SN-ICC Has New
Mailing Address

Building Safety Month
May 2011

ICC 2012 Update Seminars introduce the major changes from the 2009 codes to the 2012 editions. ICC's highly-qualified trainers and course materials provide in-depth reasoning and knowledge review questions to maximize your understanding of the 2012 codes.

Click here to view a schedule of upcoming courses.

Nominations for Public Official of the Year Award closes April 15.

ICC is accepting applications to serve on ICC Committees and Councils. 

ICC has launched the first edition of the Int'l Swimming Pool & Spa Code Public Version 1.0.

The Public Version 2.0 of the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) and the IGCC Water Efficiency Provisions are available for download.

Online registration for the ICC Code Development Hearings in Dallas is open.

ICC is seeking proposals from anyone interested in presenting during the 2011 Annual Conference.

Renew your ICC membership and you may qualify to receive a free download of the 2012 International Codes (includes all 15 codes).

ICC's website has a new area for ICC regional and chapter news.

Please visit ICC's Code Adoption Toolkit for valuable information that can assist with code adoption issues on the state or local level.

June 2009:  the NEESWood Capstone Project is moved onto the shake table in Japan.

SN-ICC's April 14 chapter meeting will feature Tim Kaucher, P.E., with Simpson Strong-Tie.  Kaucher will discuss the NEESWood Capstone Project, a seven-story wood frame structure with steel special moment frames on the first floor. This system was tested for seismic stability in Japan on the world's largest shake table.

SN-ICC meetings follow the schedule outlined below: 

• 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.:  lunch and networking
• 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.:  business
• 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.:  education

Non-members will be charged $20 for lunch, while lunch is free for SN-ICC members. Click here to become a member.

UPCOMING MEETING INFORMATION:

• SN-ICC's May chapter meeting will feature a presentation by Clark County's Jordan Krahenbuhl on the Southern Nevada amendments to the 2009 plumbing and mechanical codes.

• In June, Randy Hunter, with Cooper Bussmann, will give a one-hour overview on Selective Coordination of Emergency Systems.  This presentation will cover what it is, what the code requirements are, where it should be applied, and how it's enforced.  Types of selectively coordinated systems will be briefly described, as well as why it is important, especially related to the unique properties encountered in the Las Vegas Valley.  SN-ICC will provide 0.1 CEUs for those who attend this presentation.

 

The facade at Treasure Island Hotel/Casino features an exterior insulation and finish system.

• What's New With Exterior Insulation & Finish Systems?
   On April 7, representatives from the EIFS Industry Members Association will provide a 2.5 hour training on exterior insulation and finish systems.  Many hotel/casino facades on the Las Vegas Strip include EIFS.  This training is free for SN-ICC members and $25 for non-members.  Click here to download a PDF flier for more information.

• Post-Disaster Safety Evaluation of Buildings
  SN-ICC is pleased to offer two identical four-hour training classes on "Post-Disaster Safety Evaluation of Buildings." These classes will be held at 2101 Moser Drive in Henderson from 8 a.m. to noon on April 19 and 26. The speaker will be Majid Pakniat, P.E., Manager of Plans Examination with the Henderson Department of Building and Fire Safety. Majid will share his personal experience in this area. Attendees will receive training on how to respond effectively and consistently to typical building emergencies experienced in Nevada. The cost of this training is $50.00. Certification/identification cards will be provided to jurisdictional representatives. All attendees who complete the training will receive 0.40 CEUs. Visit http://snicc.org/chapter_seminars.html to register online.  As space is limited, pre-registration is required. Click here to download a PDF flier for more information.

• Overview of 2009 So. NV Structural & Grading Amendments
  On May 10, Clark County's Ted Droessler, P.E., Manager of Engineering, and Scott Telford, P.E., Principal Engineer, will present an overview of the 2009 Southern Nevada structural and grading amendments to the International Building Code. Click here to download a PDF flier for more information.

SNCDPC Chair Greg Blackburn speaks at the coalition's April Pools Day news conference.

Southern Nevada's newest coalition, the Southern Nevada Child Drowning Prevention Coalition (SNCDPC), has many SN-ICC links.  In addition to the several SN-ICC members who have joined this safety group, North Las Vegas Building Official and SN-ICC member Greg Blackburn was selected as the SNCDPC's chair.

As one of his first activities as chair, Greg lead the coalition at a press conference on April 1, otherwise known as "April Pools Day," to highlight pool safety.  The news conference was staged on April 1 specifically to get the message out prior to the start of the swim season.  Since 2000, on average 8 children have drown each year in Southern Nevada.  The majority of those drowning deaths took the lives of children 4 years old or younger.

Clark County Commissioner Susan Brager and Henderson Councilwoman Gerri Schroder were two of the featured speakers at the press conference.

Click on the links below to view media coverage of the event:

• http://www.8newsnow.com/story/14364240/vegas-area-april-pools-day-focusing-on-drownings
• http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/27398634/detail.html
• http://www.ktnv.com/story/14369175/swimming-safety-encouraged-on-april-pools-day
• http://www.mynews3.com/story.php?id=14230&n=5037
• http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/apr/01/nv-april-pools-day-vegas/

Many of the SNCDPC's members were part of a taskforce that tried to persuade the 2009 and 2011 Nevada Legislature to enact the Nevada Child Drowning Prevention Act (NCDPA).  The Act would have created a state pool code requiring homeowners to install secondary barriers (fences, door alarms) upon the sale of a home.  The NCDPA taskforce was chaired by Ron Lynn, the Building Official for Clark County and the International Code Council's current immediate past president.

Due to resistance from real estate lobbyists, the NCDPA taskforce decided in the fall of 2010 to disband and create the SNCDPC to focus on regional drowning prevention efforts rather than legislation.

The SNCDPC met for the first time in February 2011.  If you'd like to be part of the SNCDPC, please e-mail Dawn Rivard at mdawn@ClarkCountyNV.gov.

As the Nevada Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Authority (REEEA) moves forward with the rulemaking process to adopt the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code, REEEA is offering free trainings on the provisions of the code.  

Engineers and ICC chapter members can earn credit hours by attending the trainings!  

Upcoming trainings include:

• Residential Provisions of the 2009 IECC, April 19
• Trust But Verify - Testing Ducts in the 2009 IECC, May 5
• Commercial Provisions of the 2009 IECC, May 18

Please register today at:  http://unrbep.org/green-building/training/.

Along with the adoption of the 2009 International Building Code and Southern Nevada amendments, comes its companion document, the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code and its associated amendments.

One of the changes in the new energy code is a requirement for third party inspection and testing of building envelope air tightness and insulation installation (402.4.2). Further, with the rising cost of energy and a national movement to reduce dependence on foreign oil, there is strong demand in the residential market to go "above code," that is, implement increased energy efficiency beyond what the code prescribes.

When builders implement above code programs, they will provide an energy rating certificate to the building official. These certificates will be issued by third party testing agencies that certify the building energy rating system as designed and advertised to the consumer.

To address this growing demand for energy efficiency inspection and testing services, Clark County building officials are developing a new technical guideline, TG-95, that will provide the means by which third party firms will be approved by Clark County.

On March 16, 2011, the Clark County Department of Development Services hosted a meeting with industry to discuss the draft technical guideline, solicit input on the details of its implementation and provide information on how energy efficiency testing agencies can become approved agencies in Clark County. There was strong industry participation with over 30 people present for the meeting.

If you are an agency that conducts energy efficiency testing and desires to be placed on the county approved listing, you will find an application at http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/Depts/development_services/
engineering/Forms/806-C.pdf.

TG-95 is expected to be approved and published by the end of April 2011.

Las Vegas Development Services Center, 333 N. Rancho Drive.

By Mike Teemant, CBO, CBCO, CPCO
Plans Examiner
City of Las Vegas Building & Safety
mteemant@LasVegasNevada.gov

On January 24, the city of Las Vegas moved its Development Services Center (DSC) from 731 S. 4th Street, in the downtown corridor, to its new location near US 95 at 333 N. Rancho Drive. In addition to moving all development functions from 4th Street, inspection functions previously housed at 7551 Sauer Drive also have a new home in the "Atrium Building," or the new DSC.

The hours of operation for the DSC are 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.  The DSC is closed on Fridays.

However, on Fridays inspections are still performed, with the exception of same day express (inspections requested on the day of inspection), and epoxy inspections (CLV special inspections for epoxy installations for anchors and rebar), which are not available.

The city of Las Vegas purchased in the Atrium Building in December 2007. The building had several tenants at the time and the city still had a few years left on the lease at 4th Street. Permits for renovations at the Atrium Building were issued in May 2010 to prepare the building for the DSC and inspection services.

The Las Vegas City Manager's newsletter, "The City Link," reported earlier this year that the nine-story building would be the new home for 260 employees from Building and Safety, Leisure Services Administration, Public Works, Fire and Rescue, Business Licensing and Field Operations Administration. The Building and Safety Department occupies the first two floors of the DSC. Plan intake, cashier functions and plan repositories are located on the first floor. The second floor houses building department administration, plan check and inspections.

The DSC has 64 surface parking spaces suitable for large vehicle parking and 420 parking spaces in the 4-level garage. The parking garage is available to the public, with the exception of the first level, which is assigned parking, and the top level of the garage is reserved for city vehicles.

In addition to the change in location, there have been some management changes and department consolidations. Planning, Public Works, Neighborhood Services, Business Licensing, Fire Prevention and Building and Safety are now part of the Community Services Department. And Building and Safety now includes functions of inspection and plan review from Public Works, Planning and Code Enforcement. This realignment is intended to streamline the development process and provide solutions within one multi-purpose department.

All of the changes to the Department of Building and Safety are only the beginning of an evolution that is taking place to make development a pleasant, reliable experience for the public and industry. Come by and visit us to see the changes for yourself. The Las Vegas Building and Safety Department is taking the opportunity of the change in location to implement procedures to improve customer service.