Code Council Develops International Green Construction Code

The International Code Council has passed the midpoint in developing a draft of a new international green construction code. A report from the work group’s October meeting indicates that the group wants to produce a code that is widely adoptable, enforceable, usable, and effective.

Topics at the forefront of recent discussions about balancing effectiveness versus adoptability include:

Heat Island Mitigation – Decisions regarding to what extent solutions such as trees and landscaping should be captured as either regulatory mandates or elective alternatives. Looking beyond the building itself to site requirements is common in green programs, but largely outside the scope of traditional building codes.

Water and Natural Resource Preservation – One issue is regional and the ongoing quest for code language that works for both conservation needs in drought-prone areas, and excess on-site water accumulation and management in regions where this represents the most pressing need. Other issues again deal largely with the site rather than the “box.”

Materials Conservation – With 60% or more of landfill waste attributable to construction, the need for post-construction waste management was a key discussion point. Discussions focused on the issue of how to regulate effective solutions including: measuring the recyclability/sustainability of materials (steel, concrete, wood, glass, etc.) at the end of a building’s life cycle; and, deconstruction/reusability as a separate measurement from demolition/recyclability.

Commissioning – This continues to be a work in progress, says the ICC report, with tremendous effort going into finding a workable I-Code approach. As an overlay code, it was generally agreed that the IGCC provisions on commissioning should be formatted in much the same way as the special inspection provisions of Chapter 17 of the IBC. The IGCC provisions will require measures consistent with the need to drive effective outcomes in green and sustainable construction for the future.

The group’s next, and second-to-last, meeting is scheduled for December in Ft. Meyers, Florida. The final drafting meeting is scheduled for the end of January.

Additional information and updates are available at http://www.iccsafe.org/content/Pages/SignificantChanges.aspx.

New Edition of Detailing for Steel Construction Now Available

The Third Edition of Detailing for Steel Construction is now available in print from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). This updated version of the 2002 Second Edition is consistent with the 2005 AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings.

The new edition covers general fabrication requirements, contract documents, common connection details, basic detailing conventions, project set-up and control, erection drawings, shop drawings, bills of material, and detailing quality control and assurance.

The publication can be purchased from the AISC Bookstore at www.aisc.org.

To correspond with the new edition of Detailing for Construction, an AISC web-based steel-detailing course, developed by Dowco Consultants Ltd., and endorsed by AISC, is available in various price packages at http://www.aisc.org/steeldetailingcourse.

Alfred Benesch Chairman Kasi Writes Guide to Value Engineering

Chairman of the board of Chicago engineering company Alfred Benesch & Co., Muthiah Kasi, has written a book titled “Function Approach to Transportation Projects – A Guide to Value Engineering” to help design professionals, owners, contractors and end users learn the techniques for maximizing cost savings on transportation projects of any size.

The book takes readers step-by-step from information gathering to project solution.

Visit www.benesch.com for more information.

“Unseen Architecture” Exhibit at Milwaukee’s Eisner-American Museum

The Eisner-American Museum of Advertising & Design is showing “Unseen Architecture: MKE,” an exhibit showcasing creative and inspirational architectural thinking.

Running through March of 2010, the exhibit highlights unbuilt projects from 18 Milwaukee-area architectural firms.

In architecture, the public sees only a small portion of what was conceived, so the Eisner and AIA Milwaukee have joined to explore the concept drawings and models, and to applaud the efforts of what could be.

The exhibit gives a better understanding of what it takes to conceive and produce buildings. For hours and admissions, visit http://www.eisnermuseum.org/