Codes update, Vol. 10, no. 2 (Fall 2008)

Georgia Department of Community Affairs Construction Codes & Industrialized Buildings 60 Executive Park South, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30329-2231 404-679-3118 www.dca.state.ga.us Volume 10, Number 2 Fall 2008

2008 NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE (NEC) ADOPTED
The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Board, on the recommendation of the State Codes Advisory Committee (SCAC) has adopted the 2008 National Electrical Code (NEC) with Georgia Amendments. The 2008 NEC and Georgia Amendments become effective on January 1, 2009. The Amendments are as follows:
Delete Item (5) of Subsection (B) `Not Covered' of Section 90.2 `Scope' and substitute.
Revise Item (2) of Subsection (A) `Dwelling Units' of Section 210.8 `Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel' to add exceptions.
Delete Subsection (B) `Dwelling Units' of Section 210.12 `Arc-Fault Circuit - Interrupter Protection' and substitute. (Amendment expires January 1, 2010)
If you have further questions, feel free to contact the Department of Community Affairs Construction Codes and Industrialized Buildings Section at 404-679-3118 or by email at codes@dca.ga.gov. The 2009 Georgia Amendments to the 2008 NEC may be downloaded at: http://www.dca.state. ga.us/development/ConstructionCodes/programs/codeAmendments.asp.
GEORGIA AMENDMENTS TO THE STATE MINIMUM STANDARD CODES TO BECOME EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2009
The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Board, on the recommendation of the State Codes Advisory Committee (SCAC), has adopted the 2009 Georgia Amendments to the following State Minimum Standard Codes for construction: the International Energy Conservation Code, International Fuel Gas Code, International Plumbing Code, International Building Code, and International Residential Code, which will take effect January 1, 2009. The amendments are as follows:
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE, 2006 EDITION

Replace Table 506 `Minimum Capacities for Residential Water Heaters' of the Georgia Amendments revised January 1, 2007.
Delete Appendix C and adopt new Appendix C `Gray Water Recycling Systems' as part of the mandatory State Minimum Standard Plumbing Code.
Adopt new Appendix I `Rain Water Recycling Systems' as part of the mandatory State Minimum Standard Plumbing Code.
INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE, 2006 EDITION
Revise Section 707.14.1 `Elevator lobby', exception 7, of the Georgia Amendment revised January 1, 2007.
Revise Section 707.14.2.1 `Pressurization requirements' and renumber as Section 707.14.3.1.
INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE FOR ONE- AND TWOFAMILY DWELLINGS, 2006 EDITION
Revise definition of `Townhouse'.
Revise Title of Section R313 `Smoke Alarms' to read as `Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms'.
Add new Section R313.4 `Single- or multiple-station carbon monoxide alarms'.
Add new Section R313.4.1 `Location'. (Carbon Monoxide Alarms)
Revise Section R602.10.5 `Continuous structural panel sheathing' of the Georgia Amendment revised January 1, 2007 to add sentence at end of section paragraph.
Revise Section R602.10.5 `Continuous structural panel sheathing' exception, of the Georgia Amendment revised January 1, 2007 to add sentence at end of exception paragraph.
Revise Section G2420.1.2 (409.1.2) `Prohibited locations' to add exception.
Add new Section G2420.5.2 (GA Amendment 409.5.2) `Located at manifold'.
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Add new section 403.1.2 `Primary heat source'.

INTERNATIONAL FUEL GAS CODE, 2006 EDITION

R evise Section 310.1.1, `Bonding Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST)' of the Georgia Amendment revised January 1, 2008 to add exception.
Revise Section 409.1.2 `Prohibited locations' to add exception.
Add new Section 409.5.2 `Located at manifold'.
Revise Section 410.1 `Pressure regulators'.
INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE, 2006 EDITION
R evise Section 301.3 `Connections to the sanitary drainage system' to add exception.
Revise Section 419.2 `Substitution for water closets'.
R evise Section 506.1 `General' of the Georgia Amendment revised January 1, 2007 under Section 506 `Minimum Capacities for Residential Water Heaters'.
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The Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Construction Codes and Industrialized Buildings is GOING GREEN! Future DCA correspondence and the latest up-to-date information will be sent via e-mail to all interested parties. DCA will discontinue USPS mailings in the near future. Use one of the below e-mail addresses to send us your updated information including the contact person and e-mail address.
Construction Codes, e-mail DCA at codes@dca.ga.gov
Industrialized Buildings, e-mail DCA at ib@dca.ga.gov

Revise Section G2421.1 (410.1) `Pressure regulators'.
Revise Chapter 43 `Referenced Standards' to add referenced standards.
The 2009 Georgia State Amendments to the State Minimum Standards Codes may be downloaded from the DCA website at the below link: http://www.dca.state.ga.us/development/ConstructionCodes/programs/ codeAmendments.asp. If you have further questions, feel free to contact the Department of Community Affairs Construction Codes and Industrialized Buildings Section at 404-679-3118 or by email at codes@dca.ga.gov.
NEW OPTIONAL CODE EDITIONS
The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Board, on the recommendation of the State Codes Advisory Committee (SCAC), has adopted the 2006 International Property Maintenance Code and the 2006 International Existing Building Code with Georgia Amendments. The 2006 Editions and Georgia Amendments become effective on January 1, 2009. These two optional codes are available for local government adoption and enforcement. Local governments choosing to enforce either of these optional codes must adopt the code(s) they wish to enforce, as well as administrative procedures and penalties. The Amendments are as follows:
INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE, 2006 EDITION
Delete Section 1004.1 `Smoke alarms in existing portions of a building' and substitute.
Revise the definition of `International Building Code' of Section A103 `Definitions' under `Appendix A: Guidelines for the Seismic Retrofit of Existing Buildings'.
INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, 2006 EDITION
Delete Sections 404.4 `Bedroom and living room requirements' through 404.4.5 `Other requirements' and substitute.
Delete Section 404.5 `Overcrowding' and substitute.
Delete Section 606.1 `General' under Section 606 `Elevators, Escalators, and Dumbwaiters' and substitute.
Add new Section 702.5 `Overcrowding and life safety hazards'.
Add new Section 704.2.1 `Smoke alarms in Group R occupancies'.
If you have further questions, feel free to contact the Department of Community Affairs Construction Codes and Industrialized Buildings Section at 404-679-3118 or by email at codes@dca.ga.gov.
2009 CHAPTER 17 STRUCTURAL TESTS AND SPECIAL INSPECTIONS TASK FORCE
On January 1, 2007 the State of Georgia adopted the 2006 International Building Code with Georgia Amendments. Included in these Georgia Amendments is a set of amendments pertaining to Chapter 17 `Structural Tests and Special Inspections'. The amendments give guidance to local Building Officials as to when special inspections should be required and also give a table listing the certifications a special inspector should have with regard to what type of special inspection is being done. Since these amendments have been in effect, some representatives in the construction industry have voiced concern that there may be some misapplication or misunderstanding of these amendments and requested a task force be formed to further study the issue. At the April 24, 2008 State Codes Advisory Committee (SCAC) meeting, the 2008 SCAC Subcommittee made a recommendation to the SCAC that this issue be further studied. With this, the SCAC passed a motion to have a task force formed to further study the issue. The Department of Community Affairs is currently in the process of forming this task force and it is expected to begin in early 2009. If you have questions or would like to be placed on the interested parties list for this task

force, please contact Max Rietschier, Building Codes Consultant, at 404-679-3104 or max.rietschier@dca.ga.gov.

GRAY AND RAIN WATER RECYCLING SYSTEMS

The State of Georgia has had to struggle with being in a condition of drought for the last two years. Some parts of Georgia currently remain classified as being in a state of extreme or severe drought. With water conservation being a top priority in Georgia, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Board, on the recommendation of the State Codes Advisory Committee (SCAC), has adopted a new `Appendix C - Gray Water Recycling Systems' and also a new `Appendix I - Rain Water Recycling Systems'. These two appendices which will be adopted as part of the State Minimum Standard Plumbing Code will regulate and allow the use of Gray Water and Rain Water for the flushing of toilets and urinals and, in some cases, also to be used for landscape irrigation. With these two appendices being adopted as part of the State Minimum Standard Plumbing Code, they will become state applicable and will not require adoption by the local jurisdiction. These regulations will become effective on January 1, 2009. While these appendices regulate rain water and gray water systems, in no way are these appendices mandating that these systems be installed. For further information, please contact Max Rietschier, Building Codes Consultant, at 404-679-3104 or max.rietschier@dca.ga.gov.

GEORGIA'S 2008 ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION TASK FORCE FOR STATE BUILDINGS

On April 4, 2008 the Georgia General Assembly passed Senate Bill 130 which was signed by Governor Perdue on May 6, 2008. Section 4 of this bill is known as the Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Construction Act of 2008. This Act states that "...the Department [of Community Affairs] in consultation with the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission shall adopt policies and procedures as recommended standards for all buildings owned or managed by this state that:

(1) Optimize the energy performance

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MARK YOUR 2009 CALENDAR
January 22 State Codes Advisory Committee 10:00 a.m. @ DCA February 16-18 RESNET Building Performance Conference, New Orleans, LA. March 23-25 International Code Council Forum, New Orleans, LA 26 Industrialized Building Advisory Committee 10:00 a.m. @ DCA 28-31 Modular Building Institute Convention & Trade Show, Las Vegas, NV April 16 State Codes Advisory Committee 10:00 a.m. @ DCA (tentative) 25-28 BOAG Annual Conference, Columbus, GA June 8-11 NFPA World Safety Conference and Exposition, Chicago, IL
If you have any meetings that you would like to include in this newsletter, please contact the Construction Codes Program at 404-679-3118.

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(2) Increase the demand for construction materials and furnishings produced in Georgia.
(3) Improve the environmental quality in this state by decreasing the discharge of pollutants from such state buildings.
(4) Conserve energy and utilize local and renewable energy sources.
(5) Protect and restore the State's natural resources by avoiding the development of inappropriate building sites.
(6) Reduce the burden on municipal water supply and treatment by reducing potable water consumption.
(7) Establish life cycle assessments as the appropriate and most efficient analysis to determine a building project's environmental performance level.
(8) Encourage obtaining Energy Star designation from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to further demonstrate a building project's energy independence.
This Act will also allow major facility projects to be up to 30 percent more efficient than the standards set forth in ASHRAE 90.1-2004 where such an increase is cost effective based on a life-cycle cost analysis. There is also a requirement for major facility projects to achieve a 15 percent reduction in water use when compared to water use based on plumbing fixture selection in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
To assist in the development of these standards, DCA has assembled a task force of stakeholders. The first meeting was held on November 17, 2008 with a second meeting scheduled for December 10, 2008. Those interested in being placed on the interested parties list and receiving updates on the progress of the task force should contact DCA staff member Ryan Meres at (404) 679-3109 or ryan.meres@dca.ga.gov. To view Senate Bill 130 please visit www.legis.ga.gov.
The following individuals have been selected to serve on the task force:
Mr. James Vaseff, Chairman, representing the Department of Community Affairs
Mr. Robert Buscemi, Vice-Chairman, representing the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission
Mr. Ron Nawrocki, representing the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget
Ms. Lynn Jackson, representing the Georgia Department of Education
Mr. P.J. Newcomb, representing the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority
Ms. Beth Studley, representing General Contractors
Mr. Greg Adams, representing the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
Mr. S. Gregg Johnson, representing the Department of Community Affairs
Mr. David Freedman, representing the Department of Natural Resources
Mr. Thomas Mann, representing the Technical College System of Georgia
Mr. Bill Abballe, representing the Profession of Architecture
Mr. Neil Wyche, representing the Profession of Engineering
Mr. Abim Durojaiye, representing the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission

IB ANGLE:
INDUSTRIALIZED BUILDINGS NEWS Rex Kennedy Recognized for over 30 Years of Service.
DCA Deputy Commissioner Phillip Foil presented Rex Kennedy with a Service Recognition Award in honor of over 30 years of dedicated service to Georgia's Industrialized Buildings Industry. Pictured from left to right: DCA Deputy Commissioner Phillip Foil, award recipient Rex Kennedy and Industrialized Buildings Advisory Committee Chairman Jimmy Burnette.
CONSTRUCTION CODES AND MODULAR BUILDINGS
In 1991, the Uniform Codes Act took effect in Georgia. In 2004, this Act was revised to mandate the use of eight construction codes referred to as the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes. These codes set standards for the construction of all buildings and structures. The Industrialized Buildings Program (Georgia's Modular Building Program) regulates code requirements for buildings produced in factories by manufacturers. These factory manufactured buildings must also meet the requirements of the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes. When confronted with applications for modular buildings intended for placement within their communities, many people, including local code officials, question whether the construction code standards used for construction of these buildings are equivalent to those used for construction of site-built structures. Many people's first thoughts are that modular buildings are built in factories to the same construction code standards as manufactured homes (mobile homes), the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards, with materials that are inferior to materials used for site-built structures. Most people have little or no knowledge of Georgia's Industrialized Buildings Program. Therefore, it is understandable why some people would think that modular buildings are somewhat similar to mobile homes. When viewed in terms of the construction code standards to which modular buildings are built, and the materials used in their construction, one must conclude that modular buildings produced under Georgia's Industrialized Buildings Program are equivalent to site-built structures.
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Can you guess which Single Family Home is Modular? This type of home construction practice is becoming highly popular due to the economic and construction duration savings. To learn more about Georgia's Industrialized Buildings Program, contact the Department of Community Affairs Construction Codes and Industrialized Buildings Section at 404-679-3118 or by email at codes@ dca.ga.gov. Answer: The bottom two story home is Modular.
THE PERILS OF HOMEOWNER PERMITS
Georgia's new contractor licensing law took effect on July 1, 2008. All modular industrialized building manufacturers, modular building set-up people and modular building home purchasers should be aware that the new law contains a provision that requires all modular home set-up contractors to be licensed. This requirement for set-up contractors to be licensed is included in the law as a means of protecting homeowners from unlicensed set-up operators. Previous to this law taking effect, most modular home set-ups were performed by mobile home set-up crews. The set-up of modular homes is similar to building a home on-site rather than setting up a mobile home. Most of the complaints that came in to DCA were from homeowners whose new modular homes had been set-up by mobile home set-up crews. The homeowner could always seek relief for faulty or non-compliant construction from the manufacturer or the sales lot. There now seems to be a growing trend for the set-up contractor to have the homeowner pull the required permits for the set-up of their modular home. There is nothing illegal about this practice since Georgia Law allows homeowners to pull permits for work on their personal residences. The biggest problem with the homeowner pulling required permits for the people setting up their home is that the homeowner is now legally responsible for that project, not the "real" contractor that actually did the work. With the homeowner having pulled the permit, the homeowner's recourse for faulty work may be limited. If the homeowner wished to file a lawsuit against the contractor, that would be somewhat difficult since the homeowner himself would actually be the contractor.
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PROFILE CORNER

Web sites of Interest

Tommy Jay Eller was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma in June 1951. He moved to Atlanta in 1965 and settled in Marietta, Georgia. He is a graduate of Osborne High School as well as Chattahoochee Technical College. He has had 20 years of continuing education through the University of Georgia and Clayton State University.

Tommy has been in the

Inspection business for 25

years. For the last 17 years,

he has been with the City of

Tommy Jay Eller

Woodstock in Cherokee

County, Georgia. He holds

several certifications through the ICC system along with other individual

certifications through various manufacturers. He loves his job and he feels

that the people he works with each day are his family but, most of all, they

are his friends.

He has served as a Building Inspector for both multi-family and large commercial projects and has inspected developmental projects. He has been the Building Official for the City of Woodstock for five years and works part-time for the City of Aragon. He currently serves as the Deputy Building Official and Plan Reviewer. He has been a member of the Building Officials of Georgia for five years and is a member and current President of the Georgia State Inspectors Association (GSIA). In addition, he has served several years with Ron Anderson, Windell Peters and Gregori Anderson through the GSIA. Tommy was the recipient of the Code Official of the Year award through GSIA for 2008.

Currently, Tommy is single and hoping to remedy that situation. He has three daughters Dawn, Tanya Lee, and Heather Rae. He also has three grandchildren Haley, Morgan, and Kyler. In addition, his first greatgrandchild is on the way.

Baseball, softball, and football are his favorite sports. For two years, he played professional baseball for the Cincinnati Reds Organization at the Double A level. For five years, he played on the professional softball level and he coached at that level for five years as well. He feels very fortunate to have been able to travel the country to see areas that he may never have had an opportunity to see. His favorite sports teams are the Oklahoma Sooners, Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Falcons, and the Atlanta Braves. Since he loves the ocean, he became a certified scuba diver. In the fall and winter, he loves the mountains.

Teaching and working with children are some of the things that Tommy enjoys doing. He helps them to have an understanding of performance at a high level, and he teaches them how to deal with the disappointments that come with winning and losing.

He is a Born Again Christian and believes that without his faith, family, and friends, he would be nothing. His father who was his best friend taught him the values of family and of life. There are several people Tommy owes thanks to, but three very special people have helped him tremendously with gaining knowledge in his profession. He gives thanks from the bottom of his heart to Windell Peters, Ron Anderson and Gregori Anderson. He thanks them very much for their constant support.

Department of Community Affairs www.dca.state.ga.us
EasyLiving Homecm Program www.easylivinghome.org
International Code Council (ICC) www.iccsafe.org
Building Officials Association of Georgia www.boagcodes.org
State of Georgia www.georgia.gov
Georgia General Assembly www.legis.state.ga.us
State Fire Marshal www.inscomm.state.ga.us
National Association of Home Builders www.nahb.com
Southface Energy Institute www.southface.org
National Fire Protection Agency www.NFPA.com
Q: What is the new State of Georgia definition of "Townhouse"? (Hint, see the IRC 2009 Georgia Amendment)
A: A single-family dwelling unit constructed in a group of three or more attached units with property lines separating each unit in which each unit extends from foundation to roof and with an open space/yard or public way on at least two sides.
Q: How many construction codes are mandatory as the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes?
A: Eight (8) - International Building Code, International Fuel Gas Code, International Mechanical Code, International Plumbing Code, National Electrical Code, International Fire Code, International Energy Conservation Code, International Residential Code.

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CODES AND INDUSTRIALIZED BUILDINGS
60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329-2231 www.dca.state.ga.us

The main telephone and fax numbers for the Codes and Industrialized Buildings Section are:

(404) 679-3118

(404) 679-0646 (Fax)

Email: codes@dca.ga.gov

CONSTRUCTION CODES:
Max Rietschier, Consultant, (404) 679-3104 Email: max.rietschier@dca.ga.gov

Ted Miltiades, Director, Office of Construction Codes and Industrialized Buildings (404) 679-3106 Email: ted.miltiades@dca.ga.gov
INDUSTRIALIZED BUILDINGS:
John Watts, Consultant, (404) 679-5246 Email: john.watts@dca.ga.gov

Ryan Meres, Consultant, (404) 679-3109 Email: ryan.meres@dca.ga.gov

Richard "RC" Connell, Consultant, (404) 679-3127 Email: rc.connell@dca.ga.gov

Anthony Claffey, Consultant, (404) 679-4845 Email: anthony.claffey@dca.ga.gov

GEORGIA AMENDMENTS MAY BE DOWNLOADED DIRECTLY FROM THE WEBSITE!

Printed by:
Engineer's Bookstore
748 Marietta St. N.W. Atlanta, GA 30318 Tel. 404-221-1669, 800-635-5919

Codes and Industrialized Buildings 60 Executive Park South, NE Atlanta, GA 30329-2231

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