A new web app from the International Code Council makes voting on changes to the building code available to anyone, for the first time.
Since its inception, the International Code Council (ICC) held hearings twice a year where members submit, argue and finalize changes to the coming year’s building code. Only a fraction of the council’s 58,000 members are able to attend the meetings—some of which last 10 days—says Dominic Sims, CEO of ICC.
“The app is in response to a new challenge in the industry,” says Sims, who adds that recent economic difficulties precluded many member from taking time off work and traveling to whatever city the ICC hearings will be held. “We wanted a solution to let everyone participate,” says Sims.
The solution is an online poortal that allows anyone to go therough the ICC submittal process from the comfort of their home. The portal acts as a vetting device to strain out all superfluous ideas and funnel in only the most important, for council hearing. The address is cdpaccess.com, and the process to submit a code change is straight forward.
“We leveled the playing field,” says Michael LaVista CEO, Caxy Interactive, Chicago, the company that made the web app. “In the past, the people that did have the time and money had more of a voice.”
Sims agrees with LaVista and adds that he’s looking forward to seeing what kind of submittals the site brings, and hopes it will save in-person meeting time.
“We’re hoping stakeholders will collaborate before, outside and around the formal hearing process and it won’t take as long,” says Sims.
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