The First Facility Management Blog

Richard P. Weiland, Chief Executive Officer of the International Code Council, has issued the following statement regarding the Haiti earthquake and the necessity of using stronger codes in the rebuilding effort.

“On behalf of our members and our organization, we extend support and prayers to the people of Haiti, and for the efforts underway to respond to the devastating impacts of the earthquake. In particular we are thinking of our colleagues in the building safety community, as they develop strategies to rebuild from this incredible devastation.

“As Haiti moves in the coming days and weeks from the challenges of immediate response to those of short-term and long-term recovery, we encourage the smart application of proven seismic safety principles to rebuild Port-au-Prince and other Haitian communities. We know that damage, fatalities, and injuries from earthquakes can be reduced by code adoption and enforcement. Effective codes, such as the International Codes enforced throughout earthquake-prone areas in the U.S., require certain design and construction approaches that acknowledge hazards and the risks they pose. The many members of the Code Council who work in seismically active regions know firsthand the value of these codes and the techniques to ensure their effective enforcement. While building to newer codes may result in slight increases in construction costs, studies show that every dollar spent on building safer and stronger prevents four to seven dollars in future losses.

“We stand ready to support the efforts of the U.S. State Department and other federal agencies, along with the United Nations and other international relief organizations, to make sure that Haiti is rebuilt in a manner that creates disaster resilience. The seismic provisions of the International Codes are regularly updated to reflect the latest knowledge about earthquake dynamics and building behavior, and can function as an important tool in the Haitian recovery effort. We can provide written materials, subject-matter expertise, and professional development to ensure a safer and more sustainable Haiti.

“The events in Haiti once again teach us that any effort involving rebuilding should require construction that utilizes the best available information on codes and code enforcement. Events of similar magnitude result in different impacts based on how a nation and community approach their management of the built environment. Our codes are intended to protect people inside buildings by preventing collapse and allowing for safe evacuation. Structures built to the most modern codes should resist minor earthquakes without suffering damage and ride out severe earthquakes without collapsing.”

The International Code Council is a non-profit, membership organization composed of code officials ranging from building inspectors to fire suppression officials, along with architects, engineers, developers and building owners, and others involved in the building safety community. The Code Council develops model codes which have been adopted in all 50 states and are either adapted or used as resources around the world including nations in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia, and the Middle East. The family of International Codes includes specific sections addressing natural hazards, which are regularly updated in coordination with U.S. federal agencies and reflecting current data and field experience.

Drafters of the International Code Council’s International Green Construction Code (IGCC) are nearing completion of the first ever integrated green code for traditional and high performance commercial buildings, set for a public release in March.

“This will be the first time code officials, owners, and designers will have an integrated regulatory framework to put into practice that meets the goal of greening the construction and design of new and existing buildings,” according to Code Council CEO Richard P. Weiland. “Only a code that is usable, enforceable, and adoptable will have the capability of impacting our built environment in dramatic ways.”

The IGCC is designed specifically to integrate and coordinate with the other International Codes already being enforced by governmental code officials at all levels. All 50 states and more than 20,000 U.S. jurisdictions use the International Codes developed by the Code Council for safety and sustainability.

The International Codes also serve as the basis for construction of federal properties around the world, and as a reference for many nations outside the United States. The International Code Council is a non-profit membership association dedicated to building safety, fire prevention, energy efficiency, and sustainable building construction and performance.

The IGCC links the International Codes to a public process, bringing together diverse areas of expertise to create the first integrated, regulatory framework for green commercial buildings. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and ASTM International are Cooperating Sponsors. Other organizations with representation on the IGCC drafting committee, known as the Sustainable Building Technology Committee (SBTC), include the U.S. Green Building Council, the Green Globes Initiative, and more than a dozen others.

“We are not an industry or advocacy organization, but rather the same folks who have written the building codes used throughout the United States and around the world for decades,” said Code Council Board Member and SBTC Chair Ravi Shah. “From the beginning of our code development earlier this year, we’ve had 29 SBTC members and countless work group members from across the spectrum of government, industry, non-profit and academia weaving their views into a consensus code,” Shah said.

The Code Council’s consensus process invites continual public input from all perspectives, culminating in a final approval from code officials to ensure the best possible rate of compliance. A critical element of the IGCC is that it is consistent and coordinated with existing International Codes that span the spectrum of the industry from building, to energy conservation, fire safety, plumbing, mechanical fuel gas and existing buildings among others.

“Voluntary systems have led market transformation and paved the way for a regulatory framework that includes specialized standards addressing highly technical areas around installation and equipment performance,” Weiland said. “And with our Cooperating Sponsors at the AIA and ASTM International providing the essential perspective of the design and standards communities, there is finally an option on the table that a local, state or federal code official can actually use, enforce and adopt to impact the built environment.”

The first public version of the IGCC is expected to inform many policy discussions currently underway. At the same time, the IGCC will undergo continual maintenance with the solicitation of additional public comments thru hearings being conducted in August. The IGCC will then go through another round of review, comments and public hearings in 2011 for the publication for the 2012 ICC Family of Codes.

The International Code Council and the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are teaming up to reduce the loss of life and property caused by natural disasters. A memorandum of understanding calls for FEMA and the Code Council to support the maintenance, adoption, outreach, training, and enforcement of disaster-resistant building safety codes to reduce human and economic losses resulting from natural hazards including hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and flooding.

“Our agreement with FEMA addresses the role of First Preventers, code and fire officials who prevent harm by ensuring compliance with building safety codes before a disaster occurs,” said Code Council Immediate Past President Steve Shapiro, who called for creating the Council’s Disaster Support Program. “Our members also have the experience and capability to provide help to communities during those moments when skilled extra hands are needed during response and recovery from natural disasters. Code compliance and permits are vital to a community’s safety.”

“Hurricane Katrina taught us some valuable lessons about partnerships,” said FEMA Administrator David Paulison. “Our pre-disaster partnerships are key and this new, formalized partnership with ICC will go a long way toward making America safer. Mitigation—reducing disaster losses before events strike—is more important than ever in today’s economy. Small investments now will provide big returns when disasters do strike. We’re glad to be partnering with the Code Council. Bringing together all of the energy, creativity, and knowledge our two organizations represent is a big step forward in reducing America’s risk profile.”

Under the agreement, the Code Council will provide direct assistance to FEMA on a range of programs designed to reduce losses during natural disasters. FEMA will participate in the Council’s code development process, using its data to help develop future codes that increase public safety. The organizations also will jointly develop a strategy to promote code adoption to enhance disaster resistance in the built environment.

FEMA and the Code Council have a history of cooperating successfully to enhance public safety. FEMA was one of the first federal agencies to recognize the benefits of model building codes and to participate in the code development process. The two organizations worked together to incorporate the National Flood Insurance Program floodplain management regulations and the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Recommended Provisions in safety codes developed by the Council.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), along with nine other organizations, is forming a consortium in response to the U.S. Department of Energy request for consortia to advise the department on high performance building issues. The HighPerformance Commercial Green Building Partnership (HPCGBP) brings together leading organizations from all aspects of the building community to provide guidance and technical leadership on key sustainability issues to the Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Program.

“This partnership will ensure that the voices of the building industry are being heard,” says Bill Harrison, ASHRAE president. “At a time when reducing energy consumption in buildings is paramount, the consortium gives leaders in the built environment and in those industries affecting construction a clear path to offer advice to the DOE on our goals, concerns, and new technologies.”

ASHRAE initiated formation of the partnership and will serve as the group’s secretariat. Other members of the HPCGBP’s steering committee currently includes the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), American Institute of Architects (AIA), Alliance to Save Energy (ASE), Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), International Code Council (ICC), Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The partnership intends to be recognized as a “Partnership Consortium” by the Department of Energy as requested in response to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 Section 421. Section 421 is part of the formation of the Net-Zero Commercial Building Initiative, which is intended to develop a research, development, and deployment strategy toward achieving net zero energy commercial buildings.

Partnership participants reflect all disciplines necessary to design and build high performance commercial buildings, including:

• architects and engineers
• the development, construction, financial, and real estate industries
• building owners and operators 
• academic and research organizations
• building code agencies and organizations
• independent high performance green building associations or councils
• experts in indoor air quality and environmental factors
• experts in intelligent buildings and integrated building information systems
• utility energy efficiency programs
• manufacturers and providers of equipment
• public transportation industry experts
• nongovernmental energy efficiency organizations

Earlier this month, International Code Council members debated and voted on code change proposals shaping the future of building safety and fire prevention. The hundreds of approved code changes will be included in the 2009 version of the International Codes, used to guide construction in all 50 states and Washington, DC.

“We are exploring improvements in the areas of structural and fire safety alongside sustainable and energy efficient building, all of which will have enormous impact on virtually every aspect of safety in the built environment,” said Code Council President Adolf Zubia, Fire Chief for Las Cruces, NM.

Several code changes will be directed at residential structures, but among the major changes relevant to facility professionals in commercial buildings are:
• A new standard, ANSI/APSP-7-06, brings the I-Codes in line with the Virginia Graeme Baker Federal Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007. It addresses suction entrapment avoidance in swimming pools, wading pools, spas, hot tubs, and catch basins.
• For skyscrapers, buildings greater than 420 feet in height, an additional stairwell is required to assist firefighter access to upper floors. The additional stairwell is not required if the building includes special elevators that can be used to evacuate occupants during an emergency.

Members did not approve the comprehensive energy package in EC-14 purporting a 30% increase in energy efficiency. However several energy efficiency-related changes were approved, including:
• A requirement to install programmable thermostats in new homes and buildings with forced air furnaces.
• Maximum fenestration u-factors are lowered in warmer climates to reduce the amount of heat loss or gain through windows and doors to lower energy costs during cooling periods.
• An increase in insulation R-values for walls, floors, and basements in cold climates to achieve heating and cooling savings.

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 schools. Most U.S. cities, counties, and states choose the International Codes, building safety codes developed by the International Code Council.

The International Code Council (ICC) has approved 23 building and fire code changes based on recommendations from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The recommendations were part of NIST’s investigation of the collapses of the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York on 9/11.

With the changes implemented, future buildings (especially tall structures) should be increasingly resistant to fire, more easily evacuated in emergencies, and safer overall, states the October 1, 2008 release from NIST. The changes, adopted at the ICC hearings held Sept. 15 to 21, 2008, in Minneapolis, MN, will be incorporated into the 2009 edition of the ICC’s I-Codes (specifically the International Building Code, or IBC, and the International Fire Code, or IFC), a model code used as the basis for building and fire regulations promulgated and enforced by U.S. state and local jurisdictions. Those jurisdictions have the option of incorporating some or all of the code’s provisions but generally adopt most provisions.

“We applaud this historic action by the ICC—and the tremendous effort by NIST and its WTC investigation team that led to it,” said Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez. “The lessons learned from the tragic events of 9/11 have yielded stronger building and fire codes for a new generation of safer, more robust buildings across the nation.”

The new codes address areas such as:

• Increasing structural resistance to building collapse from fire and other incidents
• Requiring a third exit stairway for tall buildings
• Increasing the width of all stairways by 50% in new high-rises
• Strengthening criteria for the bonding, proper installation and inspection of sprayed fire-resistive materials (commonly known as “fireproofing”)
• Improving the reliability of active fire protection systems (i.e., automatic sprinklers)
• Requiring a new class of robust elevators for access by emergency responders in lieu of an additional stairway
• Making exit path markings more prevalent and more visible
• Ensuring effective coverage throughout a building for emergency responder radio communications.

Not Approved, But To Be Reconsidered
There were nine building and fire code change proposals consistent with the NIST WTC investigation recommendations that were not approved for the 2009 edition of the I-Codes but will be considered for resubmission at a later date after being amended. These are:

• Requiring buildings more than 420 feet high to be designed to survive a building contents fire to burnout without more than local failure of the structural frame.
• Requiring structures not to suffer a collapse disproportionate to a local initiating failure caused by an accident or incident.
• Requiring a risk assessment and acceptable mitigation of risks for buildings more than 420 feet high with an occupant load greater than 5,000; for buildings with an occupant load greater than 10,000; and for buildings determined to be at higher than normal risk.
• Requiring use of a new standard for conducting wind tunnel testing.
• Requiring installation of stairway communication and monitoring system at every fifth floor of each exit stairway. Also requiring, in buildings more than 75 feet high, a video surveillance system in each exit stairway, elevator lobby, elevator hoistway and elevator machine room to enhance situational awareness of emergency responders.
• Requiring fire safety and evacuation plans for all occupancies and buildings where required by the International Fire Code (the International Building Code is more widely adopted across the country than the IFC; this would ensure all situations are covered).
• Requiring detailed schematic building plans, including an approved Building Information Card, to be located in fire command centers to show the type of construction, stairway access and pressurization, fuel oil tank and hazardous materials locations, standpipe availability and locations, in addition to typical floor plan and details of the building core, means of egress, elevator locations, fire protection systems, firefighting equipment and fire department access.
• Limiting the length of horizontal transfer corridors used to connect a stairwell to 50 feet or less in buildings more than 75 feet high.
• Allowing the option to design buildings more than 420 feet high using the ICC Performance Code, instead of the high-rise provisions of the International Building Code. This change will allow the performance-based NIST WTC recommendations to be considered in a holistic manner.

A chart tracking the progress toward implementing all of the NIST WTC recommendations can be found at http://wtc.nist.gov.

For the construction industry, it has been one month since officials said goodbye to the old New York codes. The 2008 New York City Codes went into effect across all five boroughs on July 1, 2008.

The first major modernization of the city’s building codes in nearly 40 years; the 2008 New York City Codes are based on the 2003 International Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas and Fire Codes. The codes can be purchased from the International Code Council at this link.

 “Any code that’s designed to protect the public safety in a way that developers, homeowners, and others in the building process can understand is a breath of fresh air,” said Rick Bell, FAIA, executive director of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York Chapter.

Bell explained that adopting the new codes in New York City is important for several reasons, but especially because more firms in New York are practicing nationally, even globally. The new codes, he said, coordinate better with those used in other jurisdictions.

“Codes at home were so different from codes in every other city in the land,” Bell said. “Bringing the International Building Code to New York provides greater flexibility and comparability. It means that now, when architects move to work in New York from other areas, they’ll be trained and familiar with how to look up the code. That’s very important.”

“It’s interesting, because one of the things I’m finding when I look at a lot of the reference standards is they’re all modern reference standards,” said Ernie Conrad, P.E., LEED, AP; principal of Landmark Facilities Group and board liaison for professional members at Building Owners and Managers (BOMA) New York. “What a thought!”

Conrad explained the new codes reference modern standards that incorporate updated scientific data. “The new codes reference a more recent edition of the AISC [American Institute of Steel Construction] Steel Construction Manual, enabling architects and engineers to use updated formulas and properties when designing in steel,” said Gary Higbee, AIA, director of Industry Development for the Steel Institute of New York.

The 2008 New York City Codes also include updated materials acceptance criteria. As long as a particular material or equipment meets the necessary laboratory approvals—often already nationally attained—specifiers won’t have to resubmit it through New York’s materials acceptance program.

Higbee added, “This important feature and its associated changes will facilitate using new products and materials—something widely considered to result in construction savings and enhanced occupant safety.”

“It was a magic day when New York City officially started using the I-Codes,” said Conrad. “The city is getting safer; no question about it.”

The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation that will help communities across the country adopt and administer building codes to save lives and protect property. The Community Building Code Administration Grant (CBCAG) Act, sponsored by Congressman Dennis Moore (D-KS), would provide awards to local governments to establish and enforce building safety and fire prevention codes.

CBCAG funds would be used to recruit, hire, train, and equip “First Preventers,” building and fire safety officials who prevent harm by ensuring compliance with safety codes before disasters occur. The bill now goes to the Senate.

“We are very excited that the House of Representatives passed the CBCAG Act,” said International Code Council CEO Rick Weiland. “This legislation provides desperately needed resources to many vulnerable communities that do not have the trained personnel or tools to translate safety codes into proper compliance. With the bill moving through the Senate, we are inching closer to the major goal of supporting our First Preventers in the vital roles they play in protecting the public through implementation of building and fire safety.”

“Government at all levels is recognizing the central role in public safety performed by code adoption and code compliance,” said Code Council President Steve Shapiro, who is director of codes compliance for Hampton, VA. “The safety value of building and fire codes as well as the essential job done by code officials, America’s First Preventers, to prevent harm to people and property come into sharper focus when lawmakers consider how best to protect the public at home, at school, at work and at play.”

In the Senate, the measure is expected to be referred to the Banking Committee where the Senate’s version of the bill is being considered. The Banking Committee could act on the House or Senate version of the bill before it passes out of committee and goes to the full Senate for a vote.