Special Inspections in New York City

Several New York City-based special inspection agencies have applied to become accredited by IAS to meet requirements of the New York City Department of Buildings. Along with its adoption of the International Building Code, the New York City Construction Codes now include a requirement that special inspection agencies must be accredited. Eight special inspection agencies have already achieved IAS accreditation to provide special inspections in New York City. Click to continue.

Model Program for Special Inspection Updated

Published by the ICC and IAS, the document provides the building official with guidance on the administration and implementation of the special inspection requirements of Section 1704 of the 2009 International Building Code. The guidance is based on recommended practices and the consensus of building officials, design professionals, and inspection and testing agencies. Duties and responsibilities of the building official, special inspector, project owner, engineer or architect of record and contractor are defined in this guide. Click to continue.

ENERGY STAR Activities

Last year, IAS assessed several testing laboratories in 10 U.S. states and five countries to verify they were qualified to test appliances, computers and electronics for compliance with requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR program. During the last 13 months, IAS worked closely with the EPA to strengthen the ENERGY STAR program that helps protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. IAS became one of the first accrediting bodies to be recognized by the EPA, based on its ILAC signatory status. This recognition qualifies IAS to assess and accredit testing laboratories and product certification agencies to provide services for the ENERGY STAR program.

BDA Best Practices Highlight

Did you know the Development Services Department (DSD) in San Antonio, Texas, successfully uses secret shoppers to monitor and appraise customer service levels in the Development Services Department? Secret shoppers evaluate their experience upon arriving at DSD, as well as all their interactions with reception, call center service or support, and the various functions of DSD, such as Plan Review and Inspections. DSD San Antonio is an IAS-accredited building department/code enforcement agency. The IAS Building Department Accreditation (BDA) program encourages departments to gather and share information on best practices. For more information, click here.

ICC Chapter Officers Honored

The IAS leadership team participated in the 2011 Officer Installation dinner of the Los Angeles Basin and Orange Empire Chapters of the ICC. IAS President Chuck Ramani (left) presented Los Angeles Basin outgoing chapter president George Chavez, Chief Building Official, Beverly Hills, California, and Orange Empire outgoing president David Khorram (right), Chief Building Official, City of Orange, California, with plaques recognizing their invaluable contributions to enhancing safety in the built environment. Rick Weiland, Chief Executive Officer for the International Code Council, also made a presentation.

Metal Building Manufacturers

Metal buildings are now being used for retail stores, shopping centers, motels, automobile dealerships, office complexes, schools, libraries, churches, medical facilities and government buildings. Given the variability and complexity of the designs and uses for metal buildings, it is necessary for building departments to have a comprehensive inspection program in place to evaluate and approve the inspection programs of companies that design and manufacture these buildings based on International Building Code requirements. IAS created the Inspection Program for Manufacturers of Metal Buildings (AC 472) to help building departments with the approval process. Click for more details.

IAS Accreditation Committee Scheduled for April

The IAS Accreditation Committee will meet on April 15 in Norwalk, California, to discuss proposed revisions to current IAS Accreditation Criteria, to consider new criteria and to provide oversight on various IAS program documents. The meetings are open to the public and interested parties may contribute ideas or voice their opinions on the items posted on the agenda during this open forum. Watch the IAS website for further announcements this month.

Building Departments Offered Verification Tools at No Cost

Special inspection agencies, fabricators, testing laboratories, plan review and inspection services, metal building manufacturers and field evaluation bodies are all covered in the IAS Accreditation Suite, a comprehensive resource that helps building departments with the approval process. Click to continue.

ISO/IEC Standard 17020:1998 Training Set for March

Individuals who work for inspection agencies and product certification organizations will benefit from a training program that will provide a complete overview of the ISO/IEC Standard 17020:1998 — General Criteria for the Operation of Various Types of Bodies Performing Inspection. This is the primary standard used to accredit inspection agencies. This special IAS training event currently is scheduled to take place March 24-25 in La Habra, California. Click here for registration details.

Member Feedback Sought for Update of ISO Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule

Because the ISO Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) impacts ICC Members across the U.S., the Code Council has agreed to assist ISO in gathering feedback regarding the BCEGS Update Project. ISO's objective is to identify sections of the current grading evaluation that may need revision and to modify where necessary. ISO has been conducting BCEGS surveys since 1995 and has in its database information about more than 15,000 building code enforcement departments nationwide. Click to continue.

Technical Advisory Council Meeting Scheduled in April

In April, IAS technical staff and members of the IAS Technical Advisory Council for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (TAC-Laboratories) will meet in Norwalk, California, to discuss the challenges and lessons learned from IAS assessment activities. Participants will be updated on current conformity assessment practices, IAS policies and programs, and best-practice scenarios within the standards used in IAS accreditation programs. TAC Members provide critical feedback and guidance to IAS on technical matters pertaining to the terms of reference of the individual councils.

Former IAS Board Member Honored

IAS is pleased to recognize Greg Johnson for exemplary service on the IAS Board of Directors. Greg resigned from the Board concurrent with his retirement from the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, effective December 31, 2010. A long-time member of the International Code Council and its predecessor organization ICBO, Johnson provided strong support to conformity assessment activities and was a strong supporter of accreditation. Johnson has offered continuing support to IAS and its programs. The IAS family wishes Johnson the very best in his future endeavors.

Greg Johnson (left) participates in the 2010 IAS Fire Prevention and Life Safety Department Technical Advisory Council.

IAS Approaches 500 Clients

IAS continues to enjoy robust growth, with nearly 500 clients at the close of 2010. IAS continues to be the one of the largest providers of accreditation services within the U.S., and remains the leading provider of accreditation services within the construction sector. IAS is recognized for its integrity, customer-friendly approach to accreditation services, and for its exceptional responsiveness. During the past several years, IAS also has been gaining recognition for its expertise in emerging-technologies, including the EPA ENERGY STAR and WaterSense programs, green-building technologies, radon and formaldehyde emissions, telecommunications and fiber optics.

IAS Building Department Registration Program

To provide enhanced services to International Code Council Members, IAS is offering a presentation on a new Building Department Registration Program that provides a means for building departments to undergo a meaningful and affordable assessment of their administration and daily operations by an internationally recognized and respected third party. The Registration Program is designed to be an effective pathway towards accreditation in the near future as the fiscal pressures ease. The program criteria (RC418) closely mirrors the IAS Building Department Accreditation Program criteria (AC251). Click here for details. ICC is the parent company of IAS.

IAS Attends Joint IAF/ILAC Meeting

IAS participated in the October Joint International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) meetings in Shanghai, China. The joint meeting was hosted by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment and attended by representatives of the world's leading organizations involved in the accreditation of laboratories, inspection agencies, certification programs and quality management systems. Click to continue.

Look for the IAS Accreditation Mark

Competence and quality are the assurance that comes with the IAS Accreditation Mark. When you see the IAS Accreditation Mark on a company or organization, you know IAS has evaluated it.

16th APLAC General Assembly and Technical Committee Meeting and 26th APLAC MRA Council Meeting

The 16th APLAC General Assembly and Technical Committee Meeting and 26th APLAC MRA Council Meeting held December in Osaka, Japan, was jointly hosted by IAJapan, JAB and VLAC. IAS was represented at the meeting by Vice President Raj Nathan. Click here for highlights.

Future IAS Employees?

IAS was a co-sponsor of the 12th Annual Whittier Union High School District Bridge Building Contest on January 21. The contest tested the skills of more than 100 architectural and mechanical drafting students drawn from local area high schools. The annual contest gives students an opportunity to apply their knowledge of math, architecture, engineering and aesthetics, and to share ideas among their peers. During the competition, the bridges were assessed and put through stress tests to see how much weight they could bear before collapsing. Who knows, could these students become future building officials, inspectors or even IAS employees? IAS also sponsors many other high school programs to enhance students' interest in science and engineering.

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