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Combustible exterior wall "cladding" systems: An ICC perspective

The tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London brought extensive public focus on combustible exterior wall systems, often called "cladding," prompting many questions as to how these types of fires can occur and what the risks are of such a fire in the future. A new ICC article focuses on the 2018 International Building Code requirements in terms of fire safety and what to look for in plan review and inspections when cladding is used on a non-combustible wall. Read more.

Mark Johnson (right), executive vice president and director of business development at the International Code Council with James Rawle (center), chairman of Bureau of Standards Jamaica and Stephen Wedderburn (left), executive director at Bureau of Standards Jamaica.

ICC and BSJ to advance building safety in Jamaica

The Code Council and the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) signed a milestone memorandum of understanding to update Jamaica's building codes. Under this agreement, ICC will work with BSJ to produce customized building codes for Jamaica based on 10 of the International Codes and will also provide its expertise to help with strengthening training programs for code officials in Jamaica. Read more.

Call for presentations: 2018 ICC Annual Conference & Expo

Please join us in sharing your expertise at the 2018 ICC Annual Conference in Richmond, Va. ICC is seeking presentation proposals for its education sessions and Building Safety & Design Expo. All presentation topics should focus on providing educational and technical information to attendees on building code compliance, building safety, leadership and/or building technology. The deadline for application submittal is Jan. 31, 2018. Apply now.

Witt named to lead Wine Country Fire rebuilding effort

James Lee Witt, a former national director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and former chief executive officer of the International Code Council, was named executive director of Rebuild North Bay — a prominent nonprofit agency helping businesses and residents recover from the Wine Country fires in northern California. Read more.

CFSI accepts resolution supporting three-year code cycle

Considering the many recent storms and natural disasters, the future resiliency of communities around the world has been the focus of many discussions regarding recovery efforts. When addressing a community's resilience, up-to-date building codes and standards are one of the first action items. The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) accepted a resolution in support of the three-year code adoption cycle. Read more.

Your voice at the International Code Council

The code development process can seem daunting to the uninitiated: conflicting public testimony, rapid-fire voting and code language legalese. For those looking for an easy alternative to dip their toes in the code development process, Fire Service Membership Council Governing Committee Chair Scott Adams and ICC Government Relations Vice President of National Fire Service Activities Robert Neale suggest joining an ICC Membership Council in the Fall 2017 issue of UFRA Straight Tip, a publication by Utah Valley University and the Utah Fire & Rescue Academy. Read more.

Upcoming events

Building Officials Membership Council to meet this month
Advance your career as a code official at Code Official Institute
Free premiumACCESS webinar showcases powerful codes tool
Building department accreditation training coming to D.C. area

ICC Board Director Tom Peterson (left) explains the ICC High School Technical Training Program to a student attending Pathways to Professions.

Expanding construction career pathways in Utah

ICC Board Director Tom Peterson attended the Pathways to Professions Career & Technical Education Showcase on Oct. 12 in Sandy, Utah, to introduce students to the ICC High School Technical Training Program. The Code Council was an exhibitor at the event, which aligns the educational pathways in secondary and higher education programs with available career opportunities. The two-day event provided hands-on learning experiences and access to industry professionals for high-school students, college students, their families and community members.

Terry Cobb to retire after 28 years

Believed to be the longest-serving department head in the history of Nashville Metro government, Terrence L. Cobb, CBO, director of the Department of Codes & Building Safety for Nashville and Davidson County, Tenn., is retiring at the end of April after more than 28 years. Read more.

ICC welcomes new and renewing Preferred Providers

The ICC Preferred Provider Program recognizes and promotes ICC-approved educational courses offered by a variety of educational providers, opening the door to extensive training opportunities. The Preferred Provider network currently offers more than 400 active in-person and online courses and more than 8,000 approved courses are in the main catalog. Read more.

What we're reading, following & covering

There's a lot happening — domestically and globally — in building safety, fire prevention, sustainability and resiliency right now. Our aim is to provide busy professionals like you with a weekly run-down of the most compelling industry news stories concerning the safety, science and performance of the built environment.

President's team swaps "climate change" for "resilience"

In the wake of recent hurricanes, storms, flooding and wildfires that have devastated portions of the U.S., various government agencies are swapping out the phrase "climate change" for "resilience," highlighting a focus on resiliency and creating a culture of preparedness and adaptation. Read more.

Researchers develop new earthquake-resistant concrete

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new fiber-reinforced concrete (eco-friendly ductile cementitious composite) that resists earthquakes and enhances the seismic resistance of vulnerable structures. The treatment is environmentally sustainable and protects against seismic intensities as high as magnitude 9.1 earthquakes. Read more.

What to know about the new silica rule

With the heavily debated standard now in full enforcement, contractors who engage in activities that create silica dust such as by cutting, grinding or blasting materials like concrete, stone and brick must meet a stricter standard for how much of that dust workers inhale. Read more.

FLASH names 2017 Leadership Partners

The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) inducted former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate, hurricane expert Dr. Rick Knabb of The Weather Channel, and Leadership Florida President Wendy Spencer as 2017 Leadership Partners during its National Disaster Resilience Conference in Atlanta. ICC is a member of the FLASH partnership that shares a vision of making America a more disaster-resilient nation. Read more.

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