For the first time in U.S. model building code history, tornado design provisions for Risk Category III and IV buildings are given in the 2024 IBC. In fact, John ‘Buddy’ Showalter and Sandra Hyde have an excellent article on this, “2024 IBC Significant Structural Changes...

In today’s construction environment, direct collaboration between building designers and component manufacturers is largely nonexistent outside of the RFI process. The consequence of this is two-fold: one, building designers often don’t understand how structural components are...

Building safety is an essential part of our daily lives, influencing everything from the homes we live in to the businesses we visit and the public spaces we use. Safe buildings don’t just happen by accident, they are the result of careful planning and the adoption and enforcement of...

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve as a transformative technology, it is increasingly supporting building safety professionals both in the field and behind the scenes. AI integration into the industry empowers professionals and organizations by providing enhanced tools to assess...

In 2024, the MiTek Building & Product Regulations team completed a tri-annual project to update all MiTek structural product evaluation reports to establish compliance with the new 2024 I-Codes. Building codes in the U.S., also known as the I-Codes, are developed on a 3-year cycle. Each...

Building safety includes a wide range of best practices, including implementing fire suppression systems, conducting regular inspections on existing buildings, providing clear access to emergency exits, employing sustainable water and energy usage, and more. By understanding and adhering to...

In the last article, we described the primary structural and wood-related changes in the 2021 International Residential Code, Chapters 3 and 4. This article will continue with the primary changes to Chapters 5 through 8 of the IRC. Decks For the 2018 and the 2021 IRC, an informal group...

A recent truss and EWP project had so many site-related problems, it must go down on my list of most memorable for all the wrong reasons. Like many of you, I’ve certainly experienced challenging jobs in the past, but it seemed like the stream of problems just never ended. As is often...

Society is currently experiencing “The Great Resignation,” and it only continues to be exasperated by the pandemic. Yet, for many industries, building safety especially, this is not a new phenomenon. In fact, for the skilled trades like construction, the shortage of incoming talent...

After a three-year absence, Virginia Tech is offering its popular two-day course on topics related to wood construction. On May 17–18 in Blacksburg, VA, the Structural Design Topics in Wood Construction course will address wood truss design, in-service performance, and installation...