We track action in international administrative procedures that affect the safety and sustainability agenda of the education facility industry. From time to time we find product purchasing contracts that contain “boilerplate” requiring conformity to applicable regulations found in the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Common examples are found in contracts for the acquisition of information technology and specialty laboratory equipment.
The World Trade Organization TBT Agreement obliges all Parties to maintain an inquiry point that is able to answer questions from interested parties and other WTO Members regarding technical regulations, standards developed by government bodies, and conformity assessment procedures, as well as provide relevant documents. The TBT Agreement also requires that WTO Members notify the WTO of proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures so interested parties can become acquainted with them and have an opportunity to submit written comments.
The Eurocodes are ten European standards (EN; harmonised technical rules) specifying how structural design should be conducted within the European Union. These were developed by the European Committee for Standardization upon the request of the European Commission. The purpose of the Eurocodes is to provide:
A means to prove compliance with the requirements for mechanical strength and stability and safety in case of fire established by European Union law.[2]
A basis for construction and engineering contract specifications.
A framework for creating harmonized technical specifications for building products (CE mark).
Since March 2010 the Eurocodes are mandatory for the specification of European public works and are intended to become the de facto standard for the private sector. The Eurocodes therefore replace the existing national building codes published by national standard bodies, although many countries have had a period of co-existence. Additionally, each country is expected to issue a National Annex to the Eurocodes which will need referencing for a particular country (e.g. The UK National Annex). At present, take-up of Eurocodes is slow on private sector projects and existing national codes are still widely used by engineers.
Eurocodes appear routinely on the standing agendas of several of our daily colloquia, among them the AEDificare, Elevator & Lift and Hello World! colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
So proud to announce the @ellisoninst is beginning construction on our new campus at the @UniofOxford and broadening our mission: Science & Engineering for Humanity. EIT develops & deploys technology in pursuit of solving four of humanity’s most challenging & enduring problems.… pic.twitter.com/vSkHWSS8EK
“Le Lac Léman ou Près d’Evian au lac de Genève” 1883 François BocionISO and IEC Joint Technical Committee 1 is the work center for international information and communications technology (ICT) standards that are relevant to education communities. In accordance with ISO/IEC JTC 1 and the ISO and IEC Councils, some International Standards and other deliverables are made freely available for standardization purposes.
We at least follow action, and sometimes contribute data and user-interest perspective, to the development of standards produced by several ANSI-accredited ICT standard developing organizations — ATIS, BICSI, IEEE, INCITS, TIA among them. US-based organizations may communicate directly with Lisa Rajchel, ANSI’s ISO/IEC JTC 1 Senior Director for this project: lrajchel@ansi.org. Our colleagues at other educational organizations should contact their national standards body.
We scan the status of Infotech and Cloud standards periodically and collaborate with a number of IEEE Societies. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Transportation Research Institute Driver Interface Group
Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Abstract. Research problem: Readability equations are widely used to compute how well readers will be able to understand written materials. Those equations were usually developed for nontechnical materials, namely, textbooks for elementary, middle, and high schools. This study examines to what extent computerized readability predictions are consistent for highly technical material – selected Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and International Standards Organization (ISO) Recommended Practices and Standards relating to driver interfaces. Literature review: A review of original sources of readability equations revealed a lack of specific criteria in counting various punctuation and text elements, leading to inconsistent readability scores. Few studies on the reliability of readability equations have identified this problem, and even fewer have systematically investigated the extent of the problem and the reasons why it occurs. Research questions:
(1) Do the most commonly used equations give identical readability scores?
(2) How do the scores for each readability equation vary with readability tools?
(3) If there are differences between readability tools, why do they occur?
(4) How does the score vary with the length of passage examined?
ICYMI. The OED has recently been updated with:
new words, phrases and senses added
more than 1,000 entries revised
new audio files and pronunciation transcriptions from Northern England and North-Eastern England
and more!
Ampere current flows through copper or aluminum conductor due to the movement of free electrons in response to an applied electric field of varying voltages. Each copper or aluminum contributes one free electron to the electron sea, creating a vast reservoir of mobile charge carriers. When a potential difference (voltage) is applied across the ends of the conductor, an electric field is established within the conductor. This field exerts a force on the free electrons, causing them to move in the direction of the electric field. The resulting current flow can be transformed into different forms depending on the nature of the device.
Heating: When current flows through a resistor, it encounters resistance, which causes the resistor to heat up. This is the principle behind electric heaters, toasters, and incandescent light bulbs.
Mechanical Work: Current flowing through an electric motor creates a magnetic field, which interacts with the magnetic field of the motor’s permanent magnets or electromagnets. This interaction generates a mechanical force, causing the motor to rotate. Thus, electrical energy is converted into mechanical energy; including sound.
Light: In an incandescent light bulb, a filament heats up ( a quantum phenomena) due to the current passing through it. This is an example of electrical energy being converted into light energy; including the chemical energy through light emitting diodes
Today we dwell on how conductors are specified and installed in building premise wiring systems primarily; with some attention to paths designed to carry current flowing through unwanted paths (ground faults, phase imbalance, etc). In the time we have we will review the present state of the best practice literature developed by the organizations listed below:
Other organizations such as the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, ASTM International, Underwriter Laboratories, also set product and installation standards. Data center wiring; fiber-optic and low-voltage control wiring is covered in other colloquia (e.g. Infotech and Security) and coordinated with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee.
Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is an independent agency within the U.S. federal government that regulates interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil. It oversees wholesale energy markets, pipeline infrastructure, and hydroelectric projects, ensuring fair rates and reliability. While independent, FERC operates under the Department of Energy’s umbrella but does not take direct orders from the executive branch.
FERC enforces energy laws, approves infrastructure projects, and regulates market competition. FERC plays a crucial role in balancing economic, environmental, and energy security concerns, aiming to maintain a stable and efficient energy system across the United States. Since the U.S. shares interconnected electricity grids with Canada and Mexico, FERC’s decisions on transmission rules and pricing affect energy flows and grid reliability in both countries.
Our interest lies in closing a technical gap that exists upstream from the building service point and downstream from the utility supply point. Some, not all of it, can be accomplished with titles in the IEEE catalog.
Given the dominance of vertical incumbents in the electric power domain, we have submitted a tranche of reliability concepts into the ASHRAE, NFPA and ICC catalogs — not so much with the expectation that they will be gratefully received — but that our proposals will unleash competitive energies among developers of voluntary consensus standards.
In power system engineering, availability and reliability are two important concepts, but they refer to different aspects of the system’s performance.
Reliability:
Reliability refers to the ability of a power system to perform its intended function without failure for a specified period under given operating conditions. It is essentially a measure of how dependable the system is.
Reliability metrics often include indices such as the frequency and duration of outages, failure rates, mean time between failures (MTBF), and similar measures.
Reliability analysis focuses on identifying potential failure modes, predicting failure probabilities, and implementing measures to mitigate risks and improve system resilience.Availability:
Availability, on the other hand, refers to the proportion of time that a power system is operational and able to deliver power when needed, considering both scheduled and unscheduled downtime.
Availability is influenced by factors such as maintenance schedules, repair times, and system design redundancies.
Availability is typically expressed as a percentage and can be calculated using the ratio of the uptime to the total time (uptime plus downtime).
Availability analysis aims to maximize the operational readiness of the system by minimizing downtime and optimizing maintenance strategies.
Reliability focuses on the likelihood of failure and the ability of the system to sustain operations over time, while availability concerns the actual uptime and downtime of the system, reflecting its readiness to deliver power when required. Both concepts are crucial for assessing and improving the performance of power systems, but they address different aspects of system behavior.
Comment:These 1-hour sessions tend to be administrative in substance, meeting the minimum requirements of the Sunshine Act. This meeting was no exception. Access to the substance of the docket is linked here.
On Monday June 13th, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission commissioners informed the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that the “environmental justice” agenda prohibits reliable dispatchable electric power needed for national power security. One megawatt of natural gas generation does not equal one megawatt of renewable generation. The minority party on the committee — the oldest standing legislative committee in the House of Representatives (established 1795) — appears indifferent to the reliability consequences of its policy.
“Our nation’s continued energy transition requires the efficient development of new transmission infrastructure. Federal and state regulators must address numerous transmission-related issues, including how to plan and pay for new transmission infrastructure and how to navigate shared federal-state regulatory authority and processes. As a result, the time is ripe for greater federal-state coordination and cooperation.”
At the July 20th meeting of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Tristan Kessler explained the technical basis for a Draft Final Rule for Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements, On August 16th the Commission posted a video reflecting changes in national energy policy since August 14, 2003; the largest blackout in American history.
The purpose of the code is to establish minimum requirements to provide a reasonable level of health, safety, property protection and welfare by controlling the design, location, use or occupancy of all buildings and structures through the regulated and orderly development of land and land uses within this jurisdiction.
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Municipalities usually have specific land use or zoning considerations to accommodate the unique needs and characteristics of college towns:
Mixed-Use Zoning: Cities with colleges and universities often employ mixed-use zoning strategies to encourage a vibrant and diverse urban environment. This zoning approach allows for a combination of residential, commercial, and institutional uses within the same area, fostering a sense of community and facilitating interactions between students, faculty, and residents.
Height and Density Restrictions: Due to the presence of educational institutions, cities may have specific regulations on building height and density to ensure compatibility with the surrounding neighborhoods and maintain the character of the area. These restrictions help balance the need for development with the preservation of the existing urban fabric.
Student Housing: Cities with colleges and universities may have regulations or guidelines for student housing to ensure an adequate supply of affordable and safe accommodations for students. This can include requirements for minimum bedroom sizes, occupancy limits, and proximity to campus.
Parking and Transportation: Given the concentration of students, faculty, and staff, parking and transportation considerations are crucial. Cities may require educational institutions to provide parking facilities or implement transportation demand management strategies, such as promoting public transit use, cycling infrastructure, and pedestrian-friendly designs.
Community Engagement: Some cities encourage colleges and universities to engage with the local community through formalized agreements or community benefit plans. These may include commitments to support local businesses, contribute to neighborhood improvement projects, or provide educational and cultural resources to residents.
This is a relatively new title in the International Code Council catalog; revised every three years in the Group B tranche of titles. Search on character strings such as “zoning” in the link below reveals the ideas that ran through the current revision:
Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015): This Supreme Court case involved a challenge to the town of Gilbert, Arizona’s sign code, which regulated the size, location, and duration of signs based on their content. The court held that the sign code was a content-based restriction on speech and therefore subject to strict scrutiny.
City of Ladue v. Gilleo (1994): In this Supreme Court case, the court struck down a municipal ordinance that banned the display of signs on residential property, except for signs that fell within specific exemptions. The court held that the ban was an unconstitutional restriction on the freedom of speech.
Metromedia, Inc. v. San Diego (1981): This Supreme Court case involved a challenge to a San Diego ordinance that banned off-premises advertising signs while allowing on-premises signs. The court held that the ordinance was an unconstitutional restriction on free speech, as it discriminated against certain types of speech.
City of Ladue v. Center for the Study of Responsive Law, Inc. (1980): In this Supreme Court case, the court upheld a municipal ordinance that prohibited the display of signs on public property, but only if the signs were posted for longer than 10 days. The court held that the ordinance was a valid time, place, and manner restriction on speech.
City of Boerne v. Flores (1997): This Supreme Court case involved a challenge to a municipal sign code that regulated the size, location, and content of signs in the city. The court held that the sign code violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, as it burdened the exercise of religion without a compelling government interest.
Mike Anthony is ID Number 469 | Proposal period closes 11:59 PM US Pacific Time | May 15
Meeting Notes in red
Loss of electric power and internet service happens more frequently and poses at least an equal — if not greater threat — to public safety. So why does neither the National Electrical Code or the National Electrical Safety Code integrate reliability into their core requirements? Reliability requirements appear in a network of related documents, either referenced, or incorporated by reference; sometimes automatically, sometimes not.
NESC Main Committee Membership: Page xii
Apart from the IEEE as the accredited standards developer, there are no “pure non-government user-interests” on this committee; although ANSI’s Essential Requirements for balance of interests provides highly nuanced interpretation. The Classifications on Page xiii represents due diligence on meeting balance of interest requirements.
In our case, we are one of many large universities that usually own district energy plants that both generate and purchase generate electric power (as sometimes provide var support to utilities when necessary; as during the August 2003 North American outage). For University of Michigan, for example, has about 20 service points at 4.8 – 120 kV. Its Central Power Plant is the largest cogeneration plant on the DTE system.
Contents: Page xxviii | PDF Page 29
Absence of internet service is at least as much a hazard, and more frequent, than downed wires. Is there a standards solution? Consideration of interoperability of internet service power supported on utility poles should track in the next revision.
No mention of any reliability related IEEE reliability standards in the present edition. Why is this?
Section 2: Definitions of Special Terms| PDF Page 46
In the 2023 Handbook, the term “reliability” shows up 34 times.
availability (from Bob Arno’s IEEE 3006-series and IEEE 493 Gold Book revision)
reliability (Bob Arno)
utility (PDF Page 57)
communication | PDF Page 47
list of terms defined in the 2023 National Electrical Code that are new and relevant to this revision: (Article 100 NEC)
municipal broadband network, digital subscriber line, surveillance cameras
wireless communication system
010. Purpose | PDF Page 40
Looks like improvement since last edition. Suggest explicit Informational Note, as in the NEC, using “reliability” and referring to other agencies. “Abnormal events” could be tighter and refer to other standards for abnormal, steady-state events. The clarification of purpose is welcomed although a great deal remains uncovered by other best practice literature; though that can be repaired in this edition.
Legacy of shared circuit path standards. Should provisions be made for municipal surveillance, traffic and vehicle control infrastructure. What would that look like?
011. Scope | Covered PDF Page 40
3. Utility facilities and functions of utilities that either (a) generate energy by conversion from some other form of energy such as, but not limited to, fossil fuel, chemical, electrochemical, nuclear, solar, mechanical, wind or hydraulic or communication signals, or accept energy or communication signals from another entity, or (b) provide that energy or communication signals through a delivery point to another entity.
5. Utility facilities and functions on the line side of the service point supplied by underground or overhead conductors maintained and/or installed under exclusive control of utilities located on public or private property in accordance with legally established easements or rights-of-way, contracts, other agreements (written or by conditions of service), or as authorized by a regulating or controlling body. NOTE: Agreements to locate utility facilities on property may be required where easements are either (a) not obtainable (such as locating utility facilities on existing rights-of-way of railroads or other entities, military bases, federal lands, Native American reservations, lands controlled by a port authority, or other governmental agency), or (b) not necessary (such as locating facilities necessary for requested service to a site).
012. General Rules | Covered PDF Page 42
For all particulars not specified, but within the scope of these rules, as stated in Rule 011A, design, construction, operation, and maintenance should be done in accordance with accepted good practice for the given local conditions known at the time by those responsible for the communication or supply lines and equipment
General purpose clause could use some work since no definition of “accepted good practice”. Refer to IEEE bibliography.
Section 2: Definition of special terms | PDF Page 46
Recommendations elsewhere should track here.
The word “installation” appears 256 times and is generally understood in context by experts. Suggest borrow from NEC to clarify our concern for including co-linear/communication circuits.
conduit. exclusive control, lines, photovoltaic, NEC interactive. qualified
Section 3: Reference
NFPA 70®, National Electrical Code® (NEC®). [Rules 011B4 NOTE, 099C NOTE 1, and 127
IEEE Std 4™-1995, IEEE Standard Techniques for High-Voltage Testing. [Table 410-2 and Table 410-3]
IEEE Std 516™-2009, IEEE Guide for Maintenance Methods on Energized Power-Lines. [Rules 441A4
NOTE 2, 446B1, and 446D3 NOTE, and Table 441-5, Footnote 4]
IEEE Std 1427™-2006, IEEE Guide for Recommended Electrical Clearances and Insulation Levels in
Air-Insulated Electrical Power Substations. [Rule 124A1 NOTE, Table 124-1, 176 NOTE, and 177 NOTE]
IEEE Std 1584™-2002, IEEE Guide for Performing Arc Flash Hazard Calculations. [Table 410-1,
Footnotes 1, 3, 6, and 14]
IEEE Std C62.82.1™-2010, IEEE Standard for Insulation Coordination—Definitions, Principles, and Rules.
[Table 124-1 Footnote 5]
Add references to Gold Book, 1386, etc. IEC since multinationals conform.
Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Overhead Electric Supply and Communication Line | PDF Page 111
Has anyone confirmed that these tables match NEC Table 495.24 lately? If it helps: there were no meaningful changes in the 2023 NEC in Article 495, the high voltage article
Section 11. Protective arrangements in electric supply stations | PDF Page 77
A safety sign shall be displayed on or beside the door or gate at each entrance. For fenced or walled electric supply stations without roofs, a safety sign shall be displayed on each exterior side of the fenced or wall enclosure. Where the station is entirely enclosed by walls and roof, a safety sign is required only at ground level entrances. Where entrance is gained through sequential doors, the safety sign should be located at the inner door position. (A clarification but no change. See Standards Michigan 2017 proposals)
Recommend that all oil-filled cans be removed and services upgraded through energy regulations with new kVA ratings
Section 12: Installation and maintenance of equipment
093. Grounding conductor and means of connection
Fences The grounding conductor for fences required to be effectively grounded by other parts of this Code shall meet the requirements of Rule 093C5 or shall be steel wire not smaller than Stl WG No. 5.
D. Guarding and protection | PDF Page 67
124. Guarding live parts| PDF Page 85
Propose roofs required for exterior installations
Part 2. Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Overhead Electric Supply and Communication Line | Page 72
Section 22. Relations between various classes of lines and equipment | Page 80
222. Joint use of structures | Page 82
Where the practice of joint use is mutually agreed upon by the affected utilities, facilities shall be subject to the appropriate grade of construction specified in Section 24. Joint use of structures should be
considered for circuits along highways, roads, streets, and alleys. The choice between joint use of structures and separate lines shall be determined through cooperative consideration with other joint
users of all the factors involved, including the character of circuits, worker safety, the total number and weight of conductors, tree conditions, number and location of branches and service drops, structure
conflicts, availability of right-of-way, etc.
Reliability considerations for sustaining internet service when power supply is absent.
Par2 Section 20 Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Overhead Electric Supply and Communication Line | PDF Page 111
Has anyone confirmed that these tables match NEC Table 495.24 lately?
Part 3. Safety Rules for the Installation and Maintenance of Underground Electric Supply and Communication Lines | Page 220
Renewable energy for internet access
311. Installation and maintenance
A. Persons responsible for underground facilities shall be able to indicate the location of their facilities.
B. Reasonable advance notice should be given to owners or operators of other proximate facilities that
may be adversely affected by new construction or changes in existing facilities.
C. For emergency installations, supply and communication cables may be laid directly on grade if the
cables do not unreasonably obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic and either:
1. The cables are covered, enclosed, or otherwise protected, or
2. The locations of the cables are conspicuous.
Supply cables operating above 600 V shall meet either Rule 230C or 350B.
NOTE: See Rules 014B2 and 230A2d.
Part 4. Work Rules for the Operation of Electric Supply and Communications Lines and Equipment | PDF Page 289
When and why was the term “Work” added to the title of this section?
Core text for the definition of wireless communication system reliability
Appendix E Bibliography| PDF Page 355
Index | PDF Page 398
The word “reliability” appears only three times. Should it track in the NESC or should it track in individual state requirements. So neither the NEC nor the NESC couples closely with power and communication reliability; despite the enormity and speed of research.
Branch circuits relevant to modular classroom buildings are primarily addressed in Article 120: Branch Circuits (formerly Article 210 in previous editions). This article covers requirements for branch-circuit sizing, overcurrent protection, outlets, and general installation rules for circuits up to 1000 volts AC or 1500 volts DC. Key sections include:120.19: Conductor sizing and derating.
120.20: Overcurrent protection.
120.21: Receptacle outlets and tamper-resistant requirements.
120.23: Specific rules for appliances and fixed equipment.
For outside branch circuits, see Article 267: Outside Branch Circuits and Feeders over 1000 Volts AC or 1500 Volts DC, Nominal (if applicable to higher voltages).Feeder Circuit RulesFeeder circuits are primarily addressed in Article 121: Feeders (formerly Article 215 in previous editions). This article details feeder conductor sizing, grounding, and disconnecting means for circuits supplying branch circuits or sub-feeders up to 1000 volts AC or 1500 volts DC.Key sections include:121.2: Minimum rating and sizing.
121.3: Overcurrent protection.
121.4: Feeders as branch circuits (when applicable).
Outside feeders are covered in Article 267: Outside Branch Circuits and Feeders over 1000 Volts AC or 1500 Volts DC, Nominal (for higher voltages) or cross-referenced in Article 267 for general outside installations.
For modular school buildings detached from the main building with pre-installed single or three phase wiring systems, designers must choose between a separate service drop from a merchant utility or tapping into an existing source from the nearby school building.
Compact Muon Solenoid / European Organization for Nuclear Research
Modular classroom buildings, often prefabricated and portable, require special attention in electrical power design to ensure safety, compliance, and functionality. The 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC) emphasizes proper sizing of branch circuits (Article 120) and feeders (Article 121) based on load calculations (Article 122), accounting for lighting, HVAC, and technology demands. Designers must consider temporary or relocatable installations, ensuring grounding and bonding comply with Article 250 for safety. Flexible wiring methods, like cord-and-plug connections, may be needed for portability, per Article 400. Modular units often face environmental challenges, requiring weather-resistant materials and equipment (Article 110). Surge protection (Article 285) is critical to safeguard sensitive classroom electronics. Accessibility for maintenance and inspections, per Article 110.26, is vital due to compact designs. Finally, compliance with local codes and coordination with utility connections ensure reliable power delivery for educational environments.
We have tried for several cycles to change the “Type of Occupancy” listing in NEC Table 220.12 to reflect more granular definition for School/university and Sports arena lighting load calculations. We will have another chance in the 2026 NEC. [Public input is due September 10th]
Public Input Closing Date: September 7, 2023
4 February 2021
Let’s start marking up the 2023 National Electrical Code, shall we? We will collaborate with IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee 18 — the committee that follows NFPA electrical safety consensus products and coordinates the response of IEEE electrical power professionals.
A good place to start is with the transcripts of the 2020 revision — AVAILABLE HERE for free. We look for proposals that failed for one reason or another; holding fast to our hunch that changes to the ampere load requirements that appear in the prescriptive statements to designers and inspectors of Chapter 2 could changed. The 2020 transcripts of Code-Making Panel 4 are linked below:
We have been trying for several NEC revision cycles to change the “Type of Occupancy” tabulations of Table 220.12 to reflect more granular definition in the Volt/Ampere requirement of 33 VA/m2 (3 VA/ft2) for School/university and Sports arena. Some of the problem in Table 220.12 regarding electrical loads in education facilities lies in its foundation built upon the International Building Code; the remainder of the problem lies with the education facility industry itself; described in detail in our ABOUT.
The good news is that the NFPA Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF) recognizes the problem and is acting on it; described in previous posts and in its project portfolio. Keep in mind that Standards Michigan, the original voice of the user-interest for education facility industry in the global standards system, has to compete with other, competitor stakeholders who make their market in this and in other consensus products accredited by the American National Standards Institute.
Public input for the 2023 National Electrical Code is due September 10th. We will collaborate with the FPRF and the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee, and others, to get informed public input to Code-Making Panel 2 and the NEC Technical Correlating Committee. See our CALENDAR for our next Electrical & Telecommunication teleconference, open to everyone.
Issue: [19-201]
Category: Electrical
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Scott Gibb, Jim Harvey, Kane Howard, Paul Kempf, Philip Ling, Jose Meijer
Disagree with someone and cannot persuade them? Do you need to hide your intransigence or ulterior motive? Then change the basis of discussion by changing the subject with a different definition.
This happens routinely in political discourse and rather frequently in best practice discovery and promulgation in building construction and settlement infrastructure standards[1]. Assuming all parties are negotiating in good faith resolution may lie in agreement on a common understanding of what a satisfying agreement might look like.
Admittedly, a subtle and challenging topic outside our wheelhouse[2] hence the need to improve our organization of this topic starting with today’s colloquium; with follow on sessions every month.
Starting 2025 we will organize our approach to this topic, thus:
Language 100. Survey of linguistic basics for developing codes, standards and regulations. Many vertical incumbents have developed their own style manuals
Language 200. Electrotechnical vocabulary
Language 300. Architectural and Allied trade vocabulary
Language 400. The language of government regulations; the euphemisms of politicians with influence over the built environment
Language 500. Advanced topics such as large language models or spoken dialects such as “High Michigan” — arguably, the standard American dialect where it applies to the standards listed above.
It may not be obvious how profound the choice of words and phrases have on leading practice discovery and promulgation. For example, “What is Gender” determines the number, placement and functionality of sanitary technologies in housing, hospitals and sporting. The United States has a Supreme Court justice that cannot define “woman”
As always, we will respond to public consultation opportunities wherever we can find them. Some organizations are better than this than others.
Today we limit our discussion to language changes in the catalogs of ANSI-accredited standards developers whose titles have the most influence over the interoperability of safety and sustainability technologies that create and sustain the built environment of educational settlements.
Every building construction discipline has its own parlance and terms of art.
This is enough for a one-hour session and, depending upon interest, we will schedule a breakout session outside of our normal “daily” office hours. Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
ΒΙΒΛΙΟΘΗΚΕΣ
Starting 2024 and running into 2025 we will break down this topic further, starting with construction contract language — Lingua Franca 300:
Asset management applies to any organization. As such, understanding its terminology, principles, and outcomes is key to an organization’s success. ISO 55000:2024 provides an overview of #AssetManagement and its expected benefits. @isostandardshttps://t.co/XZsWvJJ8r4
(1) The United States government defines a “Green Building” as a building that has been designed, constructed, and operated in a way that reduces or eliminates negative impacts on the environment and occupants. The government has established various standards and certifications that buildings can achieve to be considered “green.”
The most widely recognized green building certification in the United States is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). To achieve LEED certification, a building must meet certain standards related to sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
In addition to the LEED certification, there are other programs and standards that can be used to measure and certify the sustainability of buildings, such as the Green Globes rating system and the Living Building Challenge.
Overall, the goal of green building is to create buildings that are not only environmentally sustainable but also healthier, more comfortable, and more efficient for occupants, while reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. By promoting green building practices, the U.S. government aims to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment and move towards a more sustainable future.
(2) The U.S. Green Building Council is a conformance organization. See the discussion our ABOUT for background on incumbent stakeholders.
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwBpic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
