Page 6 - CodeWatcher Fall 2016 Issue

CODE WATCHER

News & Trends

The State of Building
Energy Code Enforcement

IIs the level of code enforcement waning even as model energy codes tighten?
N A RECENT BLOG, NAIMA ASKED: Is code
enforcement, verified by on-site inspections at key
periods during construction, becoming more lenient?
The organization produced this graphic to show what
professionals in the code arena will be grappling with
in the foreseeable future. Here are some points to ponder:

¦¦ Most state and local jurisdictions dramatically reduced
the number of building code inspectors during the housing
crash in 2007, and it’s been a slow recovery since then.

¦¦ From 2014-2015, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a
3.5 percent increase in the number of building inspectors, yet
the increase has not kept pace with construction. To keep pace
with the sheer volume of assessments, it’s not uncommon for
building inspectors to select a “reference home” to inspect
and assign the same pass/fail result to similar homes in
the development. For states who have adopted IECC 2012
or 2015—which each require RESNET Grade 1 installation
of insulation for residential homes, as an example—the
question arises: How can anyone certify it’s been built to
Grade 1 standards if the house hasn’t been visually inspected?

¦¦ Some jurisdictions allow third-party inspectors versus
state or local inspectors. The most prominent example of this
approach is the use of HERS Raters. While this outsourced
approach can certainly benefit governments and builders, it
is important for consumers that all home inspectors operate
on a level playing field.

Read the full blog here.

WE Stand: Call for Public Comments

IAPMO is calling for public comments on formal proposals toward the development of the 2017 Water Efficiency and
Sanitation Standard (WE Stand). The comment form, with instructions and background on IAPMO’s ANSI-accredited
consensus process, as well as the WE Stand draft document, Report on Proposals, Monograph, and a development
timeline, can be found here.

6 CodeWatcher / Fall 2016 www.codewatcher.us