Home Fire Sprinklers Are Coming!!

FM Global Burn Test

The International Code Council recently voted to include sprinklers in all new one and two family homes in the new 2009 International Residential Code.

What does this mean to us?  Look for Home Sprinklers to be required in your local Building Code when the next update is approved. 

Most state building codes are based upon the International Residential Code, (and International Building Code for commercial projects) published by the International Code Council.  As updates are produced they are adopted by different states, typically every 2 – 3 years.

Although this will add cost to new residential construction, the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) claims that home sprinklers cut the risk of dying in a home fire by about 80 percent.

For additional information, visit the NFPA website and review their “Bringing Safety Home” campaign.

The World’s First LEED Platinum Hotel

Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants & Hotels announced that The Proximity Hotel and Print Works Bistro have been awarded LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

LEED is the USGBC’s rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient, and high performing buildings.

The owners of the hotel believe that the costs to build green are minor, do not compromise the guest experience, provide a substantial financial return, and last but not least help the environment.

We at DYAMI are currently involved in many hotel renovation projects where we are working towards LEED certification. We have found that if you properly identify and target key achievable methods, you can “go green” with a minimal additional cost. When considering lifecycle costs, the cost of operating the facility over time, we can actually save our clients money.

Proximity Lobby

Consider the following not so obvious “green” objectives:
Recycle construction debris.
Source materials locally.
Use recycled content.
Restore natural site elements.
Install regenerative drive elevators which generate electricity on descent.
Provide natural daylighting.
Use energy recovery systems.
Source furniture locally.
Commission local artists and craftsmen.

New York City Building Department Update – Home Improvement Contractors Require License

In order to further protect the Health, Safety and Welfare of homeowners, on 11/15/05, the Department of Buildings issued Operations Policy & Procedure Notice 03/05 requiring home improvement contractors to possess a Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Home Improvement Contractor’s (HIC) License.

This has been established to ensure that all home improvement work is being performed
by licensed contractors. The license requirement will apply to work performed in 1, 2, 3, or 4 family dwellings, individual co-ops, condos, or rented apartments if the person hiring the contractor is the owner or tenant of the dwelling or unit. An HIC license is not required when the work is being performed by a licensed tradesperson and the work is exclusively within their craft for which they are currently licensed.

By using licensed contractors, the homeowner has a greater degree of assurance that the work being performed will be according to the best practices of the industry. If a contractor carries a license, any complaints with the Better Business Bureau will be easier to track since the contractor must use the business name that is licensed – rather than changing the name of the company often to avoid liability.

If you are performing a major improvement project, consider retaining an Architect who can not only recommend quality contractors, but will oversee the project to be sure the work is being performed according to code.