Standards Virginia

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Standards Virginia

January 26, 2026
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Loudoun County, Virginia has the largest concentration of data centers in the United States, with approximately 200 operational facilities.

This significantly surpasses neighboring counties in Northern Virginia:

  • Prince William County: ~44 data centers
  • Fairfax County: ~20 data centers

Primary energy utility supplying this region (including most data centers) is Dominion Energy.

Contracted peak power (nominal, or “nameplate” power is about 6,000 MW; driven by AI hyperscalers, cloud computing and general internet traffic growth.  

“Natural Bridge Virginia” 1880 David Johnson

We continue roll out of our collaboration platform for “code writers and vote-getters” begun at the University of Michigan in 1993.  We are now drilling down into state and local adaptations of nationally developed codes and standards that are incorporated by reference into public safety and sustainability legislation.

Standards Michigan remains the “free” home site but state-specific sites such as Standards Virginia will be accessible to clients.   Please send bella@standardsmichigan.com a request to join one of our mailing lists appropriate to your interest for #SmartCampus standards action in the great State of Virginia.


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News:

Richmond Times-Dispatch: Youngkin tops McAuliffe to become Virginia’s next governor

Arts

Standards Virginia Workspace

 

„Northern Lights”

January 25, 2026
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Chór Śląskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Katowicach

This is a choral composition that falls within the genre of modern classical music.  Ola Gjeilo is a Norwegian composer and pianist known for his engaging and atmospheric choral works; here inspired by the Aurora Borealis.

The text is the Latin Pulchra es, amica mea, from Song of Solomon:

Thou art beautiful, O my love,
sweet and comely as Jerusalem,
terrible as an army set in array.
Turn away thy eyes from me,
for they have made me flee away.

History of Western Civilization Told Through the Acoustics of its Worship Spaces

Polska

Geoffrey Hinton & John Hopfield

January 25, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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The so-called “Godfather of AI” who won the Nobel Prize is Geoffrey Hinton. He was awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics alongside John Hopfield for their foundational discoveries and inventions that enabled machine learning with artificial neural networks.

Hinton, a British-Canadian computer scientist and cognitive psychologist, is widely recognized for his pioneering work on neural networks, particularly the development of the Boltzmann machine and contributions to the backpropagation algorithm, which have been critical to modern AI systems like ChatGPT.

The work of each, starting in the 1980s, laid the groundwork for the AI revolution, earning them the title “Godfathers of AI.”

John J. Hopfield delivered his Nobel Prize lecture “Physics is a point of view” on 8 December 2024 at the Aula Magna, Stockholm University. He was introduced by Professor Ellen Moons, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics.

Fireplace Safety

January 25, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Many accommodations such as dormitories, fraternities and sororities have working fireplaces — wood burning and natural gas.  Community spaces such as student unions, libraries and recreation spaces also have fireplaces as a central feature.

The purpose of NFPA 211 is to reduce fire hazards by discovering and promulgating best practice for the safe removal of flue gases, the proper installation of solid fuel-burning appliances, and the correct construction and installation of chimneys, fireplaces, and venting systems.  The current 2019 Edition is linked below:

Free Access: NFPA 221 Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances

The 2024 has been released.  To guide our inquiry into safety and sustainability concepts for the 2027 Edition we like review the developmental transcripts of previous edition:

Public Input Report

Second Revisions Report

Public comment on the First Draft of the 2027 Edition will be received until June 3, 2025. 

Public comment on the Second Draft of the 2027 Edition will be received until March 31, 2026. 

We encourage facility managers to recommend improvements to this standard by setting up a (Free) NFPA account the link below:

Online submission of public input and public comments

We maintain this standard on our periodic Prometheus and Housing colloquia.  Consult our CALENDAR for the next online meeting, open to everyone

Link to parent standard:

Code ignis MMXXVII

NFPA 211: Articles and News

University of Rochester Fireplace Safety

American Gas Association: How Natural Gas Fuels Your Holiday Traditions

Natural Gas Transmission & Distribution

 

Radio Spectrum for the Internet of Things

January 23, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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“Wireless Telegraphy” 1899|Guglielmo Marconi

 

Analysis of the FM Radio Spectrum for Secondary Licensing of Low-Power Short-Range Cognitive Internet of Things Devices

Derek T. OtermatIvica KostanicCarlos E. Otero

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Florida Institute of Technology

 

Abstract. The analysis presented in this paper indicates that the FM radio spectrum is underutilized in the areas of the continental United States that have a population of 100000 or less. These locations have vacant FM radio spectrum of at least 13 MHz with sufficient spectrum spacing between adjacent FM radio channels. The spectrum spacing provides the required bandwidth for data transmission and provides enough bandwidth to minimize interference introduced by neighboring predicted and unpredicted FM radio stations and other low-power short-range Internet of Thing (IoT) devices. To ensure that low-power short-range IoT devices maintain reliable communications vacant radio spectrum, such as the FM radio spectrum in these areas, will need to be used through cognitive radio.

CLICK HERE to order complete paper.

Related:

Northwestern University: Internet of Things and Edge Computing

Duke University: Edge Computing

National Institutes of Health: Design of Edge Computing Online Classroom Based on College English Teaching

Pennsylvania School Building Standards

January 22, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Pennsylvania School Building Code | Standards Pennsylvania

Uniform Construction Code

Pennsylvania’s school building codes are an adaptation of the stack developed by the International Code Council.  The most recent update includes enhanced requirements for safety (e.g., emergency escape paths, smoke alarms, surge protection), structural design (e.g., decks, snow loads), and energy efficiency, applying to new school construction, additions, and major renovations. 

Key supporting regulations include:

22 Pa. Code Chapter 21 (School Buildings): Covers planning, approval processes, and requirements for public school construction/reconstruction.

22 Pa. Code Chapter 349 (School Building Standards): Details space allocations, construction standards, and related rules.

Integrated Planning Glossary

January 22, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com

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Attendees of the SCUP 2025 North Atlantic Symposium sit on the Commons in Columbia Business School and smile.

The Society of College and University Planning was founded in 1965 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor during an informal gathering of campus planners frustrated with the lack of professional exchange in their emerging field. Rapid postwar enrollment growth and massive campus expansion projects had created urgent needs for long-range physical planning, yet few institutions had dedicated planners or shared knowledge.
A small group, led by University of Michigan planners George J. Bruha and Frederick W Mayer met in Ann Arbor to discuss common challenges facing other State of Michigan settlements; joined by Stanford, Ohio State and the University of Illinois. They decided to create a formal organization to foster collaboration, research, and professional development. In 1966, with Michigan’s support, SCUP was officially established as a nonprofit with its first office on the Ann Arbor campus. Its founding principle—integrated planning linking academics, finances, and facilities—remains central today.

Integrated Planning Glossary


Early operations benefited from administrative support (aegis) provided by the University of Michigan, including office space and resources in Ann Arbor. This arrangement persisted until a financial crisis in the late 1970s (1976–1980), during which SCUP relocated to New York.

The decoupling—marking full operational and administrative independence from the University of Michigan—occurred in 1980, when SCUP returned to Ann Arbor as a self-sustaining nonprofit headquartered at a separate location –1330 Eisenhower Place — less than a mile walk from Standards Michigan‘s front door at 455 East Eisenhower.

* Of the 220 ANSI Accredited Standards Developers, the State of Michigan ranks 3rd in the ranking of U.S. states with the most ANSI-accredited standards developers (ASDs) headquartered there; behind the Regulatory Hegemons of California and ChicagoLand and excluding the expected cluster foxtrot of non-profits domiciled in the Washington-New York Deep State Megalopolis.  Much of Michigan’s presence in the private consensus standards space originates from its industrial ascendency through most of the 1900’s.

Michigan Electrical Administrative Act §338.883

January 22, 2026
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The requirement for a licensed electrician and a certified inspector to perform and certify any electrical work above $100 is prohibitive for homeowners and facility managers. To the best of our knowledge, no other US state imposes this requirement. There are more efficacious approaches to supporting effective public electrical safety services.

Licensing and Regulatory Affairs | Electrical Administrative Board

Next Meeting: February 5, 2026 10:00 am

Meeting Minutes: May 2, 2024 

Meeting Minutes: August 8, 2024 (not yet available)

Meeting Minutes: October 31, 2024 (submittals for agenda items due September 26th)

Related:

Michigan Public Service Commission

MPSC takes next steps in enabling interconnection and distributed energy resources

Of considerable importance is the criteria set by this board to determine whether a journeyman electrician is permitted to practice his or her trade in the State of Michigan.

We have been advocating for changes to the State of Michigan Electrical Administrative Act that currently requires all electrical work valued above $100 to be installed by a licensed journeyman electrician and inspected by an accredited electrical inspector.    The $100 threshold was set decades ago and has never been challenged by another other advocacy enterprise representing the user interest.  Almost all of the stakeholders on the present Electrical Administrative Board are stakeholders who benefit economically from the $100 threshold.    Much of the reason for the apparent imbalance of interests lies in tradition; but also because no user interest has been present to advocate for an update of the formal, fee schedule.

This advocacy priority was on the Do-List of the original University of Michigan codes and standards advocacy enterprise which was focused on strengthening the voice of the user/owner/final fiduciary in the promulgation of regulations affecting Michigan educational facilities (CLICK HERE for link to the legacy Advocacy Project 14-1).   Of all the trades covered in the parent legislation — Stille-Derossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act (Act 230 of 1972) — the electrical power discipline is the only discipline in Michigan building technology regulations that sets a dollar criteria for electrical work to be performed and inspected.   While we recognize the need for safe installation of the electrical power chain within a building; we propose another criteria for establishing the requirement for a licensed electrician and a licensed inspector should be determined (as it is in all other construction disciplines administered by the Bureau of Construction Codes, a division of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs).

The actual text of the present regulation is available by clicking here:   338.881 Definitions | Electrical Administrative Act 217 of 1956

Father Marquette

As a consequence of former Governor Snyder’s Office of Regulatory Reinvention significant changes to both the Bureau of Construction Codes, a division of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) have taken place within the past twelve months; which make us optimistic about political support for our proposals.   We will be collaborating with our colleagues at Michigan State University to make necessary legislative changes we believe will lower the #TotalCostofOwnership of education facilities in the State of Michigan.

We will refer the Michigan Electric Code, and other state electrical codes to the IEEE Education and Healthcare Facilities Committee which hosts bi-weekly breakout teleconferences with electrical professionals in the education facilities industry as required by the demand for them.

Electrical Administrative Board Responsibilities and Meeting Schedule

The next meeting of the Michigan Electrical Board is November 2nd.   We have been attending the meetings in Lansing and have made our proposal to revisit the dollar criteria known to the entire board.  We hope the Electrical Administrative Board will develop another criteria; inspired by the electrical administrative boards of other states.

Issue: [14-1]

Contact: Mike Anthony, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben, Kane Howard

Category: Electrical, State & Local Legislation

Link to Issue 14-1 Legacy Website


LEARN MORE:

Wide Variations in State Adoptions of the NEC® Reveal Neglect of Electrical Safety

 

 

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