As evidenced by ENR’s recent webinar “Making the Most of the Cloud,” more and more construction services are finding their way to the Cloud, including one that provides industry access to construction codes and standards.While the U.S. made a significant advance more than a decade ago when its three model building code-writing organizations consolidated into a single, model building code-writing body—the International Code Council—little has changed with regard to the diversity of codes and standards as they actually are selected, amended, adopted and enforced by more than 35,000 local jurisdictions—where projects end up being built.But since the consolidation of the
For everyone concerned with construction, economic sustainability and disaster resiliency, the first five months of 2011 have been momentous. The quake in Christchurch, New Zealand, reminded us of the need for effective seismic retrofit programs. Japan’s triple disaster and shattered supply chain documented for us again that preparing for just a single disaster scenario does not match real-world events. The record tornado outbreaks proved the value of better warning systems and tornado shelters. And the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden has caused many of us to reflect on actions we have either taken or not taken over the