Michael Armstrong
ICC Hires New Head of Member Services Team, Prepares for Codes Forum in May
As part of an organizational restructuring to provide enhanced services to members, the International Code Council (ICC) named Michael Armstrong Senior Vice President of its Member Services Division. The division includes membership, training and education, certification, and meeting and travel services."The new Member Services Division, by incorporating training, certification, member support and meetings, will have customer service as its primary mission," said Armstrong. "Our division plans to leverage our skills and relationships across the ICC family to provide support that is responsive and relevant to the needs of our customers."
Armstrong comes to the Code Council from ICF International, a management consulting firm, where he managed projects for local government clients. He previously served as the Associate Director for Mitigation for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where he helped launch FEMA's Project Impact program. He also worked for ten years as an assistant city attorney in Aurora, Col., where he frequently worked with code officials and other local officials on building code and planning issues.
Codes Forum.In addition, the ICC is preparing for its 2007 Codes Forum, to be held May 20-26 in Rochester, NY. This event includes the Code Council's Final Action Code Hearings and code update seminars. It brings together the nation's leading code enforcement and fire service officials, architects, engineers and other construction industry professionals.
"Participating in the Final Action Code Hearings is a great opportunity to make a significant contribution to public safety," said International Code Council CEO Rick Weiland. "Code Council governmental members, including building and fire officials, have the final say in the content of the International Codes used to guide construction in thousands of communities across the United States to safeguard the public and protect property."
Codes Forum also includes education sessions on the transition to the 2006 I-Codes. The education programs will be held on May 20 and include updates on the International Building, Residential, Fire and Plumbing Codes.
A separate event, held prior to Codes Forum, is the Design Professional Institute, May 18-19. Topics include Architectural Applications for Designers, Solving Means of Egress Issues in Commercial Buildings, Accessibility and Usability and Mixed Occupancies. All courses reference the 2003 International Building Code and will help attendees learn how to design code-compliant projects. The Design Professional Institute and Codes Forum offer continuing education units (CEUs), AIA learning units (LUs) and AIA health, safety and welfare (HSW) credit.
All Codes Forum events are being held at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. The Design Professional Institute is at the nearby Hyatt Regency. For more information on the 2007 International Code Council Codes Forum, the Design Professional Institute or to register for these programs, visit iccsafe.org/codesforum or call 888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233), ext. 4229.
NSPC Committee Requests Proposed Changes
To facilitate the development of an updated National Standard Plumbing Code (NSPC), the NSPC Committee is requesting proposed changes to the 2006 NSPC. All proposed changes are due byApril 26, 2007. If approved, these changes will appear in the 2008 Supplement to the 2006 NSPC.The NSPC Committee will review all properly submitted proposals in May in preparation for the NSPC public hearing, scheduled for Aug. 23 in Falls Church, VA. Please note that all proposed changes are requested in electronic form, although hard copy proposals will be accepted. If a standard is referenced, a copy of that standard must accompany the code change that is submitted to the committee.
The National Standard Plumbing Code (NSPC) uses an annual review process and publishes the complete code every three years. Supplements are printed during the years in between the printing of the full edition.
For a copy of the changes that were approved at the 2006 NSPC Public Hearing, you can purchase the 2007 Supplement to the 2006 NSPC by calling (800) 533-7694 or ordering online at www.phccweb.org.
For a copy of the code change form or more information on the NSPC, visit the PHCC Web site at www.phccweb.org under Contractor Resources or contact Julie Turner at (800) 533-7694.
New Product Updates Available in FM Approvals' 2007 Approval Guide
Just published, the2007 Approval Guideby product testing and certification organization FM Approvals is designed for architects, consulting engineers, plant managers, contractors and product buyers looking to select the right equipment and materials to address property threats and protect their facilities. FM Approvals is a nationally recognized testing laboratory. The guide is on CD-ROM.This guide provides the most up-to-date, detailed engineering data and technical information on the application and use of more than 45,000 FM Approved fire protection products, building materials, and electrical equipment and services that best prevent property loss. The CD-ROM also contains more than 140 Approval Standards documents, indicating the rigorous testing criteria products must meet to become FM Approved. For more information, call (877)-364-6726 (toll free in the United States and Canada) or (781)-255-6681 (other countries) or visit www.fmapprovals.com.
Geberit Corporate Film Wins Award at New York Festivals
The winners of this year's "New York Festivals International Film & Video Awards" were announced last month and Geberit’s corporate film was awarded a bronze medal. The film's main topics emphasize people's need for peace and quiet, environmental protection, hygiene and reliability. It was filmed in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Norway and China and is available in nine languages in its original length, as well as in a short version.The "New York Festivals' International Film & Video Awards" have recognized excellent works in the Film & Video category since 1957.
The international competition is held every year. With approximately 1,000 productions submitted annually, the "New York Festivals' International Film & Video Awards" are the most important international sector competition.
Luki Frieden wrote the screen play and directed the film, and director of photography was Michael Saxer. The film production company was Condor Films. For more information, contact John Fitzgerald at (847)-803-7777, x224.
Colorado Fire Suppression Program Adopts Latest Version of NFPA Codes
The latest editions of 22 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes have been incorporated into regulations that comprise the Colorado Fire Suppression Program. NFPA documents are referenced as they pertain to the installation of sprinklers and other fire protection systems.In order to meet nationally recognized standards, Colorado developed a fire suppression program to ensure proper installation and maintenance of life safety systems for residential and commercial occupancies. NFPA 5000®, Building Construction and Safety Code and NFPA1, Uniform Fire Code™ are among many NFPA codes being implemented within Colorado’s program. All adoptions were effective October 2006.
Colorado Fire Suppression Program regulations as they relate to the design and installation of fire suppression systems refer to NFPA 5000. Overall, the purpose of NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code is to protect life and property by setting minimum regulations on construction, protection and occupancy features. The code establishes minimum design through regulation and control of the permitting, design, construction, quality of materials, use of occupancy, location and maintenance of all building and structures within a jurisdiction.
NFPA 1,Uniform Fire Code, recognized worldwide and adopted statewide in 20 states, is a key NFPA document that is being utilized by the Colorado program as it relates to sprinklers and fire suppression. In general, NFPA 1 provides requirements necessary to establish a reasonable level of fire safety and property protection from hazards created by fire and explosion. Its primary purposes are to address basic fire prevention requirements and to reference or extract the fire prevention and protection aspects of many other NFPA codes and standards.
Visit NFPA's Web site at www.nfpa.org.
IAPMO R&T Now Certifies High-Efficiency Toilets to EPA Specification
IAPMO Research and Testing (R&T) announced recently that it has become an approved certification body for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program.IAPMO R&T now certifies water closets to the Tank-Type High-Efficiency Toilet Specification as designated by the EPA program. Under the new specification, toilets must comply with a variety of requirements to be recognized as WaterSense-compliant. Manufacturers who meet or exceed program specifications will be able to display the WaterSense logo on qualifying products.
“WaterSense is an important EPA program, and we’re excited to be a part of it,” said Shahin Moinian, senior director of IAPMO R&T. “Manufacturers seeking WaterSense certification can utilize R&T for the same trusted evaluation service they’ve always relied on.”
Anish Desai, IAPMO R&T’s quality assurance manager agreed, adding, “Our certification speed and unparalleled customer service make IAPMO R&T the ideal choice for manufacturers seeking a competitive edge.”
For more information, call (909) 472-4100 or visit www.iapmo.org.
