THE CARE AND FEEDING OF A BUILDING DEPARTMENT

1. THE CARE AND FEEDING OF A BUILDING DEPARTMENT

2. AFTER DINNER EXERCISE • Please take the sheet of paper in front of you and find the middle, when you do- please let me know.

3. AFTER DINNER EXERCISE • Please take the sheet of paper in front of you and find the middle, when you do- please let me know. • Middle- I meant center. • I really needed you to mark it.

4. AFTER DINNER EXERCISE • Please take the sheet of paper in front of you and find the middle, when you do- please let me know. • Middle- I meant center. • I really needed you to mark it. • Please locate and mark the exact center.

5. AFTER DINNER EXERCISE • Please take the sheet of paper in front of you and find the middle, when you do- please let me know. • Middle- I meant center. • I really needed you to mark it. • Please locate and mark the exact center. • Now- wasn’t that frustrating?

6. AFTER DINNER EXERCISE • Man is the only animal that blushes..or needs to.

7. AFTER DINNER EXERCISE • Man is the only animal that blushes..or needs to. • It works better everybody has a level playing field.

8. AFTER DINNER EXERCISE • Man is the only animal that blushes..or needs to. • It works better if everybody has a level playing field. • Many roads lead home.

9. AFTER DINNER EXERCISE • Man is the only animal that blushes..or needs to. • It works better if everybody has a level playing field. • Many roads lead home. • HOLD THOSE THOUGHTS!

10. William H.(Bill) Hudson • Facilities manager • Property owner • Contractor • FEMA inspector • Rehab specialist • Environmental Risk Assessor & Inspector • Inspector, Plan reviewer, Building official • Master Code Professional • BPI Certified Building Analyst • UL Standards Technical Panel for Energy Management Equipment, STP 916 • ICC Subject Matter Expert & Instructor

11. Bill Hudson

12. Bill Hudson

14. MAN IS THE ONLY ANIMAL THAT BLUSHES…OR NEEDS TO. • We’re all fallible; we should respect one another in spite of and because of our shortcomings. • “Rake, sweep, and pick up…” • “A conservatively-sized water heater…” • Conflict resolution with the code book. • We can be up for a good code discussion. “Teach me something I didn’t know and I’ll say Thank You!” • I invite design professionals to use the “Hey Stupid response” if I miss something on a plan review.

15. MAN IS THE ONLY ANIMAL THAT BLUSHES…OR NEEDS TO. • We’re all fallible; we should respect one another in spite of and because of our shortcomings. • “Rake, sweep, and lick up…” • “A conservatively-sized water heater…” • Conflict resolution with the code book • We can be up for a good code discussion. “Teach me something I didn’t know and I’ll say Thank You!” • “Hey Stupid response” if I miss something on a plan review.

16. IT WORKS BETTER IF EVERYBODY HAS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. • As a building official, my goal is to facilitate a level playing field for all involved..Here’s how I try to do it: • Owner- • Protect the interests of my employer: • Safety • Protect from unexpected change orders • Contractor- • Give him/her every opportunity to do the right thing • Feed the family • Building Department- • Reviewable documents • Inspections passed • Design professional- • Correct your homework and help keep your E&O rates lower • Satisfied clients- feed your family

17. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD SECTION 103 CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS 103.1 General. Construction documents and other supporting data shall be submitted in one or more sets with each application for a permit. The construction documents shall be prepared by a registered design professional where required by the statutes of the jurisdiction in which the project is to be constructed. Where special conditions exist, the code official is authorized to require necessary construction documents to be prepared by a registered design professional. Exception: The code official is authorized to waive the requirements for construction documents or other supporting data if the code official determines they are not necessary to confirm compliance with this code.

18. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD 103.2 Information on construction documents. Construction documents shall be drawn to scale upon suitable material. I get some projects 1/8” scale on Arch D. multiple sheets per floor. I also get

19. NIC DESIGN-BUILD BY CONTRACTOR VERIFY IN FIELD I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THESE PLANS MEET OR EXCEED WHATEVER CODE MAY BE IN PLACE IN WHATEVER JURISDICTION THIS MAY BE.

20. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Electronic media documents are permitted to be submitted when approved by the code official. • .pdf is a preferred format because I can’t change it. • I like documents that I don’t have to pay to scan.

21. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Construction documents shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed, and show in sufficient detail pertinent data and features of the building, systems and equipment as herein governed. • pre-submittal meetings. • Interns and assistants calling with generic broad stroke questions. • We’re doing a store in the mall- do we have to provide two accessible toilet rooms? • Maybe- • Do we have to provide a corridor through the storeroom to the rear exit? • Maybe

22. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD • Do we need to run low voltage in conduit? • Maybe • 2008 NEC lets you run low voltage exposed except for certain situations: • Exposed to damage • “Please specify, detail and note HVAC adequate for review.” • Treat me like I’m ignorant and brain dead. Spell it out. • Some of my colleagues just may think ΔT is a beverage on an airline.

23. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Details shall include, but are not limited to, as applicable, Insulation materials and their R-values; • Fenestration U-factors and SHGCs; • Area-weighted U-factor and SHGC calculations; • Mechanical system design criteria; • Mechanical and service water heating system and equipment types, sizes and efficiencies; • Economizer description; • Equipment and systems Controls; • Fan motor horsepower (hp) and controls; • Duct sealing, duct and pipe insulation and location; • Lighting fixture schedule with wattage and control narrative; and • Air sealing details

24. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD • How you think I reviewed a tenant build out that came in on 2 signed and stamped Architectural sheets, with the following notes: • Electrical: design-build by contractor. • Mechanical: design-build by contractor • Plumbing: design-build by contractor • Fire Alarm: design-build by contractor • Fire Sprinklers: design-build by contractor • Storefront windows: design-build by contractor • Or what about the complete specification of “This project shall comply with the 2009 IECC”?

25. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Give me the details- it lets me protect you. • Ice melt system for the loading dock of for a major communications company. • T2 thermostat identified as the slab sensor was specified to allow 120F. • I pointed to the snow melt portion of the energy code and asked for resubmittal. • Plans unchanged at resubmittal • Supposed to be the hydronic loop temperature controlled by the T3 stat. No T3 stat on the drawings.

26. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Give me the details- it lets me protect you. • Storm water harvesting- • Direct piping from roof drains to basement- • no shunt, • no alternate means of water disbursement- • every drop of rain that hit the roof went into the basement and had to be pumped out • 3@ 500 gallon tanks in the basement • 100 year rainfall 2,400 gallons/hour • Overflow into sump with 2@12 gpm pumps.

27. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Give me the details- it lets me protect you. • 4,000 square foot battery room in a data center- • Engineer proposes 300 cfm fan for ventilation • no battery spec’s • no charging station details • Two months later, the architect provides the information. • I have personal history with battery rooms.

28. THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Give me the details- it lets me protect you. • One thing to note, however, I didn’t tell these engineers how to design the systems or in what manner the details had to be submitted, they were free to use: • Drawings • Sections, • Details • Schedules, • Tables • Manufacturer’s cut sheets……

29. MANY ROADS LEAD HOME 2009 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE SECTION 102 ALTERNATE MATERIALS—METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN OR INSULATING SYSTEMS 102.1.1 Above code programs. The code official or other authority having jurisdiction shall be permitted to deem a national, state or local energy efficiency program to exceed the energy efficiency required by this code. Buildings approved in writing by such an energy efficiency program shall be considered in compliance with this code. The requirements identified as “mandatory” in Chapters 4 and 5 of this code, as applicable, shall be met.

30. MANY ROADS LEAD HOME 2009 INTERNATIONAL MECHANICAL CODE SECTION 105 APPROVAL 105.1 Modifications. Whenever there are practical difficulties involved in carrying out the provisions of this code, the code official shall have the authority to grant modifications for individual cases upon application of the owner or owner’s representative, provided the code official shall first find that special individual reason makes the strict letter of this code impractical and the modification is in compliance with the intent and purpose of this code and does not lessen health, life and fire safety requirements. The details of action granting modifications shall be recorded and entered in the files of the mechanical inspection department.

31. MANY ROADS LEAD HOME 2009 INTERNATIONAL MECHANICAL CODE SECTION 105 APPROVAL 105.2 Alternative materials, methods, equipment and appliances. The provisions of this code are not intended to prevent the installation of any material or to prohibit any method of construction not specifically prescribed by this code, provided that any such alternative has been approved. An alternative material or method of construction shall be approved where the code official finds that the proposed design is satisfactory and complies with the intent of the provisions of this code, and that the material, method or work offered is, for the purpose intended, at least the equivalent of that prescribed in this code in quality, strength, effectiveness, fire resistance, durability and safety.

32. MANY ROADS LEAD HOME 2009 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE SECTION 102 ALTERNATE MATERIALS—METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN OR INSULATING SYSTEMS 102.1 General. This code is not intended to prevent the use of any material, method of construction, design or insulating system not specifically prescribed herein, provided that such construction, design or insulating system has been approved by the code official as meeting the intent of this code.

33. MANY ROADS LEAD HOME I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.

34. MANY ROADS LEAD HOME I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help. Some good questions to ask: • Do you have local amendments, and if so, where can I find them? • I’m going to do a _________ project, what have other folks been missing on their submittals? Some BAD questions to ask: • How long will it take me to get my permit? • It’s a _______________job, you can bump it ahead of everyone else, right? • I left you seven messages this morning, why haven’t you called back yet? • Any question that can be answered “Maybe”.

35. MANY ROADS LEAD HOMEI’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.

36. MANY ROADS LEAD HOME I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.

37. MANY ROADS LEAD HOME I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.

38. MANY ROADS LEAD HOME www.aiact.org

39. CONCLUSION • Man is the only animal that blushes..or needs to. • Perform as a professional – regardless of what the other guy is doing. • Appreciate it when somebody teaches you something new. • Conflict resolution with the code book • It works better if everybody has a level playing field. • Many roads lead home.

40. CONCLUSION • Man is the only animal that blushes..or needs to. • Perform as a professional – regardless of what the other guy is doing. • Appreciate it when somebody teaches you something new. • Conflict resolution with the code book • It works better if everybody has a level playing field. • You have the primary opportunity to provide the level playing field for each project. • Don’t submit pages of boilerplate • Many roads lead home.

41. CONCLUSION • Man is the only animal that blushes..or needs to. • Perform as a professional – regardless of what the other guy is doing. • Appreciate it when somebody teaches you something new. • Conflict resolution with the code book • It works better if everybody has a level playing field. • You have the primary opportunity to provide the level playing field for each project. • Don’t submit pages of boilerplate • Many roads lead home. • You have the reigns when it comes to creativity and design flexibility. • The government is your friend .

42. THANK YOU ! Bill Hudson baldbeard@sbcglobal.net 708/372-6945