Good Afternoon All! The City of Chicago has updated the class schedule for Self Certification Training Classes.  We know how important it is to you to keep your training current and wanted to share.

Per the City of the Chicago Website:

Self-Certification Training Class October 26-28, 2011

Related Posts:

• City of Chicago Self-Certification Permit Program Training Class
• E-Plan Review for the City of Chicago
• Burnham and Wright: The Best of Both Worlds
• How green can you go?
• Chicago Sign Permit Amnesty Program

In order to keep apprised of changes in the Chicago building codes, contractors and architects must keep a close eye on the two-volume set of codes produced annually by this municipality. In addition, if you want to know the most recent updates, you must subscribe to the online edition. Each month, the online edition posts changes to the city’s plumbing, heating, ventilation, and refrigeration regulations, as well as new codes concerning environmental regulations and fire prevention strategies. Keeping up to date on these codes is essential to ensure that you know exactly what to do so that your Chicago building permits are accepted on the first try. However, keeping so well-informed can be an onerous task that is best done with the help of a trusted industry leader like Burnham.

Burnham’s team of experienced professionals can help you fill out and submit your permits so that they will get approved quickly and with a minimum of hassles. Burnham has been established in Chicago for over a generation, and during that time, we have cultivated close relationships with city officials. Not only do we have a close understanding of the Chicago codes and what needs to be followed in order for an application to get approved, we also have intimate relationships that often make us one of the first to know about code changes.

Keeping track of code changes is practically a full-time job, and is not something that usually appeals to most architects and contractors. In 2003, for the first time in over fifty years, Chicago completed their first major revision to their city building code. Although several years have elapsed since that revision, the code is updated with small changes nearly every month. For instance, recently the city has asserted a new focus on porches. Much of the information on porches involves fairly obvious things, like avoiding the use of rotten wood or unstable handrails. However, the city has written a 101-page guidebook detailing the rest of the regulations. These are the kind of specific and small details that Burnham professionals will help you with to ensure that you do not overlook anything, even the smallest detail, while you are planning your building proposal.

Covering everything from ADA ramps to elevators to circuit breakers, the Chicago building codes are fairly complex. If you want to ensure that your Chicago building permits get approved as quickly as possible, you should have someone look them over to be certain that they follow all of the relevant codes and laws. Here at Burnham, we are happy to help our clients in this capacity and are proud to say that we have been helping them for years.

Related Posts:

• Q & A About California ADA Requirements
• Current ADA Ramp Requirements
• Questions and Answers About ADA Compliance Requirements
• ADA Consultants: How to Choose the Right One For Your Needs
• Understanding ADA Compliance Requirements

Many projects only require an OTC (Over the Counter) trade permit. The advantage to obtaining one of these permits is that you can avoid the cumbersome steps of plan reviews and site inspections. However, filling out forms and navigating municipal laws to figure out which projects can be done with an OTC permit is not always a simple task.

To expedite this process, you can rely on the twenty years of experience that Burnham has in obtaining building permits and complying with municipal laws. Our project managers work with you every step of the way to ensure that your permit does not encounter common delays, and to help you understand the various steps involved in obtaining a permit. If necessary, we can meet with you to offer a detailed report on which codes you need to follow and which permits you need to file. We derive our advice from careful research, years of experience and close relationships with city officials. When handled correctly, OTC permits can often be approved in as little as one to two business days, and you can track your permits online.

Every municipality requires different criteria to be met before they are willing to grant an OTC trade permit. Because we have offices in many of the country’s largest cities, we can advise you of the requirements in your specific area.

For instance, if you reside in Seattle and you are doing some electrical work, you might qualify for an OTC permit, given certain criteria. Once every two years, you can apply for an OTC electrical permit for a building that has up to four residential units if you plan on residing in one of the units for at least twenty four months following the completion of the project. This rule also allows you to circumnavigate the code that would normally require you to hire a certified electrician. In addition to the building and residency requirements, the work you are doing must not exceed certain voltages or amps. For instance, if you plan to install an electric vehicle charging station, you can only file for an OTC trade permit (and avoid site inspections) if your project does not exceed 400 amps. You may be surprised that even certain low voltage projects, like hardwiring a security system for a single family home or duplex, may require a plan review.

That is just a very brief look at some of the requirements that must be met to get an OTC trade permit for one type of project in one city. The rules, of course, are different for each city, and are constantly changing. Our clients rely on our expertise to help them file the necessary paperwork so that they can begin their work as soon as possible. We hope to work with you, too, and help get your project started!

Related Posts:

• We Can Help With Obtaining Los Angeles Building Permits
• Preserving America’s History: Building Permit Requirements for Historical Locations
• Understanding NYC Building Permits
• New York City Department of Buildings launches QR Codes
• Burnham and Wright: The Best of Both Worlds

Our team at Burnham has LEED-accredited professionals who can guide you through the entire LEED certification process step by step. We’re here to help you with every aspect of the process, from answering “What is LEED certification” to filing the requisite paperwork to figuring out which aspects of your project are the most integral to achieving your certification.

What is LEED certification?

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and it is a certification that can be applied to both new constructions and the renovations of old buildings. LEED certification is awarded by the USGBC (the United States Green Building Council) for projects that meet certain strict environmental criteria. These requirements range from proper HVAC systems to efficient plumbing systems to carbon dioxide emissions reductions. The list of criteria is virtually endless, but it all concerns building or modifying structures so that they are environmentally-friendly.

How to start the LEED certification Process

Obtaining LEED certification requires project managers to fill out and file several sets of documents. The applications require information about which LEED credits the project is applying for and which team members are responsible for the oversight of each credit. The applications also request calculations regarding each credit and its prerequisites. Since the process is quite complex, Burnham offers nationwide services that help contractors and developers apply for and understand these credits and their calculations.

The advantages to obtaining LEED certification (the Why)

In addition to environmental benefits, obtaining a LEED certification also offers builders various tax benefits. The tax benefits differ from state to state, but as a general rule, approximately one third of all LEED costs can be claimed as tax credits. If developers without tax liabilities earn LEED credits, they are actually allowed to sell them to other companies.

Although the answer to “What is LEED Certification?” is fairly straightforward, obtaining LEED certification is rather complex and cumbersome. However, with the assistance of our professionals at Burnham, the process can be very simple, understandable, and streamlined.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

When offering our clients sustainability consulting, Burnham does not merely advise our clients on the virtues of well known programs like the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification process; we also speak with them about all cutting-edge green building technologies. You may know that buildings are responsible for almost half (40%) of our total carbon footprint and that they produce forty percent of our solid wastes. However, with the rise of green building technologies, buildings can shed their poor environmental image and claim a new environmentally friendly reputation.

We understand that as a contractor or architect, you’re focused on all of the intricacies of our project: acquiring a permit, managing your workforce, meeting ADA and other requirements, and much more. That’s why we make it our job to be up on the latest developments in green technologies and how to best utilize them. Because builders may almost instinctively turn to trusted green methods like wind- or sun-generated power sources, other emergent technologies may get overlooked. Here are a few to try now, or to keep your eye on in coming years:

Insulated nano-coatings are one of those technologies that are still being developed. Currently this technology is utilized in energy-efficient displays like those used on e-readers, but engineers are also working to adapt insulated nano-coatings so that they can be used in buildings. Engineers are also working with OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes), which are currently used in the displays of cell phones, portable media players, and digital cameras, to develop them for use in smart windows (glass that can be electrically controlled to allow in different amounts of heat or light).

In addition to the technologies still being developed, our experts can talk with you about existing technologies, how to use them in your projects, and how to get the right permits for them. For instance, aerogels, a man-made material with the least density of any solid, are currently being used with great efficacy as an insulating material in windows and skylights.

As more green building technologies continue to be developed, our sustainable consulting team can advise you on which ones to embrace for your next project. From the technologies mentioned above to self-cleaning materials to solar technologies, we keep you apprised of what’s current, what’s coming soon, and what will work best for you and our planet.

Related Posts:

• The LEED Certification Process – Part 1: Requirements
• Commissioning Confusion and the New Illinois Energy Conservation Code
• What You Need to Know About Green Building Technologies
• How Do You Know When You Need LEED Consulting Services?
• Burnham Celebrates It’s 20th Anniversary!

Applying for Los Angeles building permits is a lengthy process, and it requires a good deal of knowledge about Los Angeles building codes. To apply for a new building permit, applicants must submit their plans to the LADBS (Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety). The LADBS will obtain separate approval from any city departments that are affected by the work such as the department of health, the fire department, the department of cultural affairs, or any other relevant entities. Once the plans are looked over by the LADBS, they will normally be sent back to the applicant for any necessary corrections.

This step is what makes obtaining permits so time-consuming, and these delays can usually be avoided by using professionals (like us!) who know the ins and outs of municipal and city codes. After the corrections have been made and the affected city departments have approved the plans, the permit will be issued and work can finally begin.

In addition to helping you obtain Los Angeles building permits faster and more efficiently, the Burnham team helps you understand the complex Los Angeles building codes. These codes, which govern everything from plumbing to elevators, are often national or international standards, like those written by the International Code Council. However, to complicate matters, LA has added city amendments to virtually every code. In addition to a generation of experience, we also have strong ties to community leaders and a wealth of knowledge about municipal codes and laws. Whether you lack the time or inclination to wade through these complex codes on your own, we can help you.

We also offer sustainability consulting that can help you understand the LA Green Building Technology codes. These recent additions to Los Angeles building codes deal with everything from the requirements for electric vehicle supply wiring to the need for adequate storm water drainage during the construction period. Figuring out which codes are required for which project is no easy feat; let us help you decide which Los Angeles building permits are needed and which codes apply to you.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

In order to obtain NYC building permits, you, as a PE (Professional Engineer) or an RA (Registered Architect), must put forward an application that includes your project’s construction plans. It is your responsibility to ensure that the plans follow all of the current NY building codes. Once these plans have been approved, you can file for a permit, which, once granted, allows you to finally start your project. If the city has any objections to the plan, the entire process must be repeated until all of the stipulations have been satisfied.
Although the process sounds quite straightforward, RA’s and PE’s can be forced to submit and resubmit their applications an interminable amount of times if they include any number of small mistakes. When you work with Burnham, we ensure that all the forms are filed correctly, all the codes are adhered to, and that the entire process is as expeditious as possible. In fact, as often as possible, we like to take advantage of the New York Buildings Department expedition program, called the Professional Certification Program.  This program saves time because it allows professionally certified construction plans to bypass the plan review. Skipping this step means that your application will be approved much faster than it would have if it required a review. 

The NY building codes are based on a set of 1968 codes and over forty years worth of municipal updates and additions. One of the most recent changes to the code that Mayor Bloomberg signed into law at the close of 2009 was the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan. Currently, these laws are the most detailed and ambitious set of energy efficient codes in the nation. However, what is good for the planet is not always simple and clear for RA’s and PE’s.

RA’s and PE’s can avoid the onerous task of wading through the new complex codes and years worth of updates that address everything from climber cranes to the prohibition of smoking cigarettes at construction sites when they sign up for the ‘Burnham special experience’ for unparalleled help in filing for NYC building permits and understanding NY building codes.  

Related Posts:

• New Hours for NY DOB – Certificate of Occupancy Applications
• Questions and Answers About NYC Building Violations
• We Can Help With Obtaining Los Angeles Building Permits
• Preserving America’s History: Building Permit Requirements for Historical Locations
• Do You Qualify for an OTC Trade Permit?

By: John Progar

The day has finally come for the world wide IPv6 day!  Very exciting.

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/060811-ipv6-traffic.html

Related Posts:

• Time to Learn IPv6?