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Why the World Trade Center Buildings Collapsed Article written by retired New York Deputy Fire Chief Vincent Dunn analyzes structural and building code factors that, in his opinion, may have contributed to the collapse of the World Trade Center Twin Towers. Includes links to other articles on fire safety and disaster-resistant design.

International Code Council (ICC) The International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council.

Access Board (formerly Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board) Contains Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities, Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards, information about revision of the ADA and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines, summary of proposed rules, other guidelines, and status of guidelines and standards under development.

Acoustical Society of America Lists national and international acoustical standards for sale. Can download at no charge American National Standards on Acoustics, Acoustical Performance Guidelines for Schools, Classroom Acoustics I and II, articles from the current issue of Acoustics Research Letters Online.

American Fire Sprinkler Association Lists National Fire Protection Association standards for sprinklers. Can download technical articles on fire safety and seismic issues; SprinklerAge newsletter; Legislative Review of Codes, Standards and Regulations.

American Gas Association Codes and Standards contains downloadable fact sheets and reports on gas piping; building codes, standards for equipment. Contains National Fuel Gas Code ordering information, interpretations, errata; natural gas glossary.

American Institute of Steel Construction Free Downloads contains AISC Code of Standard Practice for Steel Buildings and Bridges; ASTM Standard Specification for General Requirements for Rolled Structural Steel Bars, Plates, Shapes and Sheet Piling; FEMA 350 and 353; LRFD specifications; and seismic provisions.

American Institute of Timber Construction Lists design standards, technical notes, manufacturing standards and technical papers; some are available for sale, and others can be downloaded for free.

American National Standards Institute Document Library includes Federal Register Notices, significant laws and policies for download; current and archival issues of Standards Action status reports; information about domestic, international, USNC/IEC and ISO program activities; links to international and regional standards organizations; information about ANSI product and personnel accreditation programs; list of ANSI members and standards developers; reference library of ANSI procedures and forms; information about ANSI research services. Provides current and archived standards news releases. Standards Education Database lists standards-producing organizations, with links and information on education activities.

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Contains standards-related guides, addenda, errata, interpretations; list of withdrawn standards; purposes and scopes; subject and numeric index to standards. Can order standards online or download selected standards (some available to members only). Can view proceedings, PowerPoint presentations and conference outlines.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers Contains codes, standards, policies, procedures and guidelines; recently published standards; electronic stress tables; public review proposals with order information. International Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code users receive addenda, interpretations and code case supplements. Conformity Assessment Accreditation Programs list authorized agencies and laboratories; provides application forms. Contains "Introduction to ASME Codes and Standards" for engineering students. Offers short courses. Invites volunteer technical experts to develop, promulgate and maintain ASME Codes and Standards.

Americans with Disabilities Act Home Page Provides technical assistance manuals and design guides; ADA Enforcement Status Reports and settlements; information about filing complaints and Civil Litigation Monitoring Program; case reporting form; links to other federal agencies that provide ADA information online

American Wood Council Offers free downloadable "Code Conforming Wood Design" software demo; free code publications; codes for sale; code advice by region; information on code-related meetings. Lists code acceptance of AWC wood design manuals and specifications. Offers free online courses on Designing with National Design Specification for Wood Construction; LRFD Manual for Engineered Wood Construction; Wood Frame Construction Manual; building code and wood design courses and seminars; wood as a building material courses; and wood design and detailing courses. Lists code experts.

APA - Engineered Wood Association Provides code evaluation reports on engineered wood products. Offers "Design Solutions with Engineered Wood" technical seminar for code officials and other building professionals.

Architectural Precast Association Provides Industry Standards for Architectural Precast Concrete.

Association of Pool and Spa Professionals Contains technical standards, codes for public and private pools and spas. Government Relations includes "Latest ADA Recommendations for Pools and Spas."

Brick Industry Association (formerly Brick Institute of America) Building Codes discusses building code issues affecting the brick industry.

Building Codes Assistance Project Not-for-profit organization promoting the adoption and implementation of statewide building energy codes. Visitors can read current and past issues of the organization newsletter and sign up to receive e-mail alerts on building energy code activity in specific states or across the nation. Contains information on code alerts, current building energy code legislation for selected states, energy code training information by state, energy code conferences, maps of state adoption of EPAct-Compliant Residential Energy Codes and state adoption of EPAct-Compliant Commercial Energy Codes, and other code-related resources.  Lists recently passed energy code legislation for selected states.

Building Seismic Safety Council Contains full-text "NEHRP Recommended Provisions for Seismic Regulations for New Buildings and Other Structures" (FEMA 302, 303, 368, 369, 450). Includes list of current project titles, descriptions of council's publications and online order form for publications.  Can request technical assistance on a BSSC project online.

Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers' Association  Contains code information and standards for cellulose insulation.

Copper Development Association Provides standards and specifications relating to wrought and cast copper and copper alloys. 

Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service Electric Program contains design specifications; electrical engineering and architecture design policies and procedures; electrical system construction policies and procedures; and electrical standards for materials and construction. Telecommunications Program contains seismic safety standards; lists materials acceptable for use on telecommunications systems built for Rural Utilities Service borrowers. Publications include design and technical bulletins and specifications.

Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Energy Codes Contains link to full-text Low-Rise Residential Energy Efficiency standard and proposed rulemaking for Energy Efficiency Code for New Federal Residential Buildings; information about Model Energy Code (MEC); downloadable compliance materials (REScheck) and software; information about commercial energy codes; downloadable COMcheck materials developed to simplify and clarify commercial and high-rise residential building energy code requirements. Provides status of state energy codes; downloadable code comparison reports; residential and commercial determinations; residential and commercial technical assistance reports by state; field guides by state; code enforcement guides; training materials; and current issue of "Setting the Standard" newsletter, with updates on building energy conservation standards.

Electrical Contractor Network NEC Code Page contains National Electrical Code information, Q&As, comment form for proposed revisions to NEC, full-text reports on proposals and interactive Code Quiz

Electrical Generating Systems Association  Provides full text of pending and adopted standards; can download adopted standards; can view new standards posted for public review

Electrician.com Provides electrical code articles and calculators; offers electrical code courses.

Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund Contains Model Elevator Code; state safety code status chart.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Mitigation Division includes mitigation information by hazard; technical assistance programs; flood hazard mapping information, regulations and guidance; contact information for map specialists; list of training courses; information on retrofitting flood-prone residential buildings; links to state emergency management offices and regional FEMA offices. Mitigation Technical Library includes technical guidance on building in seismically active areas; design guides for floodplains; Design and Construction Guidance for Community Shelters; Reducing Flood Losses Through the International Code Series; and other guidance publications. Earthquakes contains "FEMA 350 - Recommended Seismic Design Criteria for New Steel Moment-Frame Buildings," "FEMA 351 - Recommended Seismic Evaluation and Upgrade Criteria for Existing Welded Steel Moment-Frame Buildings," "FEMA 352 - Recommended Post-Earthquake Evaluation and Repair Criteria for Welded Steel Moment-Frame Buildings," "FEMA 353 - Recommended Specifications and Quality Assurance Guidelines for Steel Moment-Frame Construction for Seismic Applications," and "FEMA 354 - A Policy Guide to Steel Moment-Frame Construction." Building Performance Assessment Team posts reports of findings and recommendations on major U.S. natural and man-made disasters. National Dam Safety Program provides links to technical resources and lists upcoming workshops

Glazing Industry Code Committee Provides information on safety and energy-saving codes, standards; FAQs on glazing codes. Can download prior issues of newsletter

Global Engineering Documents Online resource for obtaining U.S. engineering standards, military standards and specifications, technical information and regulations, mechanical and electrical design specifications as well as national and international standards, specifications and publications. Registered users can search document database by date, document number or title.

Gypsum Association Contains downloadable standards and ICC Evaluation Service reports that demonstrate code compliance and acceptance of specific gypsum materials and systems; code references for other code bodies and jurisdictions. Design, construction and code enforcement professionals can submit technical inquiries online. Gypsumation newsletter posts code and standards approvals; new standards; fire resistance testing and fire safety articles.

Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association Provides product and certification information; fireplace safety tips; reference manuals for sale; information about legislative, code and standards development activities; "Explanation of Test Standards for Gas Vented Hearth Products."

Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Municipal Reports includes studies on effects of automatic sprinkler code. Builder Resources includes installation guide.

Hydraulic Institute Pumps includes pump definitions, pump standards FAQs, database of pump types and downloadable pump diagrams. Can view executive summary of "The Pump Life Cycle Costs: A Guide to LCC Analysis for Pumping System."

Insulation Contractors Association of America Provides technical bulletins and briefings on building code and energy code issues.

Masonry Advisory Council Online technical library includes articles on building codes, fire safety ordinances, R-values, energy concerns.

Metal Framing Manufacturers Association Contains metal framing standards and guidelines.

Modular Building Institute, Construction Codes Listed by State Lists adopted structural, electrical, mechanical and plumbing codes; code agencies; contact persons; telephone numbers for all 50 states. 

National Association of State Fire Marshals Links to state fire marshal Web sites; provides guidance on smoke alarms; school fire safety resources; information on pipeline safety training.

National Association of Home Builders Construction Codes and Standards links to resources on codes, standards, accessibility, energy efficiency, green building, fire protection, indoor environment issues.

National Electrical Installation Standards Provides National Electrical Contractors Association’s Standards Development Procedures; information about technical review and appeal procedure. State Electrical Regulations contains a summary of information about electrical codes, code enforcement, contractor/electrician licensing laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia; licensing directory for low voltage contractors. Lists standards by category; technical publications for sale online; standards under development. Includes contact names and phone numbers for state agencies that regulate electrical construction; current and archival issues of Contractor's Code Letter since 1999, Line Contractor’s Quarterly since 2004, Code Question of the Day since 1998.

National Electrical Manufacturers Association Standards contains database of standards searchable by keyword and available for purchase; list of engineering bulletins, standards, application guides available for free download; information about Field Representative Program, Code Alerts available by e-mail, international activities. Can view archive since 2004; standards policies.

National Roofing Contractors Association Technical Links contains roofing-related changes and provisions in the building codes; lists roofing-related ASTM standards.

National Storm Shelter Association Contains Standard for the Design, Construction, and Performance of Storm Shelters; shelter quality checklists. Lists member builders and related product/service providers.

New Buildings Institute Non-profit organization that promotes energy efficiency in buildings through policy development, research, guidelines, codes. Reference Guide for architects, engineers, contractors, commissioning authorities, building professionals contains implementation guidelines for Advanced Buildings Benchmark criteria. Codes contains status of energy codes for all 50 states; information about Building Codes Assistance Project and International Energy Conservation Code. Projects provides information about Codes and Standards Enhancement (CASE) initiatives; Northeast Regional Building Energy Codes Project.

Painting and Decorating Contractors of America Under PDCA Standards, codes and standards can be printed out in PDF.

Plumbing and Draining Institute Under Publications, codes and standards are available in PDF.

Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association Technical Department provides information about National Standard Plumbing Code, hearings, policies and procedures; errata sheet; form to propose code changes.

Plumbing Manufacturers Institute Contains technical education articles on codes, standards and accessibility issues.

Residential Energy Services Network Contains technical guidelines for national home energy ratings; information on state energy codes and energy code developments; Mortgage Industry National Home Energy Rating Standard. Energy Codes contains residential energy code brochures and papers; lists state statutes and local ordinances that allow home energy ratings as a compliance option for residential energy codes; links to energy code resources.

Residential Fire Safety Institute Lists jurisdictions by state that require residential fire sprinklers in one- and two-family homes, including specific conditions for requirements; sprinkler regulations by state.

Smart Communities Network Provides links to Web sites with information on codes and ordinances related to sustainable development, including material and water conservation, energy efficiency design standards, solar access protection; local codes/ordinances providing for sustainability.

Stairway Manufacturers' Association Includes proposed International Residential Code and New York State Residential Code; Visual Code interpretations for stairways; code comment form.

Steel Framing Alliance Can download for free "AISI Code of Standard Practice for Cold-Formed Steel Structural Framing" and "Guide to fire and acoustic data for steel floor and wall assemblies." Offers code, design, inspection training and seminars.

Steel Tank Institute Contains Aboveground Storage Tank Code; information on other codes and standards.

Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. Independent, not-for-profit product safety testing and certification organization. Includes information about product certification programs; online directories of certified products; information on ordering print copies of directories of building, roofing, fire resistant and other materials. Online Tools includes current and archival issues of Underwriters Laboratories newsletters; electrical insulation systems database. UL University offers National Electric Code training.

Vinyl Siding Institute Contains downloadable ASTM standard for vinyl siding and information on fire properties of vinyl siding.

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