California Department of General Services sent this bulletin at 10/29/2021 09:22 AM PDT
Spring 2020
Welcome to the Spring edition of CALCode Quarterly, CBSC's electronic newsletter.
Included in this issue:
Executive Director's Message
Code Adoption Cycle Information
Staff Spotlight
CALCode Quiz
And more...
Mia Marvelli
Executive Director's Message In this time of global concern over the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we are committed to mitigating the effects and spread of the pandemic. In recent weeks, the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC), our state agency partners and stakeholders have shifted business practices to a new norm of teleworking and online communication. We are continuing our efforts to respond to inquiries and produce sensible, usable building standards for the state of California. We will keep you informed with any necessary adjustments to our public process in order to move forward with the current 2019 Intervening Code Adoption Cycle.
On January 1, 2020, the 2019 edition of the California Building Standards Code, Title 24, California Code of Regulations (Title 24) went into effect, and I am pleased to report that the errata have also been published and issued to purchasers of the code. Issued errata are also posted on the Codes tab of CBSC’s website. As a reminder, errata are editorial changes for errors and omissions in the initial publication. They do not change regulations and they are printed on buff-colored paper. To view Information Bulletin 19-07 regarding errata, please visit CBSC’s News webpage.
The 2019 The Intervening Code Adoption Cycle is already underway. This 18-month mid-code cycle is necessary to incorporate new state law requirements, improve code clarity, and correct substantive errors and omissions. The adopted or approved changes are then published for insertion into the current edition of Title 24. These new pages are called supplements and are printed on blue paper. To understand and follow the activities of the state agencies during this cycle, read the "2019 Intervening Code Adoption Cycle" article below and visit the 2019 cycle webpage.
Now more than ever, maintaining safety in our built environment should be recognized as essential to maintaining public health. That is why CBSC strongly supports the International Code Council’s (ICC) Building Safety Month, which begins May 1.
I encourage you to take the time to visit ICC’s Building Safety Month webpage to access digital materials and virtual events. There’s even a Kids’ Corner with activities for elementary school-aged children, if you’re in need of some resources to keep young ones busy at home!
Additionally, see the "National Model Code Organization Resources and Response to COVID-19" article below for links to resources that the model code organizations are offering to stakeholders.
Now, on to other CBSC business…I am pleased to introduce you to our newest staff member, Laurie Czajkowski, and to announce the promotion of Barbara Trusley. Read about them in our Staff Spotlight.
New information has recently been added to CBSC’s website. Visit the News tab to see Information Bulletins including IB 19-08, which contains a list of enacted legislation that affects building standards, and IB 20-01, which provides information about tentative interim amendments issued by the National Fire Protection Association on ground-fault circuit-interrupters. Additionally, on the Resources tab under Other CBSC Educational Documents we have added Frequently Asked Questions. If you have a question that isn’t covered here, and you feel it should be, please drop us a note at cbsc@dgs.ca.gov.
With the new 2019 edition of Title 24 becoming effective January 1, 2020, many of you may have questions or desire training. One of CBSC’s missions is to educate the public about the rulemaking process, public participation, how to use Title 24, and CALGreen nonresidential applications. If you are a member of a group that would like training regarding one or all of these topics, please reach out to us at cbsctraining@dgs.ca.gov.
Written resources highlighting actual code updates and changes include:
The International Code Council's "significant changes" guides, which can be found on ICC's website
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials shares updates on the webpages where Part 4 and Part 5are sold
As a final note, during this difficult time we’ve all witnessed resiliency, compassion and a newfound sense of community. The staff at CBSC would like to extend our gratitude to the many local government leaders, health care professionals and volunteers keeping California safe. We are truly all in this together. Be well.
National Model Code Organization Resources and Response to COVID-19 As you know, parts of Title 24 incorporate model code language developed by the International Code Council (ICC), the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). CBSC and other state agencies then make amendments as necessary to eliminate conflict with and include requirements of state laws, and eliminate conflicts with other adopted model codes.
In response to COVID-19, the national model code organizations have provided various resources for stakeholders to assist in plotting a course through this difficult time, and during the recovery to follow. You may wish to visit these websites to get more information about their various resources:
The 2019 Intervening Code Adoption Cycle CBSC is currently administering the 2019 Intervening Code Adoption Cycle. This cycle is held to make changes to the current edition of the California Building Standards Code, Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations (Title 24) because of new state laws or requirements, to improve code clarity, or to correct significant errors or omissions.
In February and March, CBSC conducted four Code Advisory Committee (CAC) meetings to review proposed code amendments or additions in order to provide expert technical recommendations to the commission and state proposing agencies.
The next phase of the rulemaking cycle consists of the 45-day public comment periods. Notices are posted on our website and emailed to interested parties who are subscribed to our electronic mailing list. New to the process this year is our eComment form. If you wish to make a comment on a proposed building standard, follow the link provided in the notice and submit your comment to CBSC online. You may also access the eComment form on the Public Comment Periods webpage.
Using the eComment form will ensure that your comment can be posted for viewing online. As technology evolves, so does the Title 24 process, including the ability to provide and access information online. Executive Director Mia Marvelli acknowledges the hard work of CBSC’s staff in their efforts to continually update the website and make forms like this available for your use.
Following the public comment phase, state agency representatives will again review and perhaps amend their proposed building standards based on comments received. Additional public comment periods may be required depending on the extent of amendments. Once the public comment period concludes, the final proposed building standards will be presented to the commission for approval. As with any public meeting, notices and agendas containing links to the final rulemaking documents will be emailed to our stakeholders and posted to our website.
Commission meetings are scheduled for July 13-15 and August 13-14 to hear, deliberate and take action on the proposed code changes. If the COVID-19 crisis continues to impact public gatherings scheduled for summer, CBSC will inform its stakeholders of changes to public meeting procedures.
CBSC Staff Donates Over 200 Pounds of Food! CBSC staff worked together to gather 145 pounds of nonperishable food items for the annual State Employees Food Drive. They also donated an additional seven frozen turkeys at the Turkey Drop. All donations benefit the Sacramento Food Bank. Pictured L to R: Woody, Klara Flanagan, Gary Fabian, Laura Mills, Forky, Timothy O'Malley, Kevin Day and Pamela Maeda (kneeling).
CBSC's Front Office Team
Barbara Trusley and Laurie Czajkowski
Staff Spotlight In November 2019, Barbara Trusley was promoted from office technician to staff services analyst (limited term). In her new capacity, Barbara is responsible for assisting with human resources tasks, making travel arrangements for Code Advisory Committee members, managing contracts and procurement, and other commission support duties. Barbara likes the variety of work because “every day is different,” she says. “In this small office, each person wears many hats and does many jobs, which keeps it interesting.”
Barbara’s experience in the private sector, where she worked as an installation program manager for retail projects, familiarized her with Title 24 and International Code Council building codes, which make her a perfect fit with CBSC’s staff. She says that she was attracted to CBSC because she “was interested in learning the other end of building codes” after working with consumers and installers previously.
Barbara is native to Northern California and enjoys spending time with her husband and three dogs, as well as hiking, biking, gardening, cooking and crafts.
Laurie Czajkowski joined the California Building Standards Commission as an office technician (limited term) in December 2019. She says she was enticed to apply for the position because of the “challenges and responsibilities that were offered” in the job description.
One of the primary duties of the office technician is to answer the main phone line for the commission, and this is perfect for Laurie who says she “love[s] helping people on the phone because each call is another opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the commission.” She also says she likes her new coworkers because they are “fun and upbeat!” (Who are we to argue with that!)
In Laurie’s private sector career, she worked on credit card reconciliations, as a leasing coordinator, and in executive assistant positions, which suits her new duties supporting the commission and its activities.
When she's not dedicating herself to CBSC duties, Laurie enjoys spending time with her family and pets, as well as traveling to exciting new destinations.
To see more about Barbara and Laurie, visit the About tab on our website and click on the button in the ”CBSC Staff” box.
CBSC staff are available for training and education sessions that focus on non-residential CALGreen (Title 24, Part 11) building code changes, how to use matrix adoption tables and California building code rulemaking fundamentals. If your group of 50 or more would like in-person training, please contact us atcbsctraining@dgs.ca.gov. If your group is fewer than 50, perhaps consider joining with others of similar interests, or invite us to your quarterly or annual meetings. We also offer web training sessions to groups of any size.
On September 11 and 12, 2019, Executive Director Mia Marvelli traveled to Ridgecrest, California, in her capacity as acting vice chair of the Seismic Safety Commission (SSC). On July 4, 2019, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit Ridgecrest, California, while on July 5, Trona, California was impacted by a 7.1 magnitude quake. Thousands of aftershocks were recorded and still continue in the area. On September 11, the Seismic Safety Commission heard from federal, state, regional and local officials at the “sequence of earthquake” hearing, and on the following day, a regular Seismic Safety Commission meeting took place. On November 22, 2019, the SSC issued a report containing findings and recommendations based on the series of events that occurred in July and the testimony provided at the September hearing. The mission of the SSC is to provide decision-makers and the general public with cost-effective recommendations to reduce earthquake losses and speed recovery. Learn more about SSC, download publications such as the homeowner or commercial earthquake guide and earthquake recovery reports, and see other SSC-sponsored projects atSSC’s website: ssc.ca.gov.
International Code Council's Global Connections Day On October 23, 2019, CBSC Executive Director Mia Marvelli and Staff Services Manager I Kevin Day attended the International Code Council's Global Connections Day, which focused on water safety, efficiency and conservation. Mia and Kevin spoke to attendees about water conservation in the built environment, including how droughts drive policy in California, which ultimately affects the standards in the California Building Standards Code, Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations.
Pictured: Ara Sargsyan of the City of Los Angeles, CBSC Executive Director Mia Marvelli, Lisa Naslund, also from the City of Los Angeles, and CBSC Staff Services Manager I Kevin Day.
CALGreen Webinar On April 29, CBSC Associate Construction Analyst Enrique Rodriguez presented a CALGreen updates webinar. The topics he covered included updates to the code made in the 2019 Triennial Code Adoption Cycle, and upcoming amendments currently in the 45-day public comment period. Enrique also explained the mandatory and voluntary checklists provided in the code and the Guide to CALGreen – Nonresidential, developed by CBSC and published by ICC. See more about CALGreen educational resources below. This webinar was arranged by Green Technology, which will be holding its Sustainable Facilities Forum virtually on May 14.
CBSC WEBINARS
We can present our content to your group wherever you are...whether you're all in a room together, or as is more likely today, gathering virtually from various locations. If you would like CBSC to virtually attend a meeting with your organization, please reach out to us at cbsctraining@dgs.ca.gov.
2019 CALGreen Resources CBSC is pleased to announce that we have produced another educational video – About CALGreen. This is the fifth video we have released in our efforts to educate the public about the state’s building codes, and to help you understand and comply with them. CALGreen (California Green Building Standards Code, Part 11 of Title 24) is the first-in-the-nation sustainable building code that has become a model for other sustainable codes throughout the country and the world. About CALGreen is hosted by our in-house green code expert, Enrique Rodriguez, and tells about the history, format and use of CALGreen. We hope that you will take the time to watch and learn more about this innovative and impactful part of Title 24.
With each new edition of CALGreen, CBSC publishes a guide intended to assist code users. The publication corresponds with chapters in CALGreen, with an emphasis on the nonresidential mandatory requirements in Chapter 5 and the nonresidential voluntary measures in Appendix Chapter A5. The guide also includes our popular CALGreen checklists, which are handy for meeting mandatory requirements, as well as voluntary Tier 1 or Tier 2 codes for more sustainable construction.
The CALGreen Guide is formatted as follows:
First, code sections are shown in green text. Next, the intent of the requirement is explained, including details of other laws or regulations that prompted the code. If part of the code has changed, the new code language or amendments made during the most recent code adoption cycle are identified. Then, compliance methods are presented, which may include design team information, suggestions or examples. Finally, enforcement recommendations for plan intake and on-site inspection are provided for plan reviewers and inspectors.
Note that sections of the CALGreen code marked “reserved” are not shown in the guide.
If you’re working on a new project of 1,000 square feet or more, or if the permit valuation exceeds $200,000, you’ll want to refer to this guide to help you apply the sustainable construction practices to your project.
If you have any comments regarding either of these public resources, please let us know atcbsc@dgs.ca.gov.
Test your knowledge of CBSC's functions and scope. Check your answers below.
1. CBSC not only administers the Title 24 rulemaking process for many agencies, but it also has authority to propose building standards. For which application or scope does CBSC have authority to propose code changes?
Fire and life safety for all occupancies
Hospitals and clinics
Nonresidential green building standards
Offshore drilling rigs and platforms
State buildings, including CSUs and UCs
c and e
b and d
2. The purpose of an Intervening Code Adoption Cycle is to:
Adopt new model codes published by the recognized code organizations
Adopt new or amended building standards for the current edition of Title 24
Adopt a new edition of Title 24 in new binders
All of the above
None of the above
3. If a state agency amends proposed building standards following a public comment period, the amended language is then subject to:
A second public comment period
Legislative approval
Review by the Office of Legislative Counsel
All of the above
None of the above
4. Some agencies have authority to administer their own rulemaking without going through CBSC. However, CBSC must verify compliance with the rulemaking process, including public hearings and comment periods, in order for their provisions to be approved and published in Title 24. These agencies are called:
Rogue maverick agencies
Self-determinant agencies
Authorized agencies
Adopting agencies
Decentralized agencies
5. CBSC functions include:
Publishing Title 24
Developing building standards
Approval of submitted building standards proposals by state agencies
Adoption of national model codes
Administering petitions and appeals relative to building standards
All of these functions
6. When a non-substantive publishing or printing error is discovered in Title 24, corrections are made by issuing:
Supplements
A Building Standards Commission Information Bulletin
