International Emerging Technology Symposium Focuses on Health Concerns

Experts from Around the World Convene in Chicago to Share the Latest Technologies and Best Practices for Combating Legionellosis, Other Water-Borne Pathogens

Bringing together entrepreneurs, industry leaders, experts and researchers from the plumbing, mechanical and water-efficiency industries, the fifth biennial International Emerging Technology Symposium (IETS), which took place recently just outside Chicago, offered two days of hands-on sessions that covered a wide range of issues, technologies, and best practices. Topics ranged from water quality and sanitation to renewable energy and waste mitigation. The theme for this year’s symposium was “Fostering Safety, Innovation and Sustainability in Building Water Systems.”

The International Code Council (ICC) was a benefactor of the 2016 symposium. Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO, and Senior Vice President of Technical Services Mike Pfeiffer attended the two-day event, as did Executive Vice President and Director of Business Development Mark Johnson, who co-presented a session on the new RESNET/ICC Water Efficiency Rating (WER) Index with Steve Baden, the Executive Director of RESNET.

“The ICC’s International Plumbing Code® (IPC) incorporates innovative technologies including waterless urinals and detailed engineered designs that permit the installation of smaller, more precise water usage and water drainage systems, resulting in the savings of millions of gallons of water,” Sims said. “Our International Residential Code® (IRC) and International Green Construction Code® (IgCC) both address water conservation and efficiency, as well. The IRC contains many of the same water efficiency provisions that are noted in the IPC, as well as provisions for collecting, storing, and using various types of non-potable water. The IgCC contains provisions for the collection, treatment, and storage and use of non-potable water.”

The growing number of legionellosis outbreaks around the world can be linked directly to increasing drought conditions, according to water-quality experts. However, these outbreaks can be combatted successfully by employing proven mitigation strategies and adhering to international standards. This was one of the key takeaway messages from the symposium.

“Water-pipe sizing formulas and charts have been used for decades, with resulting pipes being oversized for the actual demand,” said Pfeiffer. “It was postulated that this combination of oversized pipes coupled with a specific range of hot water temperatures may be a possible cause for Leginionella due to the reduced water velocity in the pipe. This is a critical issue for the pipe sizing requirements in both the IRC and IPC which requires further study.”

ICC’s participation at the symposium underscored the importance it places on the role plumbing designers and manufacturers play in the regulatory process. The ICC Evaluation Service PMG Listing Program offers a full range of certification activities for both the U.S. and Canada. ICC-ES PMG can certify products to AB1953, NSF/ANSI 372, S.3874 (Federal Law for Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water), other state lead certifications, and WaterSense applications. The certifications are free of charge if the client has a listing to the performance standard.

The International Emerging Technology Symposium provides valuable networking opportunities for practitioners in the fields of water and energy efficiency to meet and share information and best practices, as well as to learn about emerging products and standards. The ICC is proud to support the symposium and looks forward to participating in the sixth IETS in the spring of 2018.

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.