Codes & Standards

2022 September

What Is Delegated Design?

The concept of delegated design has been around for many years. Recent conversations in professional circles center on its increased usage. However, there is a certain confusion that is often related to the process....

2022 August

Gypsum Board Fire Ratings

Please explain the different types of gypsum wallboard as related to fire rating. First it must be noted that gypsum board, as a single product or building material, has no fire-resistive rating in...

2022 July

Defense Against Water

What is the rainscreen concept for an exterior wall? The simple definition is that the concept provides a secondary line of defense against water, in both its liquid and vapor state, from penetrating...

2022 June

Allowable Drift

Can you explain allowable drift in seismic design? The design of buildings to resist seismic events is regulated by the International Building Code. The standard that is referenced within the code is ASCE...

2022 May

Allowable Drift

Can you define allowable drift and how it affects a contractor? Drift is the lateral movement of buildings caused by wind or earthquakes. According to Don Allen, P.E., S.E., director of engineering at...

2022 April

Waste Not, Want Not

Can you explain changes to construction waste recovery? Statistics reveal that a copious amount of waste material is generated during the construction, renovation or demolition of a building. There is a heightened...

2022 March

Panelized Construction Standards

Can you explain the new standards for panelized construction? New standards may soon impact all contractors involved in pre-building panels to be installed on a construction site. Two of these standards, from the...

2022 February

Heat-Related Illness

Can you explain OSHA’s involvement in heat-related illness? Heat-stress continues to be a concern of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the agency has recently entered a preliminary rulemaking stage. OSHA published...

January 2022

CFS Design Considerations

Please explain the connection between head-of-wall fire resistive designs and composite design for non-structural cold-formed steel framing. The connection between the two is that potentially there is no connection between the two. The...