Articles, Newsletters & Misc.

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Thank you to the following companies, agencies & organizations for their upcoming participation in the 2019 CALBO Education Weeks: Exhibitor Program!

The CALBO Training Institute hosts its Education Weeks throughout the Golden State to provide continuing education for California building departments. Dozens of state agencies, organizations, and companies participate by exhibiting in Newport Beach, San Ramon, Ontario and Burlingame. Please make the time to visit the participating exhibitors to learn more about up-to-date innovative products and services.

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A Special Message from Your 2019-20 CALBO President

Dear CALBO Friends and Colleagues,

One of the tasks this fall is the triennial adoption of the 2019 California Codes. To help everyone get ready for the new codes, CALBO is expanding training opportunities to four Education Weeks for the first time. Education Week registration is open and the 2019-2020 Annual Training Catalog has been published. I would like to thank the CALBO Training Institute Commission as well as the course developers and instructors for their tireless efforts to create and deliver practical and informative courses for building departments across the state. With this being a code change year, our goal is to have the four Education Weeks provide training that incorporates upcoming code changes to better meet the educational needs for building departments.  

To promote the advancement of our building safety profession, International Code Council (ICC) and CALBO are collaborating on seismic resiliency by hosting a Seismic Roundtable at the State Capitol on July 25, 2019. Technical experts from across the country, including federal, state, and local agencies, will be discussing with ICC/CALBO members the development of a national approach to seismic functional recovery. This collaboration enables CALBO members to provide input that will shape this development effort going forward.

Also, at the State Capitol, CALBO has been actively communicating and working with the State Legislature on various bills, continually advocating for California’s building departments and promoting public safety in the built environment. We will provide updates in a future newsletter as the bills move further along in the legislative process.  

Lastly, I would like to thank the local ICC Chapters for the hospitality at their recent joint meetings. I was honored to attend and provide CALBO activity updates at the Southern California regional meeting where the ICC Los Angeles Basin, Orange Empire, Ventura, Citrus Belt, Foothill, and High Desert Chapters came together to share their resources to further building-safety. At the Tri-Chapter meeting, the ICC East Bay, Monterey Bay, and Peninsula Chapters had a range of presentations that were timely preparation for the upcoming new codes. The great attendance and member engagement at these events once again demonstrate the commitment you have to ensuring public-safety for all of our communities – thank you for making a difference every day.

Enjoy your summer, because it will be a busy fall and winter!

Sincerely,

Sharon Goei, P.E., C.B.O
Director of Building and Housing
City of Milpitas

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From Model Codes to California Code Amendments and Adoption: The Code Development Process Explained
0.6 CEUs - ICC Preferred Provider Course #: 19750

Building Officials are tasked with the amendment and adoption of the latest California codes for their jurisdiction. What does this mean, why is it important, and how can it be done smoothly and effectively? This course covers everything that you need to know about the code development process and how revisions are incorporated in the International Code Council (ICC) and ultimately the State of California codes.

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Housing A to Z: Overview of Various Types of Accessible Housing
0.6 CEUs - ICC Preferred Provider Course #: 20359

This course provides attendees with an understanding of scoping and unit layout for Chapter 11A adaptable units, 11B unit layout and scoping for public housing, housing at a place of education and social service centers. Attendees will learn and discuss descriptions and real-world examples of the various types of housing that jurisdictions may encounter in plan review and inspection. Attendees will also learn the basic tenants of housing under Chapter 11A and the Fair Housing Act along with Chapter 11B and the Americans with disabilities as well as historical aspects.

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Understanding Access Law in California: Accessibility Statutory Case Law and Code Enforcement for Existing Public Accommodations
0.6 CEUs - ICC Preferred Provider Course #: 20318

This course is designed for public works engineers, building officials, senior plan reviewers, and senior inspectors. It presents the structure of law and application with respect to access standards for projects built with private and public funds. Attendees will learn the following: the hierarchy and relationship of constitutional, statutory and regulatory laws associated with accessibility; how access civil rights law, statutory law and case law relating to construction standards, permit processing and code enforcement in California.

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Applying Accessibility Requirements to Alterations
0.6 CEUs - ICC Preferred Provider Course #: 19748

This course provides an overview of how to apply Chapter 11B to alterations of public accommodations and commercial facilities. The following topics are covered: how the occupancy group affects accessibility, the importance of Chapter 2 definitions, when to use and what are the differences between technical infeasibility and hardship exemptions, when and how to use the state historic building code, ensuring consistency between the project’s plans examiner and inspector, scoping and technical requirements of path of travel upgrades.

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2019 CBC Chapter 11B Accessibility in Public Buildings, Public Accommodations, and Commercial Buildings: History, Use and Updates
0.6 CEUs - ICC Preferred Provider Course #: 20357

This course provides attendees with a working understanding of the disabled-access provisions contained in the 2019 California Building Code, presenting on selected administrative, scoping and updated technical requirements. Supporting documents (ASTM, ANSI, Guidelines, Best Practices, etc.), tools of the trade, and inspection techniques are explored throughout the course. Local jurisdictional staff (building department, public works, parks and recreations, etc.), architects, designers, contractors, and business owners/managers are encouraged to attend.

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2019 California Electrical Code: Overview
0.6 CEUs - ICC Preferred Provider Course #: 20358

This course provides an overview of the 2019 California Electrical Code (CEC). Course attendees will learn about the important code changes in the 2019 CEC, adoption process, and how to effectively navigate the code, as well as Direct-Current Systems, Energy Management Systems, requirements for grounding and bonding, requirements for arc-fault circuit interrupters, definitions, and much more.

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2019 California Plumbing and Mechanical Code: Significant Changes
0.6 CEUs - ICC Preferred Provider Course #: 20351

This course is a comprehensive overview of the significant changes in the 2019 California Plumbing & Mechanical Codes. Topics include the basics of Plumbing & Mechanical inspections to ensure compliance with the new code requirements. This course offers participants an opportunity to learn the basics of the Plumbing & Mechanical code by showing how the code is organized, discussing the key concepts, and identifying important provisions and code changes in each chapter.

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2019 California Residential Code: Significant Changes
0.6 CEUs - ICC Preferred Provider Course #: 20355

This course examines the significant revisions to the latest California Residential Code (CRC). The course is conducted in a workshop format with the instructor and attendees participating in active discussions of the revisions. The course highlights those areas that have been revised from the 2016 CRC with other code topics always welcomed. Building officials, architects, designers, engineers, plans examiners, field inspectors, and counter technicians are encouraged to attend. All attendees receive a joint CALBO/ICC publication.

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2019 California Building Code: Significant Changes
0.6 CEUs - ICC Preferred Provider Course #: 20349

This course is conducted in a workshop format with the instructor and attendees participating in active discussions of the significant non-structural revisions that assist with the transition to the latest California Building Code (CBC). The course highlights those areas that have been revised from the 2016 CBC with other code topics welcomed for discussion; chapter 11A and 11B topics are not covered in-depth.  Building officials, architects, designers, engineers, plans examiners, field inspectors, and counter technicians are encouraged to attend.

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2019 California Nonresidential and Residential Energy Standards: Overview
0.6 CEUs - ICC PP Course #: 19747

This course provides an overview of the updates to the 2019 Energy Standards for newly constructed buildings, as well as additions and alterations to existing buildings. For residential buildings, topics include new photovoltaic system requirements for newly constructed residential buildings, increased requirements for high performance attics and walls, increased indoor air quality requirements, new water heater options, and much more.

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2019 California Energy Code: Residential Submittal Requirements
0.3 CEUs - ICC PP Course #: 20361

This course provides an overview of what to expect at permit stage for residential newly constructed buildings, additions, and alterations complying under the 2019 Energy Standards. The course covers the new 2019 requirements, focusing on the applicable compliance forms, how compliance should be articulated on plans, and registration requirements.  Compliance via the prescriptive and performance approach is covered, including grid harmonization options, battery storage options, and demand responsive controls.

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2019 California Energy Code: Nonresidential Submittal Requirements
0.3 CEUs - ICC PP Course #: 20360

This course provides an overview of what to expect at permit stage for nonresidential newly constructed buildings, additions, and alterations complying under the 2019 Energy Standards. The course covers the new 2019 requirements, focusing on how compliance is demonstrated using new dynamic compliance forms, how compliance should be articulated on plans, and commissioning requirements. Lighting alterations are addressed in detail, highlighting resources that help clarify the 2019 requirements.

Article Written by: Robert Wible, FLATECH

eCodes & Standards Libraries
Innovative Practices Committee

Increasingly we are becoming an interconnected 24/7/365 world. We get our news on any device at anytime via Google (News), and research items via Wikipedia, YouTube, Instagram which now are our top dynamically updated content providers.

The advent and maturing of the internet and cloud services likewise now make it possible for building officials including plan reviewers and inspectors with some services going beyond even the above capabilities. Today building officials have access anywhere, anytime 24/7/365 from several services building codes and standards which their jurisdiction has adopted and now enforce.

These services differ widely from those that provide only pdfs in down loadable files and to those providing even more useable access to codes and standards in a multiple formats further facilitating remote work.

One electronic codes and standards library system now is even affording some building departments the opportunity to have more of their plan reviewers work remotely enabling a jurisdiction’s building department to reduce the amount of office space. In other jurisdictions, this same service is enabling them to meet state laws mandating that they have access to EVERY standard referenced in their adopted codes – eliminating the space and cost of maintaining enormous physical libraries to comply with state law, something very small jurisdictions couldn’t otherwise afford to do.

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2019 CALBO Education Weeks: Hotel Information

CALBO Education Week: Newport Beach
Monday, August 26 - Thursday, August 29, 2019

Newport Beach Mariott Hotel and SpaNewport Beach Marriott
900 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660

CALBO Room Block: Closed 
Phone Reservation Number: 1-877-622-3056
Parking Information: Complimentary day self-parking. Overnight parking is $15.00 per vehicle, per day. 

CALBO Education Week: San Ramon
Monday, September 9 - Thursday, September 12, 2019

San Ramon MarriottSan Ramon Marriott
2600 Bishop Drive 
San Ramon, CA 94583

CALBO Room Block: Closed
Phone Reservation Number: 1-800-228-9290 or 925-867-9200
Parking Information: Complimentary day self-parking. Overnight parking is $15.00 per vehicle, per day. 

CALBO Education Week: Ontario
Monday, October 14 - Thursday, October 17, 2019

DoubleTree by Hilton Ontario AirportDoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Ontario Airport
222 North Vineyard Avenue
Ontario, CA 91764

CALBO Room Block: Closed
Parking Information: Complimentary day and overnight self-parking. 
Airport Shuttle: Complimentary airport shuttle from Ontario International Airport

CALBO Education Week: Burlingame
Monday, December 16 - Thursday, December 19, 2019

Hyatt Regency San Francisco AirportHyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
1333 Old Bayshore Highway
Burlingame, CA 94010

CALBO Room Closed: Closed
Parking Information: Complimentary day self-parking. Overnight parking is $30.00 per vehicle, per day. 

*or when room block is at capacity

If you have any questions about the 2019 CALBO Education Weeks Hotel Information,
please contact the CALBO Office.

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Capitol Corner Update

On Wednesday, April 17, dozens of CALBO members convened at the State Capitol to lobby and educate members of the state legislature on behalf of our organization. CALBO members met Legislator’s staff not only to discuss CALBO’s top legislative priorities, but also highlight who we are and what we do. In their meetings, members discussed the following measures that are currently moving through the capitol. 

CALBO is proud to announce that we are actively supporting AB 429 (Nazarian) This measure would require the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission (SSC) to identify funding and develop a bidding process for hiring a third-party contractor to create an inventory of potentially vulnerable buildings in California. After “opposing” a similar measure last year, CALBO worked with the author’s office to develop an approach that would not burden local governments. CALBO “supports” this year’s bill as it does not identify local funds as a possible funding source for the program, and it only applies to the 29 most seismically vulnerable counties.