Some may think that the life of a Board member is filled with interesting travel, resorts, fancy dinners and other trappings of the leisure class. I was reminded of this when getting some comments from my Facebook posting of my travels. Recently, I returned from travel to Las Vegas to visit with officers and Board members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). International Code Council Board of Directors Immediate Past President Stephen D. Jones, CBO, and President Guy Tomberlin, CBO, appointed me to serve as the liaison to NAHB. That means attending the annual International Builders' Show (IBS) and NAHB Convention. It occurred to me that ICC Members may wonder what the value is to them for me to travel across the United States, stay in a Las Vegas hotel and generally hang out for five days.
Here's the deal. ICC has strategic partners who associate with us to promote common interests. NAHB is a founding strategic partner. They have been with us from the beginning and contributed to the overwhelming success we have enjoyed over the past two dozen years. We run issues by each other and work together where we can. The five days broke down like this: Travel all day Saturday, meetings all day Sunday and Monday beginning at 7 a.m. through late afternoon. Then dinner meetings Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Then, back at the hotel by bedtime and ready to go again the next day. ICC Board members were invited to attend the IBS opening ceremonies on Tuesday morning. I had Tuesday afternoon to walk through the entire IBS show and serve some time in the ICC display booth. We were really busy! But what did I accomplish for you as a Member? Mainly camaraderie between our organizations. But there was more.
NAHB officers and board members pledged in writing to support the adoption of 2015 editions of the International Codes (I-Codes). They are doing just that! NAHB also has initiated a grassroots campaign to recruit new governmental members for ICC. Their affiliate members all over the U.S. have direction to seek out building and code officials in their localities and to ensure they are presently ICC voting Members. If they aren't, the NAHB members will urge them to do so. They are explaining the benefits of ICC and how we work together to bring about building safety. They are also using that opportunity to introduce cdpACCESS and show those building officials how to register and vote. They have a genuine interest in helping ICC grow in membership and influence. Their grassroots effort also includes urging elected leadership to adopt the current version of the I-Codes. Truly, they are representing themselves as a strategic partner.
So what common issues were discussed over the three days of meetings? The following is a list of the committees and subcommittees that ICC Board Vice President Alex "Cash" Olszowy, Secretary/Treasurer Dwayne Garriss and I attended, along with some of the subject areas discussed:
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- Research studies, including moisture monitoring in 22 energy-efficient houses.
- Air tightness working group technical studies.
- Proposed changes to the 2018 International Residential Code and International Energy Conservation Code, Group A schedule.
- Green building surveys, promotions and national events to promote green buildings and the International Green Construction Code.
- Investigate the value of the ISO BCEGS rating.
- The impact of ASCE-7 on housing.
- Townhouse separation studies and fire separation issues.
- Stair geometry, guard requirements and window fall protection.
- Solar photovoltaic roof systems.
- Grassroots campaign to register new ICC Governmental Members and inform them about cdpACCESS.
- Cost-benefit analysis added to ICC Council Policy 28 that governs code development.
- ICC Preferred Provider Program.
- Fair trade agreement with Canada, which could result in rising lumber prices.
- National Institute of Building Sciences mitigation report.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology resiliency workshops.
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NAHB's participation with ICC was visible in the development of goals and objectives by the NAHB Construction Codes & Standards Committee. Of their five 2014 goals, four directly affected ICC:
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- Code official's grassroots campaign to reach every code official in U.S.
- Cost-benefit analysis added to CP28.
- Strengthen strategic partnership with ICC.
- Increase hearing participation for code development.
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| I believe that when attending meetings and events as an ICC Board Director, I have a duty to fulfill to all our Members and our association. And that is to let everyone know about the significant work the ICC and its Members do to keep communities safe. |
