October
House Votes to Delay Overtime Rule; More Comprehensive Relief Needed. Filed in Capitol Hill, Codes and Regulations, Labor, Safety and Health by NAHB on September 29, 2016 – Click here to read more
Revised Worker’s Compensation Rates which will be raised to 14.5% as of December 1, 2016- Click here to read complete order
September
Florida Opinion Research- “Florida Impact Fee Survey Results” – Click here for report.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is offering FREE workshops to assist you and your company in navigating the State of Florida’s procurement system. Click here for details.
July
July 1 – Official Effective Date for New Florida Building Code Provisions
July 1 was the official effective date for new Florida Building Code provisions (HB 535). We anticipated an effective date of July 8th, however we are pleased that the staff of the Florida Building Commission (FBC) was able to achieve an earlier effective date. Click here to view the document that will be sent out from the FBC to interested parties and local Building Departments. THIS DOCUMENT WILL GOVERN ALL PERMITS ISSUED.
The document may be difficult to follow. To help, each section of HB 535 that included change is framed in a BOX, with the final changes referenced in RED. The items that may be of importance to you and are now effective are:
• Clarification that certain swimming pools used for specific purposes are not subject to regulation;
• The Florida Building Code (code) requires two fire service elevators for buildings in certain circumstances;
• The location of standpipes in high-rise buildings are subject only to specified requirements;
• Requirement of fire sprinklers in restaurants with a fire area occupancy load of 200 patrons or more
• Additions of provisions to the code regarding fire separation distance and roof overhang projections
• Authorization of local building officials to issue phased construction permits
• Requirement completed building permit applications to be submitted electronically
• Exemption of Wi-Fi smoke alarms and those that contain multiple sensors, such as those combined with carbon monoxide alarms, from the 10-year, no removable, nonreplaceable battery provision and provides requirements regarding alarm monitoring system registration
• Authorization of mandatory blower door/air infiltration testing, effective July 1, 2017, and provides air change and infiltration rates
• Creation of the Calder Sloan Swimming Pool Electrical-Safety Task Force and the Construction Industry Workforce Task Force
• Allows a specific energy rating index as an option for compliance with the energy conservation code and directs the Florida Building Commission to study and determine if on-site renewable energy generation can be counted toward energy conservation goals under the code.
Should you have questions regarding the effective date or FBC provisions, please contact Douglas Buck, Director of Governmental Affairs, at dbuck@fhba.com/850.402.1852 or Rusty Payton, CEO/Chief Lobbyist, at rpayton@fhba.com/850.402.1841.
June
Click here to read more.
The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation will be hosting a free webinar/conference call for the 2017 FBC code change cycle (which started July 1, 2015).
The webinar will take place March 18, 2016 at 2:00 PM and will go over the process of reviewing the reports (Detailed Reports and Tracking Charts) published on proposed code modifications to the 6th Edition (2017) update to the Florida Building Code (FBC). This is to give everyone the opportunity to address any issues you may be having in any of the steps of proposed code modification and any questions regarding the code module including “The TAC’s Code modification process”.
1.Please join my meeting.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/282035733
2. Join the conference call:
United States (toll-free): 1 866 899 4679
Access Code: 282-035-733
Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting
Meeting ID: 282-035-733
-Mediation will be required below 3 and above 7
-HV contractors will have ability to do blower testing…they may need specialized certification
-All fire separation language issues addressed by FHBa are in the bill*Once the bill has passed, members will receive a line item review of those items passed within this bill.Sadowski Funding: Florida Senate and House of Representatives have reached a compromise on affordable housing, recommending that $214.1 million be appropriated from Florida’s housing trust funds toward affordable housing.
2016 Proposed Building Code Bill: HB 535 by Rep. Eagle and SB 704 by Sen. Hutson.
There are several changes in the bill, but key provisions that make this bill critical to pass are:
– Keeping Blower Door Testing and Mechanical Ventilation Testing as an Optional Process
– Returning the zero-lot line fire separation to the prior code standard
– Returning the fire wall standards to the prior code
– Providing an alternative performance-path methodology for home energy calculations;
– Beginning the planning for a 6- year code cycle
– Providing funding for non-binding interpretation of the fire code
– Creation of a construction industry workforce task group.
The deadline for public comment on the plan is today, Jan. 20. To comment: go online to read the plan at MyFWC.com/Imperiled and offer feedback by email, using Imperiled@myfwc.com. Staff will review public comments to see how they could be used to improve the plan, and the Commission is scheduled to make a final decision on the plan at its April meeting.
Go to www.FHBA.com and gain access to:
* Contracts
* Building Code Assistance
* Education
* Up-to-date relevant news
* and more!
To access members only content you will need to login using the following:Username: Your NAHB PIN
Password: FHBA (case-sensitive)Important Dates
SEBC is scheduled for July 27-29 in Kissimmee Florida. For more information go to www.sebc.com.The 2016 FHBA Fall Conference is booked for November 3-5, 2016 at the Hilton Sandestin Beach and Golf Resort. More information to follow as it becomes available.