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Hurricane expert
says worst is yet to come. In a recent interview,
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NOAA
Mayfield
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National Hurricane Center
Director Max Mayfield said there's a lot of potential for a storm
worse than Hurricane Katrina. "I don't know whether that's going to
be this year, or five years from now, or a hundred years from now," Mayfield
said. "But as long as we continue to develop the coastline like we are,
we're setting up for disaster." Katrina killed 1,339 people and caused $80
billion in damage. Among Mayfield's worst-case scenarios: an East Coast
hurricane striking New York and New Jersey. Mayfield estimated Long Island
could get a 25- to 30-foot storm surge.
Judge rules that Katrina storm surge damage is not covered by homeowners
insurance. A federal judge in Mississippi ruled last week that an insurance
company's policies do
not cover damage from storm surges. The decision could affect hundreds
of upcoming cases related to property damage from Hurricane Katrina. According
to the Associated Press, the judge ruled that a Mississippi Gulf Coast couple
cannot collect damages because Nationwide Mutual Insurance's policies do
not cover wind-driven water damage. The couple could be compensated for
damage that they prove was caused by high winds.
Florida Panhandle codes changed, but not to extent wanted by Governor.
The Florida Building Commission moved
the Panhandle's windborne debris line north to cover areas likely to
get 130 mph winds during a hurricane. But it's not the 120 mph line that
Governor Jeb Bush, Florida Department of Community Affairs Director Thaddeus
Cohen and Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty lobbied for. According to
the Northwest Florida Daily News, Bush argued that if the line wasn't
moved further inland, insurance companies would refuse to write policies
in the state.
Mississippi gets funds to enforce building codes. The Biloxi Sun
Herald reports that more than $4
million in federal money is going to coastal cities and counties in
Mississippi to help them hire code enforcement officers and building inspectors.
IBHS adds code expert to staff. Wanda Edwards has joined the
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Institute for Business
& Home Safety (IBHS) in the new
position of Director of Code Development. She will plan, organize and
direct all building code development activities and provide technical support
for IBHS building code initiatives. Edwards is a member of the ICC IBC Structural
Committee.
ASTM develops new standard. A new standard developed by  ASTM
International provides a means for determining pressure ratings for
PVC schedule 40 and 80 socket-type fittings by evaluating fitting failure
test data derived by testing water-filled assemblies of pipe and fittings.
The new standard, F 22612, was developed by Subcommittee F17.40 on Test
Methods, which is under the jurisdiction of Committee F17 on Plastic Piping
Systems.
The following are
upcoming events at which ICC staff will attend and/or host an exhibition
booth: 
Sept. 14-15, JLC Live-Midwest, Minneapolis, MN
Sept. 14-16, Fire Rescue International, Dallas, TX
Sept. 14-16, National Council of Structural Engineers Association,
Salt Lake City, UT
Sept. 17-Oct. 1, ICC
Annual Conference, Walt Disney World, FL
Sept. 25-28, Florida Association of Plumbing, Gas, Mechanical
Inspectors, Fort Myers, FL
Sept. 28-30, IAPMO/ISH North America, Chicago, IL
Sept. 28-Oct. 1, Illinois Municipal League, Chicago, IL
Sept. 29-30, 2006 Building Communities Conference, South Padre
Island, TX
ICC ePARTNERS
Volume II, Issue 9
September, 2006
ICC
Vision and Mission Statements
Vision
Protecting the health, safety, and welfare of people by creating better
buildings and safer communities.
Mission
Providing the highest quality codes, standards, products, and services
for all concerned with the safety and performance of the built environment.
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Most
Americans Favor Building Codes
to Help Protect against Natural Disasters
 Nine
out of ten Americans support the adoption and enforcement of building
codes to make new homes stronger and safer during natural disasters, according
to a report
issued by the Insurance Research Council. Two-thirds support building
codes even when they would add up to six percent to the cost of a new
home.
Interpretations
Committee Goes
to Web-Based Voting System
 Committee
interpretations will be using a fully electronic balloting program. Committee
members will receive an automated e-mail notification that an interpretation
has been posted on the committee web page. The message will identify the
interpretation number, code edition, section number and title, with a
link to the committee site where committee members will submit votes electronically.
In accordance with CP 11, at midnight on the 20th day of the month, the
ballot will remove itself from the web page and voting will close.
2006
IBC Commentaries Complete
Publications and Code
Development finalized the 2006 International Building Code Commentaries,
Volumes 1 and 2, and both books are going to print. Sample copies will
be on display at the Annual Conference next week, and orders will be taken
at the bookstore.
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ICC/ANSI
A117.1 Committee Meets. The ICC/ANSI A117.1 Committee met in
Washington, D.C., on July 24-28. It was the first meeting held to
develop the 2008 edition of the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Accessible and Usable
Buildings and Facilities.
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ICC,
NAHB Seek DOE Training
In a letter to the Department of Energy (DOE), ICC President Henry Green
and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) President David Pressly
asked the agency to consider training and software in support of the energy
efficiency provisions in the 2006 International Residential Code
(IRC). The department already supports the 2006 International Energy
Conservation Code (IECC). Because the IRC and IECC reference each
other, the letter states that covering both codes would make the DOE's
support materials more complete for code officials and home builders.
ICC
Meets with BOAF Representatives
ICC COO Rick Weiland and Board Vice President Wally Bailey met recently
with representatives of the Building Officials Association of Florida
(BOAF) Board of Directors in Altamont Springs. They also addressed members
of various BOAF committees. Agenda items discussed included a meet-and-greet
session with Weiland and ICC’s organizational vision for the future.
Annual
Conference Expo to Be
the Largest Ever Managed by ICC
 This
year's show will feature 130
booths, including a "Hurricane
Protection Zone" for vendors who offer products and services specific
to hurricane resistance, high winds and related topics. To help attract
conference attendees to the Expo, the Conference gift will be available
exclusively from the ICC booth. New features—hard hat games, a hands-on
building experience with prizes, and Disney artists who will sketch caricatures
of Conference attendees on canvas with the ICC Conference logo—will also
help draw crowds to the Expo. Monday's events will feature the ever-popular
Exhibitors Reception, followed by a prize giveaway.
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ICC
Discusses Seismic Issues in Pakistan. ICC's Sylvana Ricciarini
and S.K. Ghosh recently met with representatives of National Engineering
Services Pakistan to discuss the on-going project to revise seismic
zoning maps and criteria for that country. Sylvana also visited
with various dignitaries, and private and government representatives
in India and Dubai.
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Staff
Member Named to ASHRAE Panel
Dave Conover of ICC Government Relations has been appointed as an alternate
to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE) appeals panel this year. The panel hears and acts on
appeals associated with ASHRAE standards.
Group
to Meet with McGraw-Hill Council
The Building Product
Manufacturers (BPM) Council is composed of 13 sales and marketing executives
from BPM companies, including Dow Corning, PPG Industries and Siemens
Building Technologies. The October 26 presentation, "How BPMs Can Help
Code Officials at the Local Level," will address the process for new code
implementation and will include presentations from code officials. Dave
Conover of Government Relations is preparing the presentation with input
and participation from ICC-ES. This is an audience that needs to be informed
about ICC and the national role it has in promoting uniformity.
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Project
H.E.R.O. recipient Shelby Bowling.
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Construction
Begins on H.E.R.O. Home
As detailed in the
Hamilton Journal News, ground was broken recently on the Project H.E.R.O.
pilot site in Ohio. Plans for Vietnam veteran Shelby Bowling's home include
a $75,000 to $80,000 addition with a wheelchair-accessible entrance, and
a bedroom and bathroom on the home's first floor.
AISC Seismic Design
Manual (AISC 327-05)
(#9055S05)List
$350.00 | Member $175.00
 AISC
has developed a new six-part Seismic Design Manual, which includes sections
on general design considerations, design of systems utilizing R = 3 (braced
and moment frames), design of braced-frame systems utilizing R > 3, design
of moment frame systems utilizing R > 3, and design of other systems utilizing
R > 3. The manual also includes printed versions of ANSI/AISC 341- 05
and ANSI/AISC 358-05.
2002 City of Los Angeles Building Code, Volume 1 Supplement
(#5890F06)List
$12.00 | Member $9.50
Supplement to 2002 City of Los Angeles Building Code, Volume 1 (5890A021).
For a complete code, the customer will also need the errata to the 2002
City of Los Angeles Building Code (5890E031).
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