Jones and CEO Dominic Sims an AIA Presidential Citation recognizing ICC's 10th anniversary as a consolidated organization during Wednesday night's Annual Banquet. AIA is a Founding Strategic Partner of the Code Council and Jacob called on the two organizations to continue working together to build safer communities.

"As we celebrate — rightly so — the achievement of the ICC in reshaping the code development and regulatory process, we're challenged as never before," Jacob said. "We're challenged to focus our work on the unpredictable dynamic unleashed by climate change. More than ever, the people who live in the communities we design and build cannot trust that the one hundred year event will indeed come only once in a hundred years."

Jacob noted AIA's and ICC's collaboration on the International Green Construction Code — the nation's first green code that responded to the need to foster a more sustainable built environment — and pledged his organization's continued support of the Code Council.

"How will the future work of the ICC advocate for a built environment that fosters public health?" Jacob asked. "How will we respond to rising seas, more frequent storms, and changing patterns of precipitation?
"I don't know the answers to these questions; what I do know is they're real," Jacob continued. "I also know our chances of addressing them are increased because the AIA is working in collaboration with the ICC. This gives me an optimistic outlook for a future of choice rather than chance.

"This is worth advocating for here in Atlantic City and beyond. It's also worth celebrating."

Government Relations Forum Covers Important
Code Council Legislative Initiatives

This year's Government Relations Forum included an update by Sara Yerkes and David Karmol on the Code Council's work with HUD's Community Development Block Grants to provide funding for code enforcement; a presentation by David Crowe, chief economist with NAHB, entitled "Look at Residential Construction Now and in the Next Year"; a report on the Code Council's High School Technical Training Program; and updates on ICC's federal and state activities and on the Wildfire Safe Sound & Code Smart program. Continue reading story

Private and Public Partnerships in the Development and Application
of Building Regulations in the World Covered in Global Forum

The Global Forum addressed how the public and private sectors participate in the development of building regulations, such as codes and standards, and application of those regulations in different parts of the world and in the U.S. The topics discussed included: levels of government participation and role of the private sector in the development and application of regulations; incorporation of new technologies into regulations; private-sector code enforcement, inspections and code education; and influence and participation of the private sector in the adoption process.

Speakers shared their country and organizational/institutional experiences in the development and application of building regulations, and their participation in that process. They also presented innovative ideas and proposed solutions to actual challenges to the development and application of building regulations in their countries and how the private and public sector are involved in the process. Continue reading story

Code Council's Training & Education to Focus on Core Topics

In a continuing effort to provide high-quality training and education, ICC is following a planned strategy to best meet the needs of its Members and other stakeholders by strengthening the educational programming offered to building safety, fire, design and construction professionals. The proposed strategy ensures that quality training is delivered through convenient channels and is affordable.

Recognizing the importance of understanding the critical concepts underlying the codes, the Code Council has also focused its efforts at defining and executing educational opportunities on core code-related topics. "ICC's long history in code development and the technical expertise bred in our staff enables ICC to provide training on core subjects at levels that cannot be matched," explains Doug Thornburg, Vice President of Education and Certification. Also, through its strategic plan, ICC is now able to reallocate that expertise to help develop special topic curriculums for those with specific interests — quickly and effectively. "We have the expertise; we are the source of the codes," Thornburg said. "We now, more effectively than ever, can make those experts available to the industry to deliver top training."

Additional details and information on the new education strategy and progress on implementation will continue to appear in future editions of ICC eNews. For more information on ICC's training options including the on-site, Hire ICC to Teach program, the in-person options offered through ICC Institutes and one-day seminars, and online training available through the Campus Online visit www.iccsafe.org/Education.

Congratulations to the "Get Everyone Certified Challenge" Winners

The winners of the drawing in the 2013 "Get Everyone Certified Challenge" that ended August 16 are the city of Muscatine, Iowa (population of under 50,000); the city of Bellingham, Wash. (population of 50,000–150,000); and the city of Grand Rapids, Mich. (population over 150,000). Thank you to Target for sponsoring the challenge and providing the $1,100 credits for ICC educational offerings to the winners.

Congratulations to this year's winners and all of the 2013 participants who demonstrate their commitment to protecting the health, safety and welfare of the people who live and work in their community. This achievement also recognizes their commitment to excellence in the industry, and advancing their career through education. Departments in 33 states participated in the 2013 challenge; totaling 140 jurisdictions with staff who are 100-percent certified and represents 655 certified individuals.

The Get Everyone Certified Challenge continues in 2014. Departments who wish to participate this year can complete this form. Newly certified departments will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win $1,100 toward further education for their department. Winners will be recognized by Target and the ICC during the 2014 ICC ABM in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Note: 2013 participants do not need to complete this form for the 2014 Challenge, if all staff members remain current in at least one ICC certification.

Share Your Chapter News with Us

Have a recent meeting you'd like to share with your fellow Chapters? Did you start a new program, elect new officers, have a successful training session or recognize a fellow Chapter member? Let's show our Chapter pride by sharing all the great things chapters do throughout the year in the name of public safety. Send your photos, captions and Chapter news items to chapters@iccsafe.org. We'll see that they are published in an upcoming edition of ICC eNews.

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NCFI Polyurethanes Earns ICC-ES, EPA Seal
and Insulate with ENERGY STAR Certification

As a recognized Certification Body for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "Seal and Insulate with ENERGY STAR" program, ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) is pleased to announce NCFI Polyurethanes has earned EPA recognition for two of its products (ESR-1154 and ESR-1615). This program applies to insulation intended for use in whole wall, ceiling, roof deck and floor systems sold in the United States for use in residential construction. The EPA Seal and Insulate Program includes requirements for independent third-party testing and certification, reporting of thermal resistance and surface-burning characteristics that establish compliance with the requirements of the International Residential Code and International Energy Conservation Code, and installation instructions and diagrams. Continue reading story

ICC Evaluation Service and International Code Council
Active in Structural and Seismic Mitigation

ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) and the International Code Council (ICC) remain in the forefront of structural and seismic issues in the built environment. As a gold sponsor of the recent Buildings at Risk | Earthquake Loss Reduction Summit, ICC-ES engineers participated in discussions regarding the strengthening of existing buildings to promote resiliency and sustainability of communities. Each annual BAR Summit is designed to help answer questions about seismic mitigation.

The event was held Oct. 8 in Los Angeles, Calif., and Oct. 15 in San Francisco, Calif. Panel topics included "The Single Building and the City, Why Every Building Counts" and "The Current Situation, Addressing the Problems and Partnership & Policy." The Summit was hosted by the Structural Engineers Association of Northern and Southern California with the Federal and California Emergency Management Agencies, the Southern California Earthquake Center, the Engineering Contractors Association, the Great California Shake Out and the California Institute of Technology as partner organizations.

In collaboration with the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC), ICC recently released the 2012 IBC Structural/Seismic Design Manuals. Each volume is an excellent reference and study guide for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying Structural Exam. The manuals are invaluable resources for civil and structural engineers, architects, academics, and students. Now expanded to five volumes, this series developed by SEAOC includes Code Application Examples; Examples for Light-Frame, Tilt-Up and Masonry Buildings; Examples for Concrete Buildings; Examples for Steel-Framed Buildings and Examples for Seismically Isolated Buildings and Buildings with Supplemental Damping.

Newly Accredited Jurisdictions Honored at Annual Conference in Atlantic City

During the ICC Annual Conference Awards Luncheon, IAS recognized building departments that have achieved accreditation during the year. At this year's luncheon in Atlantic City, N.J., IAS awarded commemorative plaques to representatives from the town of Mount Pleasant, S.C.; city of Philadelphia, Pa.; city of Jacksonville, Fla.; and Arlington County, Va.

Arlington Is First Virginia County to Earn IAS Building Department Accreditation

Jacksonville Earns IAS Building Department Accreditation

Mount Pleasant Commitment to Quality Leads to IAS Building Department Accreditation

Philadelphia Is Largest City in U.S. to Achieve IAS Building Department Accreditation

Highlighting Innovation within Accredited Building Departments

For the second year, IAS delivered a training program entitled Best Practices: Lessons Learned from Accredited Building Department. The class was delivered in conjunction with the ICC Major Jurisdictions Committee (MJC) during the ICC Annual Conference.

IAS launched the Building Department/Code Enforcement Agency Accreditation Program in 2004 through the development of Accreditation Criteria 251 (AC251). Aimed at assisting building departments detect their strengths and weaknesses and establish plans for improvement, it has also served to identify best practices in code enforcement and administration. Over the last eight years, IAS has been assembling an inventory of best practices in the areas of plan review, permitting, inspection, management/administration, legal, customer service, and information technology.

The membership of MJC is comprised of building officials representing the largest and most politically influential municipalities in the U.S. MJC members often have responsibility for the oversight of several oversee large and complex, construction projects and, as a result, have refined and implemented innovations in their operations. In an effort to give back to the code enforcement community, the MJC Steering Committee embarked on a Best Practices project. The MJC encourages its members to submit their best practices in order to maximize the benefit of shared resources, concepts, and programs and to learn from successes and failures. The overarching goal is to better enable state and local jurisdictions to function in more efficient and cost effective manner while maximizing life safety in the built environment. The 2013 session was delivered on October 2 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Special Inspection Training at ICC Annual Conference

Code officials, special inspectors and industry representatives attended an IAS-sponsored training program "Special Inspections — Implementing and Managing IBC Chapter 17 Requirements for Building Departments" on October 2 at the ICC Annual Conference in Atlantic City, N.J. Attendees learned how to set up and manage a special inspection program and how IAS can assist building departments in those efforts. The three-hour program provided CEUs from ICC. Greg Johnson, a past member of the ICC and IAS Board of Directors and a past chairman of the ICC Education Committee, presented the program. If you are interested in hosting this training event, please contact IAS Senior Policy Advisor David Nelson.