News Updates - February 8, 2012
2011 Residential Energy Code
compliance guides now available
BCD recently produced 2011
Oregon Residential Energy Code guides to help comply with
the energy provisions of the 2011 Oregon Residential Specialty
Code. The guides include best practices, helpful hints, and general
guidance for residential construction. A total of 18 guides, updates
of the 2008 Oregon Department of Energy guides, cover frequently
asked questions, insulation methods, lighting and HVAC compliance,
envelope trade-offs, and more. Guide No. 16, which provides examples
of how to show energy code information on plans, is coming soon.
The guides are available on BCD's energy
and residential program
pages, as well as the publications
page.
Public hearing in Manzanita
There will be a public
hearing in Manzanita to receive comments on the city's request
for delegation of its electrical program. Tillamook County currently
covers electrical inspections for the city of Manzanita. The city
requested delegation of the program on Aug. 29. The hearing will
be held on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. in the Manzanita City Council
chambers. If you are interested in commenting on the delegation
request, but cannot attend the hearing, you can submit written
comments until Friday, Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. The division will use
comments received to make a final determination on the delegation
request. If you have questions, contact Aeron Teverbaugh at 503-373-1354
or aeron.teverbaugh@state.or.us.
Free Training on COMcheck and the 2010
Oregon Energy Efficiency Specialty Code (OEESC)
Mark Campion, a policy analyst with green building services at
BCD, is available to train code officials, architects, engineers,
builders, contractors, and developers on the use of the COMcheck
compliance software for commercial buildings. He will customize
the training to your specific interests, including envelope, lighting,
mechanical, or the different compliance paths. He will also answer
questions on the 2010 OEESC. And the best part is there's no charge.
Contact Mark at 503-378-4530 or mark.campion@state.or.us
if you are interested.
Residential Reach Code Brown Bag Lunch training session
Learned all you can about the Reach Code commercial provisions?
Want to find out how to use the residential provisions of the
Reach Code? BCD will continue its Brown Bag Lunch Series with
an overview of the Residential Reach Code. Join us Wednesday,
Feb. 15, from noon to 1 p.m. when Mark Heizer will present on
the three compliance paths with the differences and improvements
over the 2011 ORSC Chapter 11 energy provisions. The one-hour
session will include an overview of compatibility with third-party
residential programs (Earth Advantage, LEED for Homes, Northwest
Energy Star, Passive House) and updates on incentive programs.
He will also cover how the permit process applies to Reach Code
homes. Register now!
HB 3462 Specialized Inspector training update
Individuals seeking Specialized Final Inspector certification
(SFI) will be able to begin applying for the training next month.
The on-line course will begin on April 2, 2012. Prerequisites
for the class include a current inspector certification through
the International Code Council for structural or mechanical or
a current Oregon Code Certified electrical or plumbing inspector
certification. The SFI certification will certify an inspector
to perform one- and two-family residential structural/mechanical,
plumbing, and electrical final inspections where the electrical
service is under 400 amps. Like previous specialized courses,
the final inspector course will be offered through Chemeketa Community
College's eLearn system during the spring term. Space is limited
so contact Aeron Teverbaugh as soon as possible if you are interested
in registering. If you have questions you can send them to aeron.teverbaugh@state.or.us.
Mid-cycle code amendment for the
2010 Oregon Structural Specialty Code (OSSC)
The amendment for Adult
Foster Care Homes went to public hearing on Jan. 17, 2012,
and became effective Feb. 1, 2012. This rule amends the OSSC to
update construction standards for single-family residences used
for adult foster care. The Department of Human Services requested
that the OSSC be changed to delete the requirement that certain
adult foster homes whose occupants may require assisted self-preservation
be classified as SR-3 occupancies. The SR-3 occupancy requirement
is in conflict with the ORS 443.760(1), which requires these homes
to meet the state building code requirements applicable to single
family dwellings, which are classified as R-3 occupancies under
the OSSC. This amendment changes section 310.1 by deleting Group
SR-3 occupancies.
Mid-cycle amendments to the
2010 Oregon Structural Specialty Code (OSSC)
The amendment for Accessibility
Provisions went to public hearing on Sept. 19, 2011. The rule
amends the OSSC to incorporate revised final regulations to Title
II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act as published
by the U.S. Department of Justice and Oregon-specific amendments.
Additionally, this rule implements Section 5 of House Bill 3361
(2011), which provides accessibility requirements for clustered
mailboxes. These amendments make substantive changes to OSSC Chapter
11. Amendments also include revisions to OSSC Chapters 9, 10,
and 34. The rule and code amendments will be enforceable beginning
March 1, 2012.
Administration changes at BCD
As you may know, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber announced that BCD
Deputy Administrator Patrick Allen as the new director of the
Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) in December.
BCD Administrator Mark Long then asked Scott Harra from DCBS to
fill Pat's role as the acting deputy administrator of BCD. Harra's
time here was brief, however, because he accepted a position with
the Oregon State Treasurer as the chief administrative officer,
starting Jan. 23. While the statewide hiring freeze does not allow
us to immediately fill the deputy role, Chris Huntington will
assist Mark Long with certain deputy duties, while continuing
his role as policy manager, until a permanent deputy administrator
can be appointed. In turn, Richard Rogers will assume some duties
of the policy manager while he continues his role as structural
program chief.
The good news is that just because everything is different doesn't
mean anything has changed. Our staff continues to value you as
our stakeholders and we strive to serve you to the best of our
ability, even amid our internal transitions. Contact
us if you have any comments or questions.
Call for photos!
The division needs the good, the bad, and the ugly. We are looking
for photographs and video of inspections. We need real-life examples
of everyday code situations, common mistakes, or unique installations
that would be helpful for training purposes. Help share your experiences
with other inspectors and jurisdictions. Send us your photos in
JPEG or MPEG format to localjurisdictioncontact.bcd@state.or.us.
If you have questions, contact sherri.d.west@state.or.us.
Use of wood in commercial structures
The division occasionally receives questions about some of the
issues and challenges associated with the use of wood in commercial
construction. Some of the recurring questions and issues are:
- Environmental
and energy considerations with the use of wood in commercial
structures
- Issues
associated with the use of wood in mid-rise buildings
The division has learned that WoodWorks is presenting a free,
one-day regional Wood Solutions Fair at the Oregon Convention
Center in Portland. This full-day, educational conference is March
13, 2012, and offers topics such as:
- Non-structural
provisions of the IBC for wood design
- Insulation
technologies for better energy performance
- Construction
details for mid-rise wood buildings
The fair is designed for engineers, architects, code officials,
and others with an interest in wood design, and it includes a
trade exposition focused exclusively on the design of wood buildings.
For more information, visit WoodWorks.
Enforcement
Summary of enforcement cases presented
to the Electrical & Elevator Board
Summary report:
These cases were resolved by the division's enforcement section
without going to a contested case hearing. No action was required
by the Electrical & Elevator Board.
Electrical
License Suspensions/Revocations
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