Month: May 2017

ICC Innovation in Code Administration Award Presented to City of Saint Paul, Minnesota

Inaugural Award Recognizes Building and Fire Departments for Innovation in the Delivery of Code Administration Services in Communities

In recognition of its 10-year effort to reduce residential injuries, deaths and fires through a rental inspection program and property grading schedule, the International Code Council (ICC) awarded its 2017 ICC Innovation in Code Administration Award to the City of Saint Paul, Minn., Department of Safety and Inspections. The inaugural award was fittingly presented during the Code Council’s annual Building Safety Month Reception on May 10 at the Council’s Governmental Affairs Office in Washington, D.C.

Through its use of the Minnesota version of the International Fire Code and Saint Paul’s local property maintenance code, the City created a residential life-safety inspection program 10 years ago that assigns letter grades to rental properties. Grades are based on safety factors such as smoke alarms, egress windows, safe storage practices and electrical safety.

Of the 15,230 properties in Saint Paul’s system, 52 percent are scored A’s, 27 percent are B’s, 20.5 percent are C’s and 0.5 percent are D’s. The C-graded units continue to improve year after year — overall, 41 percent of the properties improved their grade over the previous inspection, while 45 percent stayed the same.

Saint Paul is continually finding new ways to help property owners maintain A-grade properties; their latest endeavor is advertising the letter grade on a web-based interactive map. Each home visit includes fire safety messaging, and by tying the success of their inspection to inspection frequency and fees, everyone wins with safer buildings and fewer costs to the property owner.

“Code officials often do not get the credit they deserve for the work they do in keeping us safe in the built environment,” said International Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “Keeping in mind this year’s Building Safety Month theme of Code Officials — Partners in Community Safety and Economic Growth, we recognize and thank code officials for their efforts and progress in making our communities better by constructing safe, affordable and resilient buildings.”

“Strong building codes and standards, adoption, implementation and enforcement are the most effective and affordable tools we have to guarantee that our communities stay safe, healthy and comfortable,” added ICC Board of Directors President M. Dwayne Garriss, who serves as the Georgia State Fire Marshal. “We are especially proud to recognize those code professionals who are actively working to improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of code administration services in a creative way.”

Created by the International Code Council Family of Companies to acknowledge public safety creativity in the built environment, the ICC Innovation in Code Administration Award recognizes building and fire departments for innovation in the delivery of code administration services in their communities. It is sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs — Fire and Life Safety Section, the National Association of State Fire Marshals, and the Code Council. The award is presented to a building or fire code organization that provides code administration services to one or more jurisdictions. The organization must have implemented a unique approach to positively enhance code administration services in the community, resulting in a measurable reduction in deaths, injuries or property damage, and/or the quality, effectiveness, or efficiency of code administration services.

Accepting the inaugural Innovation in Code Administration award on behalf of the City of Saint Paul is Angie Wiese, PE, CBO, Fire Safety Manager of the Department of Safety and Inspections and Steve Ubl, Building Official of the Department of Safety and Inspections. Pictured (left-right): International Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO; Government Relations Vice President of National Fire Service Activities Rob Neale; Angie Wiese; and Steve Ubl. Photo: Jocelyn Augustino | FEMA

Building Safety Month, founded by the ICC, is celebrated by jurisdictions worldwide during the month of May. The campaign is presented by the ICC and its 63,000 members worldwide along with a diverse partnership of professionals from the building construction, design and safety community. Corporations, government agencies, professional associations, nonprofits and more come together to support Building Safety Month because they understand the need for safe and sustainable structures where we live, work and play.

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About the International Code Council

The International Code Council is a member-focused association. It is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes.

“Investing in Technology for Safety, Energy & Water Efficiency” is the theme for Building Safety Month Week Four

Whether renovating, remodeling, or building from the ground up, look for the latest in technology, based on the codes and standards that put safety and efficiency first

“That cranky building inspector says I have to use this type of construction material instead of the bargain-basement stuff that’s on sale at the Big Box store. Who is he to say that?”

If the building official is using one or more of the International Code Council’s family of codes, also known as the International Codes, he isn’t just pulling those requirements out of thin air. He is basingthe decision on the expertise of thousands of ICC members and partners who contribute to developing minimum standards designed for safe and sustainable construction.

“Investing in Technology for Safety, Energy & Water Efficiency” is the theme for the International Code Council’s Building Safety Month Week Four, May 22-28.

Since it was founded by the ICC in 1980, Building Safety Month has been an annual public safety awareness campaign to help individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures

ICC members and partners include scientists who are leading the way in designing and constructing safe, efficient, and resilient homes and buildings. Up-to-date building safety codes and standards enable the technology to be incorporated into buildings while ensuring the safety of lives, properties and investments.

“Part of the International Code Council’s mission is to provide the highest quality codes and standards for all concerned with the safety and performance of the built environment,” said ICC Board President Dwayne Garriss, Georgia State Fire Marshal.

“With today’s understanding of the need to conserve water and other natural resources, and the need for energy conservation and better use of our renewable resources, ICC’s code development process allows industry leaders to refine codes to address newer technology and products, thereby ensuring adoption of the most up-to-date safety practices.”

Whether you’re considering renovating, remodeling, or building from the ground up, look for the latest in technology, and make sure it is based on the codes and standards that put safety and efficiency first.

It’s crucial to do so. The biggest investment most people will ever make is when they buy a home. A home represents security—a place where people will live, raise their families, and share life with others.

Whether you own or rent a home, following the building codes during construction or remodeling can help protect your health and safety, and your investment as well. In addition to helping make your home safe, the building codes can also help make your home more energy efficient, use less water, and conserve resources.

The permit from your qualified inspector protects you and the public by reducing the potential hazards of unsafe construction and ensuring public health, safety and welfare.

It’s a smart investment to build and remodel your home to the latest codes, all backed by the most upto-date science and technology.

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About the International Code Council

The International Code Council is a member-focused association. It is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes.

“Manage the Damage — Preparing for Natural Disasters” is the theme for Building Safety Month Week Three

Ensure that no matter what Mother Nature brings, you, your family and your community will be resilient.

Proper planning can help prevent many “what ifs” as well as help save lives and get your business back on track quicker following a natural disaster.

“Manage the Damage — Preparing for Natural Disasters” is the theme for the International Code Council’s Building Safety Month Week Three, May 15-21.

Since it was founded by the ICC in 1980,Building Safety Month has been an annual public safety awareness campaign to help individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures.

“This past year, our communities have really been tested by weather and other events, struggling to assess their cross-functional resilience,” said ICC Board President Dwayne Garriss, Georgia State Fire Marshal.

“To help address this, the ICC has participated in the formation of the Alliance for National & Community Resilience (ANCR), a collaborative, non-profit organization dedicated to creating the nation’s first whole-community resilience benchmark,” Garriss added.  “ANCR and its 27 member organizations intend to give communities a quick, easy and coherent way to assess their strengths and areas for improvement to foster better community resilience.”

Also, the ICC, in cooperation with several Building Safety Month sponsors, has assembled some steps to prepare your family and protect your home from natural disasters:

• Develop a family disaster plan that includes a list of food and water supplies needed for each member of your family and for your pets. Make copies of important documents like insurance policies, the deed to your home and other personal papers, important phone numbers and a home inventory. Create a checklist of important things to do before, during and after a disaster.
• Review your evacuation route and emergency shelter locations with your family. Options for evacuation would include staying with friends and relatives, seeking commercial lodging, or staying in a mass care facility operated by disaster relief groups in conjunction with local authorities.
• Taking shelter is critical in times of disaster. Sheltering in place is appropriate when conditions require that you seek protection in your home, place of employment or other location where you are when disaster strikes.

• Review your plan regularly. If you make changes that affect the information in your disaster plan, update it immediately.

Although you have little control over the occurrence of hazards in your community, mitigation efforts such as building code adoption and enforcement are the strongest strategies jurisdictions can take to protect a community against the effects of natural hazards.

Mitigation through the building codes increases occupant health and safety during a disaster, protects the local tax base, ensures continuity of essential services, and supports more rapid recovery from disasters.

The ICC’s family of codes, also known as the International Codes, cover all aspects of building construction. Make sure they are part of your emergency preparedness plans.

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About the International Code Council

The International Code Council is a member-focused association. It is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes.