The First Facility Management Blog

An enhanced online demonstration of SMARTcodes, the new, cutting-edge system to automate code compliance checking developed by the International Code Council, is now available for a test drive. Facility managers, building owners, other construction professionals, plan reviewers, and code enforcement officials—both in the building department and fire service—are encouraged to check out this new service.

Users will be able to check a building design automatically for code compliance and provide feedback to the Council via an online survey. Test drivers can choose from a number of Building Information Models (BIMs), place the building in different geographical locations, and pick a model checking software to run the code check.

With those simple selections, SMARTcodes will automatically check the building for compliance with envelope and lighting provisions of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, highlight areas of non-compliance, and provide a three-dimensional view and written description of the code violations. Users can run the demonstration multiple times to pick a new building, see the same building in another region of the country, or use different model checking software.

Visitors also can try out a manual code search feature, access specific code criteria, and drill down to relevant referenced standards, code commentary, and code interpretations, as well as related product listing directories that link directly to manufacturers’ product information.

The enhanced on-line demonstration, which will run for some time and be regularly updated, opens the door for construction industry professionals to try out auto code checking and manual code searching and provide suggestions to make SMARTcodes even better.

In the future, the Code Council team will expand the SMARTcodes demo with more BIM options, additional codes, and federal, state, and local code amendments. Further down the road, the SMARTcodes demo will exhibit an e-permitting feature that lets visitors prepare a simulated permit application and submit a BIM for permit and code check.

Eventually, the SMARTcodes enhanced demo will include the International Building, Fire, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Fuel Gas Codes. The final step before releasing SMARTcodes for commercial use will be a beta test where users can code check their own BIMS.

The International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties, and states that adopt codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council.