Case study: How Linn County unshackled inspectors in the field

If you’re like many local inspectors offices, you do what you can to work around the costs of purchasing physical code books. The internal processes you develop may not be ideal, but they allow you to work within your limits.

That was the case for Luke Maloney, the Building Official at Iowa’s Linn County Building Division. Luke had a limited budget, which meant purchasing a limited number of code books. What Luke didn’t realize was how greatly those limitations were shackling the inspectors in the field.

When a pandemic and a natural disaster forced their office to shut down, they were cut off from their printed code books. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as Linn County was about to boost their speed and quality of work beyond expectations.

The challenge: Limited budget, limited effectiveness

For over a decade, Linn County inspectors had been taking old versions of the codebooks into the field with them. It’s expensive to buy the full suite of codes for everybody, so they kept previous versions in their trucks and brought them out in the field for reference. Unfortunately, the workaround created limitations that affected several aspects of their work.

Because each inspector administers a variety of codes in the fields, it was cumbersome to take all of the codebooks out. And because they were using older versions, there was an inherent risk to their work.

Not only were they relying on an imperfect memory, there could be new code changes the inspectors never knew about.

If an inspector thought there was a recent code change, they would have to call back to the office and confirm it. That meant seeking out Luke and asking for the exact language.

Not having the latest codes in the field also created tensions with contractors. “Industry wide, you get inspectors out there that call things out which aren’t really based on code,” Luke said. “So if you can’t show them the exact thing you’re calling out right there on the job site, you’re creating the potential to escalate a situation.”

“At Linn County, we emphasize that you need to be able to back up your statements with the code text. But we couldn’t do that efficiently,” he said.

Linn County inspectors had been making do with this system for at least a decade. That ended suddenly on August 10, 2020, when the Building Official’s office had to make a switch literally overnight.

To everyone’s surprise, Iowa was hit with a level-two inland hurricane, called a derecho. The storm traveled across the entire state, and several infrastructures went down — including power and cell phone service. “With the pandemic on top of that, our county buildings started to get shut down,” Luke said. “So we had an epic failure on all sorts of fronts, and we had to think outside the box.”

The solution: ICC Digital Codes Premium

The Linn County Building Division immediately moved everything they could to digital. Within days they began implementing digital solutions. Phone systems weren’t even working, so they were limited to email communication. “It was just a mess,” Luke said. “ But we went to video inspections, and we were able to send code sections through ICC Digital Codes Premium.”

Linn County had known about ICC Digital Codes Premium, but until the hurricane, it wasn’t a priority. Once business as usual was no longer possible, it was an easy decision to switch from printed books to the Digital Codes. “The inspectors needed a way to send information to contractors, so we just made the call and signed up,” Luke said.

The results

The transition had an immediate effect. Linn County Inspectors were unshackled from their limitations and began eliminating wasted time and frustrations. They are now getting more work done faster, performing at a higher quality, and seeing better outcomes with contractors.

Greater efficiency
Using ICC Digital Codes Premium has given Linn County inspectors a boost in getting things done. It’s easier for them to do their jobs, and they’ve virtually eliminated back-and-forth work. Instead of going back to the office to photocopy a code section, they can pull it up on their mobile devices and email it to the contractor, right then and there.

“Before, if inspectors needed exact wording, they would have to catch me outside of a meeting. They’d get me on the phone, I’d have to look up the exact language and maybe an explanation as well,” Luke said. “Now, instead of sitting there waiting for me, they have the code they need right there at their fingertips.

“It has really speeded up everything. The old way just seems silly now.”

Better quality work
Luke uses a lot of checklists in his plan review process. As a part of that, he often turns to ICC Digital Codes Premium to do a quick keyword search. He uses the list of results to do a check for related topics he wouldn’t have thought of in his plan review.

The search tool has also aided less experienced inspectors in navigating the codes and providing more accurate answers.

“The search capability of Digital Codes is terrific,” Luke said. “If you’ve been inspecting for years, you might think you know the codes back and forth. But if you do a search, you may not have thought of something that the search results show. Iit improves the overall quality of your work.”

Fewer tensions
Tensions with contractors have noticeably improved since inspectors went digital. When they can stand there with the builder and go over the code together, they’re both seeing the same information. There’s no dispute.

If there’s a difference of interpretation, ICC Digital Codes Premium comes with explanatory notes to help you understand the codes accurately and confidently.

The digital approach solves a great majority of disputes, because it’s clear that the inspector isn’t being unreasonably picky. When the code is spelled out — and interpreted — in black and white, there isn’t anything to argue about. The inspector is just doing their job.

“The Digital Codes give us the opportunity to educate, as well,” Luke said. “We can say, ‘This is why I’m calling it out, this is what it says here.’”

Going all-in on digital codes

Linn County inspectors were quick to adopt the Digital Codes, and Luke expects to deepen their commitment to digital as they move forward. “The County still purchases a hard copy of the books, but I definitely see us transitioning away from the hard copies altogether,” he said. “I probably have 30 books on my shelf. Having it all on a device is a lot easier!”

About ICC Digital Codes Premium

The International Code Council develops construction and public safety codes through a governmental consensus process. The International Codes, or I-Codes, are the most trusted and widely adopted source of codes across the world. Decades of knowledge and experience guide our code development process to create safe, sustainable and affordable communities at a level playing field for builders, developers and manufacturers. As industry experts, we provide the codes and standards that our members turn to, building safety professionals rely on and manufacturers trust.

ICC Digital Codes Premium is more than just building codes. It’s an entire toolset that gives you deeper insights, greater efficiency, and stronger collaboration — all at your fingertips. Stay connected to the most trusted source of building codes and standards, at your desk or in the field.

Know more. Do more. Trust more. Start a 14-day free trial with Digital Codes Premium.