Georgia Code Compliance MeetingwithTed Miltiades ~ Manager, Construction Codes and Industrialized Buildings Section of theGeorgiaDepartment of Community Affairs (DCA).

Monday, October 16, 2006

  1. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has released a notice of intent to adopt new codes as follows: the 2006 editions of the, International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC), International Mechanical Code (IMC), International Plumbing Code (IPC), International Fire Code (IFC), and International Fuel Gas Codes (IFGC), all with GA Amendments. The DCA Board will hold a meeting on November 1, 2006 to adopt the new code editions with GA Amendments. There will also beGA Amendments to the International Energy Conservation Code, 2000 Edition. The effective date will beJanuary 1, 2007. The proposed code adoptions can be reviewed on the DCA website at the following web address:

Are there any proposed GA Amendments impacting commercial modular construction?

ANSWER: Yes, commercial modular construction uses the same codes and GA Amendments as regular commercial construction.There are six new code editions with GA Amendments proposed to be adopted. The above mentioned code editions and GA Amendments will become effective on January 1, 2007(The IRC does not apply to commercial buildings).Georgiawill tentativelyadopt new code editions every three years, so the next code cycle will be to adopt the 2009 editions, followed by the 2012 editions.

It is the 2007GA Amendments that are on the website, not the codes.

  1. Has your office seen an increase in activity due to Georgia class size reduction initiatives or any other initiatives?

ANSWER: For the last three yearsthere has been an overall increase in activity in the Industrialized Buildings Program, so much so, that DCA is hiring a new person for this division, but there has not been an isolated increase in classroom activity.

  1. Are there any recent changes that affect reciprocal use of other state buildings?

ANSWER: Pennsylvania is the only state that has a reciprocal agreement withGeorgia and those only come in to the state a couple times a year.

  1. Are class fire-rating approvals for roofing required for all modular buildings? If not, under what conditions are they not required?

ANSWER: Modular Buildings have touse the same applicable codes as any other building; therefore, roofing materials must meet the same code requirements.

  1. If we have a building with no restroom, and we would like to add one, what do we do to get the plans recertified? Does this happen before or after the restroom is added to the building? Is there an inspection or plan submittal at the state level? Or is it up to the local government to approve a remodel of this type?

ANSWER: There are two compliancemethods: (1) It may be handled by the local government in which case local permits would have to be obtained and local inspections done on the building, or (2) go through the DCA Industrialized Building Program and have a third party engineeringfirm approve the plans for code compliance, havethe third party engineering firm inspect the addition, and then get an inspection sticker.

  1. Is there a formal process to resolve conflicts with local officials concerning DCA approved plans?

ANSWER: There is not a formal process. Most complaints involve code interpretation, when this is the case DCA helps resolve the issue.

  1. Is there a formal process to resolve conflicts with the State Fire Marshal’s Office concerning DCA approved plans?

ANSWER: There is not a formal process. The State Fire Marshal’s Office has purview over certain aspects of commercial construction such as accessibility.

  1. When is it appropriate to use the Life Safety Code,and when the International Building Code?

ANSWER: There is a table titled ‘Code Reference Guide’ on page three of the 2007 GA Amendments to the 2006 International Building Code that will become effective January 1st, 2007. This table establishes specific primary and supplementary code applications. In some instances, there is only one primary code. The table can be found on the DCA website at:

  1. When will the new 2006 editions of the IBC, IRC, IMC, IPC, IFC, IFGCwith 2007GA Amendmentsand the also the new 2007 GA Amendments to the existing 2000 edition IECC be required?

ANSWER: These new codeswith GA Amendments and the new GA Amendments to the 2000 IECC will become effective on January 1, 2007, but from January 1, 2007until March 31, 2007 both the new and the old codes will be accepted by the Industrialized Building Program forindustrialized and modular buildings. After March 31, 2007 all plans must be in compliance with the new code requirements.