2006 I-Codes Notification Service now available
Those anticipating the upcoming release of the 2006 International Codes can now request to be notified by e-mail when the codes become available. Click here to sign up for this convenient service.

Hot Off the Press

Use ICC’s newest CD-ROM, 2003 International Code Commentaries on CD: Complete Collection, every day to navigate easily through the 2003 Commentaries. Search text, figures and tables; or copy and paste small excerpts from code provisions into correspondence or reports in PDF format using Adobe® Reader®. The CD contains Commentaries to nine I-Codes, each including the complete code text followed by corresponding commentary that demonstrates the code, tells when and how to apply code requirements, and provides historical information.
Click here to order.

Who is using the I-Codes?
To read more about the latest I-Codes adoptions across the U.S., click here. Has your jurisdiction adopted one or more of the I-Codes? If so, let ICC know by clicking here.

Renew your ICC membership, receive a FREE 2006 I-Codes CD
All Governmental, Professional, Cooperating and Corporate members whose memberships are up-to-date on March 31, 2006, will be eligible to receive the FREE 2006 I-Codes on CD the first quarter of 2006. All you have to do is renew your membership when it expires, or better yet don’t wait! Renew online today, click here. Or call ICC Membership Services at 1-888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233) x33804. This offer also applies to new membership in the above categories. Click here to join now!
Renew online today by clicking here.

2006 Codes Forum offers 2006 I-Code Seminars
The education program at the 2006 ICC Codes Forum scheduled March 20-22 at the Doubletree Hotel Sacramento, California, offers a selection of 20 sessions within eight topic tracks.
Participants can choose from the 2006 I-Codes Updates, Introduction to the I-Codes, 2006 Fundamentals, 2003 IBC Special Topics, Fire Track, 2006 IBC Structural Track, Plumbing and Mechanical Track and Administrative Topics. In addition, a two-day Design Professional Institute will also take place at the Codes Forum.
Click here, for more information. Register before February 1 and save!

Access the I-Codes® anytime, anywhere with Premium eCodes™! Click here to learn more.

ICC Campus Online
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Set a high goal in your profession by becoming a Master Code Professional. Click here to learn how.

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Click here for an available list of classes, and all the other training options that ICC offers.

ICC has the answers . . .
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ICC eNews
November, 2005
Volume 2, Issue 11

Winner of an Award of Distinction, 2005 Communicator Awards.

ICC eNews is a free,
monthly e-mail publication.

Green speaks at New Orleans conference

	NOAA

ICC Board of Directors President Henry Green was among the speakers at the Louisiana Recovery and Rebuilding Conference last week in New Orleans that examined long-range hurricane recovery and rebuilding efforts in the state.
During the Building Communities segment of the conference, which addressed planning and designing healthy neighborhoods, downtowns, suburbs and rural lands, Green discussed the role building safety and fire prevention codes play in creating hurricane resistant homes, schools and buildings. The program is the beginning of the process that will bring local and national design and planning professionals together with Louisiana public officials, civic and community groups, and business organizations to develop a body of principles that will guide the state’s long-range recovery and rebuilding efforts.
The conference was presented by the American Institute of Architects in collaboration with the American Planning Association and cosponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Society of Civil Engineers. For more information on the conference, click here.

Senate panel approves Louisiana building code bill
The state's Senate Commerce Committee last week approved a bill that would require new homes in southern Louisiana parishes to be constructed with wind-resistant materials. The bill is similar to ICC's International Residential Code and would create a 19-person oversight committee appointed by the governor.
Although the new code would be statewide, only those homes built in areas with potential wind speeds of 110 mph would be required to have the hurricane resistant provisions. "During the next five to ten years, we're going to build 75,000 new homes," said Committee Chairman Ken Hollis, R-Metairie. "Why not put a code in place that protects our people and their property?" A similar bill is still being debated in the House Commerce Committee.

Witt participating in infrastructure protection program

	Witt

ICC CEO James Lee Witt will participate in the Critical Conversations on Infrastructure Protection (CIP) program on Nov. 29. CIP is a joint effort between the George Mason University School of Law and James Madison University that seeks to integrate the disciplines of law, policy and technology for enhancing the security of cyber-networks, physical systems and economic processes supporting the nation's critical infrastructures.
Witt will participate in a conversation on "After the Storms: Repairing the Damage." A panel discussion will follow that will include experts on homeland security and the private sector. The event will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Also, Witt will participate in the Center for Strategic and International Studies/Arnold & Porter public event to examine disaster response in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 28. He will speak at the first Georgetown University Town Hall meeting at the Center for American Progress on Nov. 30. His topic will be emergency preparedness.

DRN continues to be a critical source for governments
in need of hurricane assistance

	Bob McMillan/FEMA
	More than 200 code enforcement officials have volunteered to assist jurisdictions with hurricane recovery efforts.

The ICC Disaster Response Network (DRN) has helped officials identify and deploy more then 200 volunteers from across the U.S. to assist with hurricane recovery efforts. The volunteers are helping communities identify substantially damaged buildings under the National Flood Insurance Program, conducting habitability inspections, and working with agencies as they struggle to face the growing volume of permit applications and inspections.
If your jurisdiction is in need of assistance with its hurricane recovery efforts, you can access the DRN by clicking here. To volunteer your expert services to areas affected by this year’s devastating hurricane season, click here.

Contributions still being accepted
for hurricane relief fund
The International Code Council Foundation (ICCF) has established a Members Helping Members Fund that will benefit employees and families of building and fire departments that have been impacted by this year’s devastating hurricane season.
To make a tax deductible donation to the ICCF Members Helping Members Fund, click here or mail to: ICCF, Attention: Accounts Receivable, 4051 W. Flossmoor Road, Country Club Hills, IL 60478-5795. Checks should show a notation for the "Members Helping Members."

Green appears before Congress to discuss
NIST WTC report

	ICC Board of Directors President Henry Green (right) discusses ICC’s response to the NIST report on the WTC collapse.

ICC Board of Directors President Henry Green recently appeared before the House Committee on Science to discuss ICC’s response to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) report and recommendations from the investigation into the World Trade Center collapse.
In his testimony, Green discussed ICC’s support for NIST’s work, its code development process and how building codes and the ICC protect lives and property. Green then answered specific questions from the committee on the steps ICC is taking to incorporate the NIST recommendations into the I-Codes.
To read Green’s full testimony, click here. For more information on the hearing, click here.

ICC creates Labor-Management Advisory Committee
The ICC Board of Directors approved the establishment of a Labor-Management Advisory Committee (LMAC) during the 2005 Annual Conference. The LMAC will advise the Board on matters that affect the working relationship or coordination of efforts of ICC and the building industry. Other objectives include advising ICC of methods to build and improve relationships with those interested in code development, training and enforcement and to advise the Board on policies and programs to address issues of concern in the labor and management communities.
For more information on the new LMAC, click here.

Important deadlines for ICC-ES acceptance criteria

	The most recent ICC Evaluation Committee meeting was held last month in Birmingham, Alabama. For reports from past meetings, click here.

Deadlines have been set for ICC-ES staff to prepare acceptance criteria for the next Evaluation Committee meeting, scheduled for Feb. 1-3, in Los Angeles.
For acceptance criteria to be placed on the agenda, the proposed criteria must either be ready for approval by the Evaluation Committee or be in need of input from the committee or industry in order to make it ready for approval. In order for staff to meet these deadlines, and to ensure that items have received adequate technical development and review by both parties, proponents of acceptance criteria should communicate with staff well in advance of the following dates:
• December 7, 2005 Management review
• December 12, 2005 Proofreading
• December 22, 2005 Posted on Web site
• January 3, 2006 Mail notice of meeting
• January 19, 2005 Public comments deadline
• January 24, 2006 Public comments mailed to committee members
• January 30, 2006 Staff memos on Web site
For more information on ICC-ES acceptance criteria, click here.

APLAC conducts follow-up evaluation of IAS

	(L-R) IAS President Chuck Ramani, Vice President Patrick McCullen, C.K. Cheung, APLAC Lead Evaluator from Hong Kong, and Raj Nathan, IAS Accreditation Manager.

The International Accreditation Service (IAS) recently went through a follow-up evaluation conducted by the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC). The APLAC evaluation included site visits to observe assessment practices.
Like other internationally recognized accreditation bodies, IAS is subjected to routine evaluation by an international team of accreditation experts to ensure continued compliance with all international Mutual Recognition Arrangement obligations. For more information on IAS, click here.

Winter Code Officials Institute set for Jan. 23-26
Code enforcement officials who want to improve their management skills and legal knowledge, or are preparing for the ICC Certified Building Official Examination, should plan to attend the 2006 Winter Code Officials Institute, Jan. 23-26 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Highly-recognized professionals will share their expertise and many years of experience as well as answer questions and discuss emerging issues. Attendees will be able to interact with each presenter, gain valuable insight, share experiences and network with peers. Each attendee will also receive a comprehensive and up-to-date resource manual to reference during the event and afterwards while on the job.
For more information, click here.

Chinese delegation visits Los Angeles office

	ICC’s Rick Okawa (second from right) with Chinese delegates Hao Bin, Dong Yong, and Su Chunsheng.

Rick Okawa with ICC’s International Services Department recently hosted a Chinese delegation at the Los Angeles District Office. The 22 delegates represented various provinces from China’s construction sector, including the Department of Science and Technology with the Ministry of Construction for the Peoples Republic of China.
The purpose of the delegation’s visit was to obtain information about ICC, including its code development process, membership support services and the U.S. building construction energy saving system. To read more ICC news, click here.

One phone call will help you understand
the newest editions of the I-Codes
Learning about changes to the 2006 International Codes while earning continuing education units and learning units is as easy as making a phone call when you take an ICC Telephone Seminar.
Four separate telephone call-in sessions offer an overview of the changes from the 2003 edition to the 2006 edition of the International Building, Residential, Plumbing and Fire Codes. Each class will focus on changes in code requirements and organization, as well as the applicability of new requirements to design, plan review and inspection. Each 90-minute seminar includes handouts and question-and-answer periods to provide participants with a thorough understanding of each topic. Each session will be taught by a code expert who assists design, construction and code professionals across the nation in interpreting and applying the International Codes.
For more information, click here.

ICC develops courses for
Ohio Building Code Academy

	More than 100 attended the recent Ohio Building Code Academy held in Columbus.

The State of Ohio hired ICC to develop 18 courses for the recent Ohio Building Code Academy (OBCA). The courses covered a variety of topics, including communication and people skills, general business, administration, job site safety, fire-resistant materials, protection systems and alarms, means of egress, general structure, accessibility and existing buildings.
In the future, the OBCA will be scheduled at least twice a year. Any applicant who was granted a two-year interim certification after Jan. 1, 2005, must attend the academy within one year from the date of approval. For more information on ICC Training, including upcoming special events, click here.

Call for Comments on bleachers, seating standard
The ICC Consensus Committee on Bleacher Safety (IS-BLE) will be developing the next edition of the ICC Standard on Bleachers, Folding and Telescopic Seating, and Grandstands (ICC 300 Standard).
If you have suggested revisions or additions to the ICC 300- 02 standard, please complete the public comment form and submit it to ICC. The deadline for this Call for Comments is Nov. 23, 2005. To purchase a copy of the ICC 300-02 standard, click here.
For more information on the ICC Standard on Bleachers, Folding and Telescopic Seating, and Grandstands, click here.

Volunteers important to standards development

	(L-R) ICC Senior Vice President of Government Relations Sara Yerkes and Board President Henry Green visit with Michael A. Brown during the World Standards Day celebration.

Recognition of the role standards play was an important part of the recent U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day 2005. ICC is a member of the WSD Planning Committee and Board members and staff attended this year’s exhibition, reception and dinner held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.
Representatives from codes and standards development organizations, government agencies and private industry attended the annual event. World Standards Day serves to promote codes and standards and how they improve safety, commerce and cooperation in the United States and abroad. This year’s theme was Improving Safety and Security through Standards.
Each year Michael A. Brown, president and CEO of the Ronald H. Brown Foundation, presents the Leadership Award in honor of his father, the late Secretary of Commerce, who was a strong advocate for standards.

New Chapter Rewards Program established
The ICC Board of Directors has approved a new Chapter Rewards Program that rewards chapters for their hard work and dedication and allows them to earn points that can be used to “purchase” certain ICC products and services.
Reward points can be used to “purchase” ICC training, audio virtual seminars, online campus courses, ICC Annual Business Meeting registrations, video taping services, complimentary eCodes, and many more products and services.
Click here to learn more about ICC’s new Chapter Rewards Program and how it can work for your chapter.

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