July 18th, 2011

I did not get around to posting any info regarding Building Safety Month this year which was May 2011. Each year the International Code Council (ICC) promotes building safety awareness to help create community-wide recognition and understanding of building safety.  There is a lot of information available on a variety of topics including flood cleanup tips, mold remediation, smoke detectors and much more.  Read more about Consumer Safety tips from ICC  and look for future articles on the OBCC blog regarding Public Safety. In the meantime, here are  5 Tips from your Building Inspector.

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July 8th, 2011

In practical terms, green building is a whole-systems-approach to building that includes five principles of green building: 

1. Livable communities
2. Energy Efficiency
3. Indoor Air Quality
4.  Resource Conservation
5. Water Conservation

To learn more about these 5 principles visit the Build it Green website. Green buildings are sited, designed, constructed, and operated to enhance the well-being of their occupants and support a healthy community and natural environment. Green building practices preserve our environment for future generations by conserving natural resources and protecting air and water quality.

So how do Building Codes and Green Building  work together to ensure a safe and energy efficient structure? Current building codes establish minimum construction standards that protect your safety. Green building supplements building codes by using premium materials that are more durable and construction practices that often exceed building code requirements. Together, these qualities enhance your home’s performance and reduce maintenance and replacement costs, thereby raising its overall value.

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July 2nd, 2011

The OSU entry into the 2011 Solar Decathlon in Washington, DC is ready for inspection. OBCC will be going to the Ohio State University next week to perform electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and framing inspections before the house is insulated and drywalled.
The OSU team has been hard at work, to see photos of the house check out their website.
We are very excited to be involved in this project and wish the OSU team Good Luck. GO Bucks!

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April 8th, 2011

Recently, OBCC was very honored to be chosen to inspect the Ohio State University School of Architecture’s entry in the 2011 Solar Decathlon.
Since 2002, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) has sponsored the university student led Solar Decathlon. The Competition takes place every 2 years on the National Mall in Washington DC, where 20 teams from around the world build and showcase their innovative designs for 21st century, sustainable homes. The houses are judged in 10 categories relating to design, performance, and market viability. To read more about the OSU team and the 2011 house, click here.
Visit the United States Department of Energy Solar Decathlon website to read more  about the competition and the other teams that are participating this year.

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September 29th, 2009

Our recent seminar was well received. In fact, we have been asked to repeat the Wood Wall Framing course! We hope to do this in the near future, so check our website for details.

Don’t miss our upcoming seminar on October 16, 2009.
Elevators 101 focuses on requirements of the Ohio Building Code, The National Electrical Code and the Ohio Mechanical Code as they pertain to the construction of elevators. Also, a representative of ThyssenKrupp Elevators will be attending.

General Mechanical Requirements  and Flood resistant Construction should generate insightful discussion between our attendees and our instructor, Michael J. Stacy.

The food was great, the Park Alley Tavern & Banquet Room did a wonderful job at our recent seminar.

We  look forward to meeting you at our upcoming event in Pickerington.

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July 30th, 2009

We apologize for any difficulty you may have had this week trying to register for our Fall 2009 Continuing Education courses.

The online registration form is working again, so if you haven’t already, register now and join us for two full days of quality training.

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

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July 26th, 2009

Registration is open!

We are now accepting registration for our fall 2009 continuing education offerings.  We are hosting two days of courses: September 25 and October 16 in Pickerington, Ohio.

 Topics include wood wall framing, 2006 IECC energy conservation for commercial buildings, Elevators 101, Flood resistant construction, and general mechanical requirements.

Click here to download the event flyer for complete details.

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May 11th, 2009

OBCC recently had the following courses approved for continuing education credits:

General Mechanical Requirements is a 3 hour course that will cover the general installation requirements for HVAC equipment and how to apply the appropriate code requirements from the OBC, OMC and RCO.

Wood Wall Framing is a 3 hour course that will provide an overview of the prescriptive requirements of the Residential Code of Ohio and the Ohio Building Code.

Flood Resistant Construction is a 1.5 hour course  designed to help the code officials and inspectors determine if a flood hazard exists in their jurisdiction and how to apply the appropriate code requirements to the structural, electrical, and mechanical componets of the installation.

Electrical Considerations of the OBC,OMC, and RCO  is a 2 hour course that will help cross over and multiple inspectors apply electrical provisions not found in the NEC while addressing firestopping concerns for electrical installations.

Elevators 101 is a 1.5 hour course that focuses on the structural, mechanical, and electrical code requirements for the design and installation of elevators.

2006 IECC Energy Conservation for 1,2, & 3 Family Dwellings is a 3 hour course  that includes the OHIO  provisions for residential energy conservation.

2006 IECC Energy Conservation for Commercial Buildings is a 3 hour course focusing on energy conservation for multi-family dwellings and other commercial applications.

Visit our Training  page for more info as well as BBS course approval numbers.

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April 15th, 2009

Smoke Detectors

Building codes require smoke detectors in each bedroom and on each level of homes including basements to warn occupants of smoke and fire.

Stair Rails

Building codes address the size and spacing of ballisters and handrails to prevent children from falling or getting their heads stuck.

Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings

Building codes require bedrooms to have at least one emergency escape to the outside including bedrooms in basements.

Ground Fault and Arc Fault Circuit Interrrupters

Ground fault protected outlets (GFCI) protect you in wet locations such as bathrooms, kitchens, or outdoors. Arc fault protected circuits are required in bedrooms and as of January 1, 2009 in most other rooms in a residence to protect against faulty appliance cords from starting electrical fires.

Scald Protection

Building codes require anti- scalding or mixing valves in the shower to prevent burn injury.

Building Safety Week is Approaching

This year it is May 3-9, 2009. Building Safety week is promoted by the International Code Council to heighten public awareness of the importance of building codes and how they keep us safe in our everyday lives. To learn more about it visit www.buildingsafetyweek.org. There are brochures on a variety of topics including mold prevention and green building, that are free to download.

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March 26th, 2009

I recently received this via email from an associate. I doubt if there would be much of a residential market for these type of fixtures. They most likely would be used in a commercial application. If you would like to read the report, here you go. If you have an article that you would like to share with the code community or residential consumers, email me the link.

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