International code hearings update
By Ron George
President, Ron George Design & Consulting Services
The International Code Council has just completed the code hearings October 24 through November11, at the Hilton hotel in Baltimore. This round of code hearings was to hear proposed code changes for the 2012 edition of the International Codes. I attended the Code hearings and testified on many code changes. I submitted several code changes dealing with preventing scalding in domestic hot water systems along with a few others dealing with insulating underground piping and bundled PEX piping to prevent heat transfer from the hot to the cold water pipes. One of the most high profile series of code changes was a series of code changes submitted by home builders that dealt with proposals to remove the mandatory fire sprinkler requirements from the International Residential Code. The proposals were unsuccessful so residential sprinklers will still be required in all new residences in the future when the 2012 code is adopted. There are local jurisdictions that are making local amendments to remove the fire sprinkler requirements from the codes. The way I see it, this will probably end up very similar to the requirements for smoke detectors. Smoke detectors were very controversial when they were first proposed. Many said there would be a flood of false alarms and the additional costs were not justified. We are hearing the same arguments by the home building community. It’s déja vu all over again. So far the residential sprinkler supporters have weathered the first round of code change proposals. The next round will likely be at the final action hearings where there will likely be a written comment to challenge the results from the Baltimore code hearings. The final action hearings will be the last bite at the apple and will be heard in two parts over the next two years. I recently learned that the final action hearings are scheduled to occur at the same time as the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) Convention and Engineered Plumbing Exposition. The ASPE Convention is the largest and best engineered plumbing exposition in North America and most of the movers and shakers in the plumbing industry attend the ASPE Exposition. I talked briefly with ASPE officials at the code hearings and they are hopeful the ICC final action code hearings schedule can accommodate the many people in the plumbing industry that must attend both organizations’ meetings. The ICC final Action hearings will be October 25 — November 1, 2010 in Charlotte, N.C. The American Society of Plumbing Engineers Engineered Plumbing Exposition is scheduled for October 29 — November 3rd in Philadelphia. Check the ASPE Website at www.aspe.org for the exact convention dates.
International Code Council elects officers, directors
Members of the International Code Council elected Clark County (Nevada) Director of Development Services Ron Lynn as President, Decatur (Alabama) Building Director Jimmy Brothers as Vice President and Chesterfield County (Virginia) building official Bill Dupler as Secretary/Treasurer. Adolf Zubia, Las Cruces (New Mexico) Fire Chief, will serve as immediate past president. Ron Hoover, Director of the Marion (Iowa) Building Inspection Department and Alburnett Fire Chief, and Tina Rakes, Baldwin City (Kansas) building official, were elected to three-year terms as Directors. Guy Tomberlin, Fairfax County (Virginia) Code Specialist, was elected to a one-year term that was vacant due to Bill Dupler’s election as an officer. Re-elected to three-year Director terms were Gregori Anderson, Director of Building Safety and Regulatory Services for Chatham County (Georgia), and Ron Piester, Director of the New York State Department of State Division of Code Enforcement and Administration. The elections were held during the Council’s Annual Conference during the first week of November in Baltimore.
ICC hires Shawn Martin
The International Code Council has announced the hiring of Shawn Martin as its new Director of Industry Relations in its Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas (PMG) group. Martin is well known and respected within the PMG industry. Prior to joining ICC’s Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas, he was the Technical Director for the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute and holds positions on many important industry committees related to Green codes, standards and sustainability issues. He is active in water efficiency, product certification and educating the industry. He has been quite involved in the ICC code development process. Before being hired by the Code Council, Martin held positions on the International Plumbing Code Technical Committee and the Sustainable Building Technology Committee representing the water section and discipline. He is an engineer and holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with an emphasis on fluid mechanics. According to ICC, Martin’s focus will include coordination of the Code Council’s PMG efforts regarding sustainability (green) initiatives, supporting regulatory affairs at the jurisdictional level and raising awareness of PMG programs. He will work closely as a staff liaison to the ES-PMG Listing program, including promoting, identifying and collaborating with potential listees.
Shawn’s experience will be valuable in managing industry committees, task groups, and other activities surrounding the development of codes and standards.
Code Council to develop Swimming Pool Code
APSP Pool Safety Experts, Contractors, Engineers, Manufacturers will participate
The International Code Council Board of Directors has voted to develop the nation’s first all encompassing Comprehensive Swimming Pool Code. This action is designed to provide a coordinated code with other International Codes that will meet the requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Act and upgrade pool safety.
“The Board’s unanimous action in voting to move this forward demonstrates an understanding of the immediate need in our jurisdictions for this type of a code,” said former ICC Board President Adolf Zubia.
The International Swimming Pool Code will allow ICC to include swimming pools in their family of codes said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Richard P. Weiland. The code will be developed under the International Code Council’s governmental consensus process with the support of the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP), bringing together the industry’s finest pool safety experts, contractors, engineers, manufacturers, and other members and stakeholders. “The scope of the code will respond to the needs of many jurisdictions that still use the Standard Swimming Pool Code or other swimming pool codes, and integrate the widely used design and safety features of both the APSP standards and the I-Codes,” according to Jay Peters, Executive Director, ICC Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas.
Ron George is president of Ron George Design & Consulting Services. He has served as Chairman of the International Residential Plumbing & Mechanical Code Committee. He is active in plumbing code and plumbing product standard development committees with ICC, IAPMO, ASSE, ASME, ISEA and ASTM. His company specializes in plumbing, piping, fire protection and HVAC system design and consulting services. He also provides plumbing and mechanical code consulting services and he provides investigations of mechanical system failures and litigation support. His company also provides 3D cad services and Building Information Modeling (BIM) services.
To contact Ron, e-mail: rgdc@rongeorgedesign.com. Web site: www.rongeorgedesign.com.