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Legislative Report for 2007

For the

Building Code Training Program

Building Codes Education and Outreach Council Administrator

The Education Program Oversight Committee, through the services of Building A Safer Florida, Inc., achieved the following during fiscal 2006-2007:

l Developed outreach initiatives for Florida construction and design industries for the purpose of ensuring these licensees are informed about Florida Building Code requirements and aware of specific duties there under. Initiatives developed include outreach for mandates such as changes in code, law, and standards; outreach to inform licensees of resources, training opportunities, and reminders of obligations; and outreach on technical information and compliance requirements.

l Drafted education outreach programs through a clearinghouse to achieve the ultimate goal of licensee understanding and compliance. A primary role of the clearinghouse for education outreach programs is to ensure that all licensees (and others) have access to as much information as possible, including available education providers and courses, resources, and sources of codes-related information both technical and practical and have a means for providing input to determine the need for education and outreach.

lCoordinated outreach education program availability through the use of a structure that includes an informational website, access to materials and courses, possible use of mailings and presentations, and a mechanism for telephone, facsimile, or electronic mail inquiries. Crucial to this coordination is participation from the respective licensee trade and professional associations.

l Coordinated advanced course subjects as first proposed by the Building Codes Education and Outreach Council* for development of a list of topics that education providers can develop to assist licensees in meeting their continuing education requirements and improving Florida Building Code knowledge and compliance. The complete list is available in the final report of the Building Code Education and Outreach Council Administrator and includes such topics as accessibility, water conservation through storm water design, roof gardens and green roofs, LEED related topics (landscape architecture perspective), several topics relating to the Florida Energy Code and the Florida Building Fire Prevention Codes, and more. In addition to course topics, a way to encourage development of a greater number of courses was also proposed.

lDrafted work plan for approved subject education and training through the use of surveys and resulting recommendations and input for modifications to the established processes and systems for course review and approval and access to information about courses. The work plan includes four steps as follows: 1) identify training needs in a systematic manner; 2) share survey results with regulatory (licensing) boards and associations and seek feedback or change; 3) ensure further research and discussion with education providers on education needs and available courses; and 4) improve access to information for all licensees about available courses in a way that allows education providers to focus on course presentation, rather than marketing the availability of courses. In addition, an initiative for remedial education and training was proposed as a separate and distinct program to address areas where compliance or comprehension are a problem.

lDeveloped list of proposed course subjects that updates and augments the earlier developed list. The complete list is available in the final report of the Building Code Education and Outreach Council Administrator and includes such topics as a greater variety of roofing courses, how to build green, fire walls, doors, and smoke detectors, coastal or steel inspections, building department management, understanding and applying Florida Building Code for facilities in the high-velocity hurricane zone for engineers, understanding and applying Florida Energy Code commercial building compliance methods for HVAC systems and calculations for total building compliance and for lighting and electrical systems, and more.

The overall conclusion in the report of the Building Codes Education and Outreach Council Administrator is that education and training for the design and construction industries in Florida will benefit greatly from a well-developed single source of information so that all interested parties can go to one entity and one location to find information on available courses, licensing requirements, related materials, and opportunities for course development. Access to such information and materials must be such that it is easy and useful for infrequent users, and it must be based primarily on the needs of the affected licensees required to comply with the Florida Building Code. The ways to accomplish the needed changes are:

• Bring together in one place all information relating to available and approved continuing education courses including all types of courses
• With all information gathered, determine if and where gaps exist
• Take steps to close the gaps
• Encourage interaction and sharing among education providers
• Address practical process problems for providers and licensees
• Address access problems for licensees
• Eliminate existing barriers to development of a greater number and variety of advanced codes courses
• Expand and adjust the available methods of delivery of courses
• Develop distinct structure and criteria for remedial courses
• Address timing conflicts and discrepancies that exist for continuing education

*The Building Codes Education and Outreach Council was repealed by the Florida Legislature in chapter 2007-187, Laws of Florida, now in effect.

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