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January 27, 2022
WABO Winter Committee Meeting
Zoom Conferencing
March 21-24, 2022
Annual Education Institute
Lynnwood Convention Center
April 21-22, 2022
WABO Spring Meeting
Enzian Inn - Leavenworth
July 28-29, 2022
WABO Annual Business Meeting
Kitsap Conference Center - Bremerton
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Congratulations to all the WABO Accredited Code Officials!
Gary Schenk, CBO, ACO
Andy Higgins, MCP, CBO, ACO
Willie Hill, CBO, ACO
Michael Barth, MCP, ACO
Trace Justice, CBO, ACO
Gregory Colvig, CBO, ACO
Mary Kate McGee, CBO, ACO
Dave Cantrell, ACO
S. Kelly Mayo, CBO, ACO
C. Ray Allshouse, CBO, AIA, ACO
Tim Nordtvedt, CBO, ACO
Kurt Aldworth, CBO, ACO
David Spencer, CBO, ACO
Jon Siu, PE, SE, ACO
Sheila Salerno CBO, ACO, CFCO
Lee Kranz, CBO, ACO
Tom Phillips,CBO, ACO
Dean Giles, AIA, ACO
Gary Lampella, ACO
Sean Carlstrom,MCP, CBO,CFM, ACO
Stacy Criswell, CBO, ACO
Dermott Murphy, CBO, MCP, ACO
Brian Smith, CBO, ACO
David Swasey, CBO, ACO
James Tumelson, CBO, MCP, ME, ACO
LG Nelson, CBO, ACO
Join your colleagues and become an ACO. More information is available by clicking here. |
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Platinum Sponsor
CWA Consultants, P.S.
Jon Siu Consulting, LLC
Interior Technology
Diamond Sponsor
Northwest Code Professionals
Gold Sponsor
SAFEbuilt Washington, LLC
4Leaf, Inc.
BHC Consultants
Silver Sponsor
AeroWelding, LLC
Clarity Consulting Engineers, PLLC
Bronze Sponsors
MyBuildingPermit.com
West Coast Code Consultants, Inc.
General Code
Bower Associates
National Fire Sprinkler Association
Inspected.com
Oracle
Hoover Treated Wood Products
Camino Technologies
Tenmat Inc.
Simpson Strong Tie, Inc.
Day & Nite Plumbing and Heating, Inc.
Western Wood Preservers Institute
Bitco Software
We appreciate your continued support of the Washington Association of Building Officials
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Connect with WABO on Social Media!
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WABO has a LinkedIn page for our members and industry partners. We’ll offer up-to date information on upcoming events, current job postings and interesting articles, and other topics that you may find helpful.
Please take a moment right now and visit our page and click “Follow.” We look forward to bringing you lots of great information and keeping in touch. We hope you comment on our posts and feel free to ask any questions or share our content with collegues that would benefit from the information.
Click here to view WABO's LinkedIn Page
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Building Department Administration, 5th edition
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Completely revised, reorganized and reformatted, this new edition is critical to the successful management and operation of building safety administration. The publication is based on the expertise and practical knowledge of more than 50 building safety and resiliency professionals in government and private practice participating as authors, contributors, peer reviewers and editors. It is a required reference for professional ICC certifications such as Certified Building Official (CBO) and Certified Fire Marshal (CFO), as well as a valuable and reliable resource for building department personnel.
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SIRP Advisory Board - Code Official Volunteers Needed
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Of the many ways to give back, volunteering is one of the most profound. Giving your time and knowledge is invaluable, which is one of the reasons WABO appreciates its volunteers so much. Volunteerism has been the lifeblood of our organization throughout its many years and continues to be the main driving force for WABO today. Your knowledge, experience, and talents in the field of Life Safety has never been more important.
With the introduction of new materials and new methods of construction, it is important to keep up. The Certification and Registration Committee (C & R) has been able to bring three new special inspection categories to the members to help bring WABO in line with the IBC requirements. The work of the C & R Committee is done through it’s subcommittee’s (SIRP Advisory Board and Weld Advisory Board). With new technologies /materials coming out every year, we need to continue the work to stay ahead. Working on the SIRP advisory board is one way to help you keep up and gain information on what is coming.
WABO established and authorized the SIRP advisory board to develop the specifics of the program and to serve as a program technical advisory board. The Advisory Board membership consists of (6) voting member building officials, (1) registered structural engineer (if available) and (3) non-voting member agency technical directors.
The SIRP Advisory Board has recently lost some of the code official representation. If you are interested in joining the SIRP advisory board, please e-mail Tara at: tjenkins@wabo.org.
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WABO’s Emergency Management committee has been working since 2011 to help establish Washington State’s building safety responder program. Through their efforts WAsafe (WAshington Safety Assessment of Facilities Evaluators) was formed. WAsafe is a coalition comprised of WABO, SEAW, AIA Washington, and ASCE - Seattle Section whose mission is to train, enroll, and aid in the dispatch of volunteer building safety evaluators to help local building officials in Washington respond to disasters.
Through a historic cooperative effort between Washington State Emergency Management Division (EMD) and WAsafe a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been established. The MOU formally recognizes WAsafe as a resource the State will call upon to send volunteers to areas / jurisdictions affected by disasters. The MOU also establishes EMD’s central role in coordination of distribution of resources (volunteers) and WAsafe’s responsibility to maintain emergency response coordinators and continued training for agencies and WAsafe volunteers.
For details on how to enroll as a WAsafe volunteer and to see minimum qualifications, please view WAserv Registration Procedures at: www.wabo.org/emergency-responders-wasafe
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Marc Schoenberg
Building Official - City of Pacific
August 19, 2021
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President's Report, Kurt Aldworth
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With the year 2022 in close sight, I cannot help but realize how quickly this year has gone. We as an organization have been very busy and have accomplished much in 2021, and for that you should all be proud. Some of this year’s highlights include: finally adopting our 2018 Washington Codes, since the winter meeting in 2020 we held our first in-person business meeting in Port Angeles for the ABM, many attended the ICC ABM and code hearings in Pittsburgh, and very recently we hired our new lobbyist Marian Dacca who will replace Amy Brackenbury, who for many years did a remarkable job for us. Thank you Amy!
Our Fall Business Meeting in Chelan on October 28th & 29th was very well attended with approximately 68 in attendance and we had a total of 20 newcomers who were attending for their very first time. I think 20 first-timers has to be a record if not close since WABO’s inception. This could not have happened if it weren’t for the diligent efforts of our Board members utilizing a very long list of jurisdictions throughout the State and personally calling to invite each one, and getting it done in a very short time frame as well.
Our committee meetings that were held were well attended and very fruitful. First off, I’d like to commend Stacy Criswell, our Outreach Chair who’s had his plate quite full of late and has done a remarkable job in overseeing the creation of the WABO Building Official Handbook. He also has led the charge of the ever-evolving Energy Code Task Force. I’d also like to acknowledge Doug Powell, our Emergency Management Chair who is taking great strides in energizing the committee by seeking more volunteers, revitalizing the EM website and strengthening the WAsafe program.
Click here to read full report
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WABO 2021 Fall Business Meeting
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WABO members busy at work!
Over 60 people gathered at the Campbell's Resort in Chelan for the WABO Fall Quarterly Business Meeting on October 28-29, 2021. An impressive number of scholarship winners and first-timers attended and were able to meet and network with their colleagues from around Washington. The scholarship winners were:
* Clint Atteberry, Columbia County
* Phil Cecere, Jefferson County
* Ryan Ashley, Town of Waterville
* Michael Troidl, Franklin County
* Daniel Hopp, City of Des Moines
* Rich LeHew, City of Chewelah
* Brock Laughlin, Grant County
* Tony Clifton, City of Black Diamond
* David Hicks, Wahkiakum County
* Rob Kilmer, City of Medina
* Rich Norris, City of Gold Bar
* Matt Logue, City of Port Townsend
* Robert Shuey Jr., City of Renton
* Jon Chum, City of Aberdeen
* Ginny Rumiser, Whitman County
* Jacob Gates, Town of Winthrop
* Rob Grandstaff, Walla Walla County
Several important items were discussed during the committee meetings such as the Building Official Handbook, ICC Group B Public Comment Overview, and the 2022 legislative priorities. See committee reports for more details.
A special thank you to West Coast Code Consultants and Simpson Strong-Tie for sponsoring a Wednesday night social for WABO attendees at Tin Lilly's.
Members also had the chance to relax and network at an after hour social event at Sigillo Cellars.
Click here to read committee reports
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Save the Date - March 21-24, 2022
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Mark your calendar for the WABO Annual Education Institute on March 21-24, 2022, located at the Lynnwood Convention Center. We are currently planning to hold an in-person event and will adjust accordingly due to any government restrictions in place.
The WABO Education Committee met at our 2021 ABM to discuss the needs of the code community and will offer classes in the following:
* So, You Want to be a Building Official?
* Fundamentals of Structural Engineering for
Building Officials
* Bluebeam Revu Workshops
* 'Hands On' Plan Review Workshops
* HazMaterials / High Piled Storage
* UL 300 Fire Systems in Commercial Hoods
* What it Takes to Become a Professional Building
Inspector
* ICC A117.1 - 2017 Update
* And much more
Registration coming soon!
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Home Energy Raters can help builders and AHJs comply with the residential WSEC
Complying with the residential portions of the Washington State Energy Code (WSEC-R) is complicated. Many homeowners and others who contact the energy code team at the WSU Energy Program need more detailed guidance than we are tasked to provide.
That’s why we’re happy to announce a renewed and expanded relationship with the home energy rater (HERs) network. WSU encourages builders and code officials to consider how raters can help their clients comply with the current and next edition of the energy code.
The International Code Council (ICC) is starting to allow RESNET-certified energy raters to work on behalf of code officials. Raters can also help Washington builders with QA design and field qualification for the IRS 45L tax credit of $2,000 per dwelling.
The WSU Energy Program has served as a RESNET® Provider since 2005
We support dozens of home energy raters in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana by:
* Reviewing raters’ home efficiency modeling and
documentation, and performing rigorous file and
on-site field QA reviews on the required percentage
of all rated homes.
* Answering raters’ questions on modeling, performance
testing, building science, and other technical aspects
tied into residential energy efficiency.
* Offering online and on-site trainings.
* Tracking rater RESNET® credentials to ensure that all
of our raters and their equipment are fully capable of
providing reliable ratings.
* Providing highly competitive pricing with no annual
provider fee, and free file QA for raters in the Pacific
Northwest.
See our new webpage for Home Energy Raters.
Benefits to Builders
Independent home energy efficiency certifications add credible validation to builders’ efficiency claims, which is important to prospective buyers. This validation provides assurance that their new home will:
* Cost less to operate due to lower utility bills.
* Be eligible for incentives from utilities and other
organizations, and IRS 45L new home tax credits.
* Have healthier indoor air quality due to controlled
ventilation and lack of duct and envelope leaks.
* Require fewer call-backs due to comfort, performance
and deterioration issues.
* Be eligible for lower financing costs.
Benefits to Building Officials
The ICC, in cooperation with RESNET, has developed a new ICC certification, the IECC/ HERS Compliance Specialist (see HERS® Raters and Energy Codes), for certified RESNET HERS Raters and Rating Field Inspectors who also hold the ICC Residential Energy Inspector/Plans Examiner Certification. It combines the energy code knowledge of code officials with the energy efficiency knowledge of HERS Raters to identify experts in energy plan review and inspection. The certification will increase the number of raters qualified to evaluate energy code compliance and home energy performance. For more information, see ICC IECC/HERS Compliance Specialist.
If you have additional questions, please contact the following WSU Energy Program staff:
Mike Lubliner, energy code team lead
Jonathan Jones, home energy rater team lead
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WABO Winter Committee Meeting
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The WABO Winter Committee Meetings will be held virtually on January 27, 2022, via Zoom Conferencing.
This meeting is devoted to legislative issues and will include virtual meetings with legislators during the week of January 31 - February 4, 2022. If you are interested in attending the virtual legislator meetings please attend the Government Relations Committee meeting being held on January 6, 2022. If you are not a current Government Relations Committee member, please e-mail tjenkins@wabo.org to be added to the distribution list. |
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Volunteers Needed - MRSC Newsletter Articles
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 The Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) reached out to WABO to create a liaison bewteen our organizations.
MRSC would like WABO to provide quarterly blogs to their organzation that can be utilized in their newsletters. Stacy Criswell from the Outreach Committee discussed this topic at the 2021 ABM and members created a list of topics for future MRSC newsletters.
* ADU’s
* Tiny Homes
* Special Inspection approval list (WABO verified)
* CTL
* Energy Code
* Common inspection issues
* Tsunami’s
* Earthquakes
* WA Safe program
* Project Impact
If you can volunteer to write a blog on one or more of the topics above, please e-mail Stacy Criswell at scriswell@monroewa.gov.
Your participation is greatly appreciated!
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A special congratulations to current COAP student on their recent promotion:
Anas Mahdi is a new Building Inspector / Plans Examiner with the Port of Seattle Building Department.
To learn how you or a staff member can become part of the Code Official Accrediation Program, please visit the WABO Code Official Accreditation Program (COAP) page or email Melissa at coap@wabo.org.
Fall 2022 enrollment will begin April 11, 2022! Classes start September 12, 2022.
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