ICC Pulse Podcast

Episode 46: Update to the 2021 International Residential Code on Under-slab Vapor Barriers Apr 29, 2022

In this episode, Steve Jones, Code Council Lead Senior Government Relations Regional Manager, talks with Dario Lamberti, General Manager of the Engineered Films Division at ISI Building Products on a recent update to the 2021 International Residential Code on under-slab vapor retarders. They go in-depth on the significance of this code update; the manufacturing, installation and selection of high-performance vapor barriers; and the overall importance of engaging in the code development process.

This episode is sponsored by ISI Building Products.

Links to related and referenced topics in this episode:

Dario’s Favorite Building: Michigan Stadium

Episode 45: Women in Construction and Building Safety: Career path achievement through accessibility Mar 11, 2022

In this episode, Cecilia Muela, Building Official and Assistant Director with 4LEAF, Inc., and Code Council Instructor, talks with Rachel Patterson, Code Enforcement Officer with the Town of Erie, Colorado; Aleris Dunn, Chief Building Official with the City of Rohnert Park, California; Hilda Martinez, Code Enforcement Investigator with the City of Brownsville, Texas; and Lucero Aréchiga, Senior Public Information Officer for the City of Austin, Texas about their experiences in entering the building safety profession and ways to access resources and opportunities to encourage career growth in the field.

Links to related and referenced topics in this episode:

Women Leaders in Code Enforcement Symposium
The Code Council’s Safety 2.0 Program
Emerging Leaders Membership Council
Favorite Buildings:
- Rachel: Sydney Opera House
- Lucero: Pyramid at the Louvre and the New York Public Library
- Hilda: Historic Preservation Communities
- Aleris: Solano County Government Center

Episode 44: Code Enforcement Officer Safety Mar 04, 2022

In this episode, JC Hudgison, member of the Code Council’s Emerging Leaders Membership Council and CBO for the City of Tampa and Justin Edson, President of the Code Enforcement Officer Safety Foundation (CEOSF) discuss the hidden dangers code officials encounter on the job and the importance of spreading awareness of code enforcement officer safety. Links to topics referenced in this episode:

CEOSF website - https://www.codeofficersafety.org/

Episode Length: 00:26:32

Episode 43: Elevator Safety Dec 20, 2021

In this episode, Amy Blankenbiller, Executive Director of the National Elevator Industry Incorporated talks with Dottie Mazzarella, Vice President for Government Relations for the International Code Council about the role of codes and elevator safety as we begin to emerge from the coronavirus crisis.

Links to topics referenced in this episode:

NEII Home Page: https://nationalelevatorindustry.org/
NEII Model Safety Codes: https://nationalelevatorindustry.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Model-Code-Info-Sheet.pdf

Episode Length: 00:37:36

Episode 42: International Building Quality Centre (IBQC) Guidelines for Developing Countries Jul 01, 2021

In the final episode of Season 3 of the ICC Pulse Podcast, Judy Zakreski, Code Council Vice President of Global Services talks with Professor Kim Lovegrove and Professor Alfred Omenya on the newly-released Good Practice Guidelines and Principles for the Development of Building Regulations in Low Income Countries. The Guidelines were developed by the IBQC as a follow up to the more general IBQC Principles for Good Practice Building Regulation, published in September 2020.

Professor Lovegrove is Chair of the IBQC, an adjunct professor at the University of Canberra, a senior international consultant to the World Bank, and a senior construction lawyer with Lovegrove and Cotton Lawyers, based in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. Professor Omenya is an IBQC Board Member, a practicing architect and expert in sustainable human settlements, and principal researcher and CEO at Eco-Build Africa, a leading consultancy on sustainable urban development for developing countries.

Links to topics referenced in this episode:

IBQC Publication: Good Practice Guidelines and Principles for the Development of Building Regulations in Low Income Countries
September 2020 IBQC Publication: IBQC Principles for Good Practice Building Regulation
International Building Quality Centre: http://www.ibqc.org.au/
Alfred’s favorite building – Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house in Pennsylvania, USA: https://fallingwater.org/
University of Canberra: https://www.canberra.edu.au/
Eco-Build Africa: http://www.ecobuild-africa.com/home/
This episode is sponsored by the American Concrete Institute: https://www.concrete.org/

Episode Length: 00:58:23

Episode 41: Garage Door Safety May 28, 2021

In this episode, Steve Jones, Code Council Senior Gov’t Relations Regional Manager talks with Mike Fischer, Executive Director of the International Door Association (IDA); and Gordon Thomas, Technical Director at Door and Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA) on the importance of garage door safety. They also share safety tips and resources for inspectors and the public on checking garage doors.

Links to topics referenced in this episode:

The Code Council’s Evaluation Services also provides certifications on doors: https://icc-es.org/building-products-listing-program/
For more technical information on garage doors, visit: https://www.dasma.com/technical-data-sheets/
International Door Association (IDA): https://doors.org/
Door and Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA): https://www.dasma.com/
Garage Door Safety Month Resources: https://doors.org/resources/garage-door-safety-month
This episode is sponsored by the American Gas Association: https://www.aga.org/
DASMA Technical Data Sheet 167 – Sectional Garage Door & Electric Operator Checklist for Home Inspectors and Consumers: https://www.dasma.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/TDS167-Sectional-Garage-Door-Electric-Operator-Checklist-for-Home-Inspectors-and-Consumers.pdf

Episode Length: 00:17:06

Episode 40: Building the next generation of code professionals in black and brown communities May 14, 2021

In this episode, John ("JC") Hudgison, Certified Building Official for the City of Tampa & Emerging Leaders Membership Council member talks with Henry Green, former President & CEO of NIBS and former Code Council Board President, and Anthony Floyd, Green Building Program Manager for the City of Scottsdale, on training the next generation in black and brown communities and how we can increase awareness and education about the building safety profession.

Links to topics referenced in this episode:

Code Council Study on The Future of Code Officials
Anthony’s favorite building: National Museum of African American History & Culture
Henry’s favorite building: U.S. Capitol

Episode: 00:29:19

Episode 39: On California's Code Adoptions and Dedicating a Career to Building Safety Apr 15, 2021

In this episode, Sara Yerkes, Code Council Senior VP of Government Relations talks with Bob Raymer, Senior Engineer and Technical Director at CBIA Sacramento, about his experience with California’s code adoptions and on his career as a code official.

Episode: 00:31:38

Episode 38: On Resilience and Sustainability with NIBS Mar 19, 2021

In this episode, Sara Yerkes, Code Council Senior VP of Government Relations and Lakisha Woods, President and CEO of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) discuss the NIBS and ICC’s shared commitments to resilience and sustainability.

Episode: 00:22:23

Episode 37: FEMA’s Building Codes Save: A Nationwide Study Feb 26, 2021

In this episode, Gabe Maser, Code Council Vice President of Government Relations and National Strategy talks with Edward Laatsch, Director of the Planning, Safety and Building Science Division at FEMA about FEMA’s recent report Building Codes Save – A Nationwide Study of Loss Prevention.

Links to topics referenced in this episode:

Building Codes Save: A Nationwide Study of Loss Prevention
Study on Hurricane Harvey
Only about four in 10 Americans can afford to cover a $1,000 blow with savings (Bankrate survey). That’s about one-third of the average Federal Emergency Management Agency-verified (not actual) losses post-Harvey.
FLASH No Code. No Confidence. Program: resource allowing the public to determine the building codes used in their communities
U.S. Code Adoptions Map: provides information about code adoptions in the United States

Episode: 00:22:23

Episode 36: Special Inspections Jan 29, 2021

In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, Code Council Assessment Center Program Manager / Test Developer Doug Hatch talks with Special Inspector and Senior Project Manager Kenneth Morong about special inspectors and the benefits of special inspections.

Episode Length: 00:21:31

Episode 35: Modernizing Chicago's Building Regulations Jan 14, 2021

In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, Senior Vice President of Government Relations Sara Yerkes talks with returning guest, Managing Deputy Commissioner of the City of Chicago DOB Grant Ullrich, on the current development of the City of Chicago’s building regulations. Last year, Grant was on the show to talk about the City’s code adoptions. This episode follows how the Code Council and the City are working together on the production of Chicago’s new building regulations.

Episode Length: 00:24:43

Episode 34: A Look Back at New York City’s Department of Buildings COVID-19 Regulations Dec 10, 2020

In this season finale episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, we look back at a conversation recorded earlier this year between Code Council Vice President of Government Relations Dottie Mazzarella and President and CEO of the Building Trades Employers’ Association (BTEA) Lou Coletti on how building officials and contractors in New York City swiftly worked together in response to COVID-19 through prioritizing a commitment to the health and safety of professionals in the built environment to safely conduct constructions projects throughout the year.

Episode Length: 00:22:48

Episode 33: Discussing the 2018 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code and Commentary with Kevin Scott Nov 13, 2020

In this episode of the Pulse Podcast, Code Council Government Relations Vice President of Fire and Disaster Mitigation Karl Fippinger talks with Kevin Scott, President of KH Scott and Associates, about the 2018 2018 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code and Commentary.

Episode Length 00:31:19

Episode 32 Interview with ICC Learn Live Keynote Speaker Eric “Doc” Wright Oct 28, 2020

In this episode of the Pulse Podcast, Code Council Chief Knowledge Officer Joan O’Neil talks with Eric “Doc” Wright, Founder & CEO of Vets2PM, where Doc gives a preview of his upcoming keynote speech at ICC Learn Live.

At the time of this publishing, registration for Learn Live is still open! Register here.

You can find Doc as docwright2012 on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or at www.vets2pm.com/blog.

Episode Length 00:11:07

Episode 31: The Code Council's Digital Transformation Oct 16, 2020

In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, Catherine Vinson, Code Council Vice President of Customer Success invites Joan O’Neil, Code Council Chief Knowledge Officer, to talk about the association's digital transformation strategy.

On October 20, 2020, the Code Council will host a live virtual event about digital transformation in the building safety industry.

The event will feature:

An overview of the new Digital Codes Premium Complete product, a comprehensive online codes and standards database with new features and all access model for content and tools;
An overview of two online databases with detailed information about code adoptions globally;
An in-depth look at ICC Learn Live, a week-long virtual education event starting on November 9.

Participation to the digital transformation event is free, but space is limited. Register for the event here.

Episode Length: 00:17:39

Episode 30: Remote Virtual Inspections Sep 10, 2020

In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, Code Council Government Relations Senior Regional Manager Steve Jones hosts a dialogue with Inspected Director of Government Relations Johnny Goetz, about remote virtual inspections and how building safety professionals can implement this method.

Episode Length: 00:09:14

Episode 29: SFPE & Performance Based Design Jul 01, 2020

In this episode Code Council Senior Staff Engineer Beth Tubbs leads a discussion about the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) and performance-based design. Tubbs is joined by ARUP Principal and Past President of SFPE Ray Grill and Building Official of Summit, NJ Gary Lewis.

Episode length: 00:26:23

Episode 28: COVID-19 & Safety Practices for Reopening Buildings Jun 04, 2020

In this month's episode, the Code Council’s Vice President of Innovation Ryan Colker leads a discussion on safety procedures for reopening business in the wake of COVID-19.

Colker is joined by Chief Executive Officer of the Building Owners and Managers Association Henry Chamberlain and Assistant Director of the Clark County Department of Building & Fire Prevention Sam Palmer.

Episode length: 00:35:15

Episode 27: A Member Perspective - Copyright Issues & the International Codes Apr 16, 2020

As part two of our copyright series, Code Council Executive Vice President & Director of Business Development Mark Johnson interviews Master Code Professional Glenn Mathewson for his member perspective on copyright issues and the International Codes.

Episode length: 00:15:42

Episode 26: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act Apr 10, 2020

Code Council Vice President of Government Affairs Gabe Maser returns to the Pulse Podcast to share information about the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which is the third piece of federal legislation meant to address the Coronavirus crisis. Gabe discusses the stimulus package and how it can help state, local, tribal and territorial governments.

Episode length: 00:15:51

Episode 25: NTA joins the Code Council Family of Solutions Feb 19, 2020

In this episode, ICC-ES President Shahin Moinian and NTA President and CEO David Tompos share excitement for the expanded offerings that have come with the acquisition of NTA.

Episode: 00:10:59

Episode 24: Welcoming the Next Generation Jan 29, 2020

Code Council Senior Regional Manager of Government Relations Rick Hauffe hosts a conversation about welcoming the next generation of building safety professionals with members of the Emerging Leaders Membership Council (ELMC), which serves as an entry point for new, motivated members to engage in the Code Council activities.

Andre Jaen, from Denver, Colorado, is the new Chair of the ELMC Governing Committee and Allison Cook, from Arlington, Virginia, is serving her first term on the ELMC Governing Committee.

Episode length: 00:20:22

Episode 23: Copyright Issues & the International Codes Dec 20, 2019

Executive Vice President & Director of Business Development Mark Johnson interviews Code Council General Counsel Mel Oncu about the International Codes and copyright issues.

Episode length: 00:11:38

Episode 22: The UK Regulatory System & The Hackitt Report Nov 20, 2019

ICC Vice President of Global Services Judy Zakreski met with world renowned chemical engineer Dame Judith Hackitt to discuss the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017, the Hackitt Report and UK Regulatory System.

Episode length: 00:26:09

Episode 21: ICC & RESNET Collaborate to Increase Energy Code Compliance & Home Energy Efficiency Oct 21, 2019

As another collaboration with RESNET, Code Council Executive Vice President and Director of Business Development Mark Johnson and RESNET Executive Director Steve Baden discuss the collaboration efforts of the associations to increase energy code compliance and home energy efficiency.

Episode length: 00:37:10

Episode 20: DCRA & the "Uber" for Inspections Sep 25, 2019

In this episode of the Pulse Podcast, the Code Council's Vice President of Government Relations Justin Wiley returns to interview Washington, D.C.'s Director of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) Ernest Chrappah. The two discuss DCRA's various initiatives including the Vision 2020 Strategic Plan that focuses on digitization.

Episode length: 00:24:48

Episode 19: Chicago Code Adoptions Aug 21, 2019

This month Code Council Senior Vice President of Government Relations Sara Yerkes interviews Commissioner Judith Frydland and Deputy Commissioner Grant Ullrich of the Chicago Department of Buildings. The guest discuss the exciting recent code developments in the City of Chicago.

Episode length: 00:24:24

Episode 18:Fire Service Membership Council Jul 24, 2019

In this episode, Code Council Vice President of Fire and Disaster Mitigation Karl Fippinger interviews members of the ICC Fire Service Membership Council Randy Metz and Gary West. The guest discus the membership council, its new Ad Hoc committee and new building construction and fire safety technologies.

Episode length: 00:23:43

SPECIAL: Seismic Activity & the Searles Valley Earthquake Jul 22, 2019

In this special edition episode, we are joined by special guest Ken O’Dell, S.E. who is a California Structural Engineer, the President of the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California and a Principal of California based MHP Structural Engineers. In light of the Searles Valley Earthquakes, O’Dell discusses his work related to seismic activity and shares insight on seismic design provisions in the building code.

Episode length: 00:20:31

Episode 17: Major Jurisdiction Committee Jun 19, 2019

In this episode, we interview Wendy Wan from the New York City Department of Buildings and Terry Whitehill, Portland Oregon’s Building Official. Both are members of the Code Council's Major Jurisdiction Committee. Each guest shares information about the committee, as well as the initiatives of their respective jurisdictions.

SPECIAL EDITION: Securing Clean & Abundant Water May 13, 2019

RESTalk Host Bill Spohn interviews RESNET Program Director Ryan Meres and Code Council Executive Director of Sustainability Programs Dave Walls for this special ICC and RESNET collaboration episode for Building Safety Month. The guests discuss the new water ratings standard, water efficiency and conservation.

Episode length: 00:19:08

Episode 15: Career Path to Master Code Professional Apr 17, 2019

This month we are joined by David Naples, a building code official for Remington & Vernick Engineers in Middletown, Delaware. Since 2006, David has been a Master Code Professional, the highest level of Code Council certification. In this episode, we discuss Dave’s career path to MCP certification.

Episode length: 00:14:39

Episode 14: Interior Design & The Codes Mar 20, 2019

In this month's episode, we discuss codes and interior design with American Society of Interior Designers CEO Randy Fiser, Hon. FASID.

Episode Length: 00:19:17

Episode 13: The Global Standards Community Feb 28, 2019

Code Council Vice President of Global Services Judy Zakreski appears as the guest host for Episode 13 of the ICC Pulse Podcast. ASTM International President Katharine Morgan joins Judy for a conversation about global standards. With more than three decades of experience in increasingly strategic and managerial roles at ASTM, Kathie is a respected industry leader and one of the world's prominent voices on standardization-related issues.

Episode length: 00:28:37

Episode 12: Federal Government Update Jan 23, 2019

In this month’s episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, Code Council Vice President of Federal Relations Gabe Maser gives an update on the federal government after the 2018 midterm elections. Gabe shares insight on the federal government’s involvement with the codes, various legislative agendas related to the built environment and what to expect from the 116th Congress.

Episode Length: 11 min. 41 sec.

Episode 11: Building a Career in Plumbing Dec 19, 2018

Code Council Senior Director of PMG Resources Lee Clifton appears as the guest host for episode 11 of the ICC Pulse Podcast. Clifton's former trainee Damon Premer joins for a conversation about building a career in plumbing. Premer has worked in the plumbing trade for 32 years and is a senior project executive at All Area Plumbing in Commerce, Calif.

SPECIAL: Hoarding & The Codes Nov 26, 2018

In this special edition episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast we are joined by Matt Paxton, top hoarding expert and featured cleaner on the hit television show HOARDERS. Matt, who served as our keynote speaker at this year's Annual Conference in Richmond, Va., shares his expertise about a topic that is inextricably linked to building safety, fire prevention and the codes.

Episode 10: The Alliance for National and Community Resilience Nov 14, 2018

Code Council Vice President of Government Relations and Executive Director for the Alliance for National and Community Resilience (ANCR) Justin Wiley appears as the guest host and resilience prevention expert and ANCR Board of Directors member Ryan Colker joins him for a conversation about ANCR.

Ryan is also the Vice President of the National Institute of Building Sciences where he leads the Institute’s efforts to improve the built environment through collaboration of public and private sectors. He shares his resilience expertise and insight on the ANCR’s first benchmark focused on buildings.

Episode 9: Tiny Homes & Code Enforcement Oct 17, 2018

Chief Building Official for Davis, California, Greg Mahoney joins us this month to share industry insight on the new phenomenon of tiny homes, including the challenges these homes present to code officials and the overall impact on housing affordability. Greg also explains Appendix Q of the 2018 International Residential Code which covers tiny home requirements.

Episode Duration: 00:21:58

Episode 8: Welcoming the New Generation of Building Safety Leaders Sep 19, 2018

Recent Boise High School graduate Therese Etoka joins us for this month's episode to share her story about her advocacy for code adoption in Boise.

Episode 7: Plumbing Cross-Connection Control Programs Aug 22, 2018

Code Council Senior Director of PMG Resources Lee Clifton appears as the guest host for episode 7 of the ICC Pulse Podcast. Backflow prevention specialist Bruce Rathburn joins Lee for a conversation about plumbing cross-connection control programs. Bruce is the past president of his local chapter of the American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA) and the immediate past president of the ABPA International.

Episode Duration: 00:08:34

Episode 6: From Military to Civilian ft. Sergeant First Class Mike Reese Jul 18, 2018

This month's episode explore the transition from the military to civilian life. Currently a code services officer in Manhattan, KS, Sergeant First Class Mike Reese joins us to share the fascinating story of his journey from the Army to the world of building safety.

Episode Duration: 00:14:35

Additional resources

ICC Military Families Career Path Program

ICC Learning Center

Episode 5: ft Mike Pfeiffer & Ed Wirtschoreck Jun 20, 2018

In this episode of the ICC Pulse Podcast, ICC's Senior Vice President of Technical Service Mike Pfeiffer joins as our guest host. He and special guest Ed Wirtschoreck, ICC Director of Codes, share a comprehensive recap of the Spring Committee Action Hearings that took place in Columbus, Ohio from April 15-23, 2018.

Episode Duration: 00:27:22

More resources

Five takeaways from the Committee Action Hearings

2018 Annual Conference and Group A Public Hearings

Episode 4: Legionella & Building Water Systems May 18, 2018

In this month's episode, the Code Council interviewed Dr. Janet Stout, a world-renowned expert on Legionella and Legionnaire’s disease. Dr. Stout, president and director of Special Pathogens Laboratory in Pittsburgh and a research associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh, talks about the dangers of Legionella, where it’s most prevalent and how those at risk can protect themselves.

Episode Duration: 00:14:55

Episode 3 ft. FEMA's Eric Letvin & John Ingargiola Apr 18, 2018

In this month’s episode we welcome two guests from the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA) of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Eric Letvin, FEMA’s Deputy Assistant Administrator of Mitigation and John Ingargiola, Lead Physical Scientist of FEMA’s Building Science Branch join us to discuss pre-disaster mitigation, a prevalent topic after the series of tragic natural disasters in 2017.

Episode Duration: 00:24:14

Additional resources:

Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC)

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program

Flood Mitigation Assistance Program

National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program

Episode 2 ft. Beth Tubbs Mar 20, 2018

Beth Tubbs, a senior staff engineer with the International Code Council Codes and Standards Development department joins us this month. She has been with the Code Council since 1995 and she is currently the secretariat to the International Existing Building Code, the International Fire Code, and ICC Performance Code. Beth is also the lead staff on the Fire Code Action Committee.

Beth has extensive experience in fire protection engineering and shares insight on the lingering effects of the Grenfell Tower fire in London last year and how the Code Council and others in the codes and standards community have responded.

Episode Duration: 00:15:20

Additional resources:

ICC article: "Combustible exterior wall ‘cladding’ systems: An ICC perspective"

NFPA's risk management tool:Exterior Façade Fire Evaluation Comparison Tool (EFFECT)

ICC and SFPE's jiont publication: "Engineering Guide: Fire Safety for Very Tall Buildings"

Episode 1 feat. Jay Elbettar Feb 20, 2018

In episode 1, Whitney Doll, the Code Council’s Director of Communications and podcast host, talks with Board of Directors President Jay Elbettar, P.E., CBO, LEED AP, CASp. Jay shares some of his experiences as a code official, plans for 2018 and updates about various Code Council initiatives.

Jay Elbettar, P.E., CBO, LEED AP, CASp is the president of the ICC Board of Directors and a building official for Mission Viejo, Calif. He manages and directs the operation of the Mission Viejo Building Division through Charles Abbott Associates, including plan checks, inspections, counter operations and permit issuance. He was the recipient of the 2010 Gerald H. Jones Code Official of the Year Award. He is a registered professional engineer in seven states.

Whitney Doll is the Director of Communications for the International Code Council. She oversees the Code Council’s strategic communications initiatives and media relations program, and works closely with internal and external audiences to solidify the ICC brand.

Episode Duration: 00:20:17

Additional resources:

International Codes (I-Codes)

Building Safety Month

Wall Street Journal article: Homes Built to Stricter Standards Fared Better in Storm

Safety 2.0 - ICC Military Families Building Career Path Program

- Value of the Code Official Toolkit