Category Archives: Snow & Ice
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Lawn & Garden Tools
“Le Parc Moncea” 1848 Gustave Caillebotte
The education industry in the United States is steward to large tranches of land assets; either through the Morrill Land Grant Act or municipal set-asides for public schools. In terms of square footage, the spaces between buildings far exceeds the square footage of the built environment — and the locus of public interest and environmental regulation. All of that square footage — usually measured in hundreds and thousands of hectares and acres — requires consideration of the competing interests of many stakeholders.
We display the accomplishments of employees devoted to the landscaping and gardening of educational organizations in a dedicated post:
Landscape and garden assets have their own set of construction and maintenance tools, many of which are continually improved by global equipment manufacturers, and fall within the scope of Subcommittee 13 under parent Technical Committee 23 Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry administered by the Association Française de Normalisation; the French national member body to the International Organization for Standardization.
CLICK ON IMAGE
The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) is ANSI’s US Technical Advisory Group administrator and the Global Secretariat for ISO TC/23/SC 13. The work program for Subcommittee 13 is linked below:
ISO/TC 23/SC 13 / Powered lawn and garden equipment
Note product standards cover many equipment classes and accessories for engine powered lawn movers, snow blowers, gardening machinery and the like.
ANSI encourages relevant stakeholders to participate in discovering standardization solutions in a broad range of technologies and markets with like-minded experts in other national standards bodies. The full sweep of ANSI’s participation in consensus documents developed by the ISO is described in the link below:
We encourage our colleagues in exterior grounds and landscaping units in the education facility industry to participate directly as a User interest in the OPEI standards development process. OPEI Standards Staff Contacts are listed on the OPEI Standards home page linked below:
Product Safety Standards Listing
We review the developmental status of consensus products that set the standard of care for equipment used to maintain pathways, lawns and gardens in education communities. Automation of the maintenance of these spaces is gathering pace; reducing cost and risk. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Issue: [18-155]
Category: Facility Asset Management, Grounds and Landscaping, International
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Christine Fischer, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben
Code ignis MMXXIV: Fire Lanes & Parking
NFPA 1 Chapter 18 – Fire Department Access and Water Supply
Public Input on the 2027 Edition closes June 4, 2025
Extinguishing A fire at the Equitable Building skyscraper in New York City, January 1912.
The parent title in the NFPA catalog — NFPA 1 — sets standards for fire lanes by addressing them within various chapters and sections; depending on the specific aspects of fire protection, access, and safety they pertain to. Here are some of the key sections and chapters in NFPA 1 that may include relevant information regarding fire lanes:
- Chapter 18: New High-Rise Buildings: This chapter may include requirements related to access for firefighting operations, which could encompass provisions for fire lanes.
- Chapter 20: New Educational and Day-Care Occupancies: Requirements related to access for emergency responders in educational facilities, including provisions for fire lanes, may be addressed in this chapter.
- Chapter 22: Existing Educational and Day-Care Occupancies: Similar to Chapter 20, this chapter may contain provisions for existing educational facilities regarding fire protection and access.
- Chapter 24: New Residential Board and Care Occupancies: Requirements for access and fire protection in residential board and care occupancies, including provisions for fire lanes, may be found in this chapter.
- Chapter 30: New Mercantile Occupancies: This chapter may include provisions related to access and fire protection in mercantile occupancies, which could involve requirements for fire lanes.
- Chapter 32: Existing Mercantile Occupancies: Similar to Chapter 30, this chapter may address requirements for existing mercantile occupancies, including provisions for fire lanes.
Since NFPA 1 covers a wide range of fire safety topics, including building design, fire protection systems, and emergency procedures, specific requirements related to fire lanes may be distributed throughout the document rather than consolidated in a single section. It’s important to carefully review the relevant chapters and sections of NFPA 1 to ensure compliance with applicable requirements for fire lane design, construction, and maintenance.
Best practice for determining snow zones, as the criteria for designating these zones can vary depending on factors such as geography, climate, population density, infrastructure, and available resources. However, municipalities typically develop their own criteria and guidelines based on these factors to create effective snow removal plans.
Common principles and factors that many municipalities consider when determining snow zones, as mentioned in the previous response. These include weather patterns, topography, traffic volume and patterns, residential density, critical infrastructure, public safety considerations, and feedback from residents and stakeholders.
Some municipalities may also adopt best practices and recommendations from organizations such as the American Public Works Association (APWA) or the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) to inform their snow removal planning processes. These organizations may offer guidance on snow zone designations, prioritization of routes, and effective snow removal techniques based on industry standards and research.
Ultimately snow zones respond to the specific needs and characteristics of each municipality, with the goal of efficiently managing winter weather events to ensure public safety and mobility.
Snow Load
SNOW LOADS: GUIDE TO THE SNOW LOAD PROVISIONS OF ASCE 7-10
Library of Congress 2010 Edition
A tool for removing the snow from a roofpic.twitter.com/bYyVMrJZKD
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) January 27, 2025
Outdoor Deicing & Snow Melting
“Snow at Argenteuil” | Claude Monet (1875)
Today our focus turns to outdoor electric deicing and snow melting wiring systems identified as suitable for the environment and installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. They work silently to keep snow load from caving in roofs and icicles falling from gutters onto pedestrian pathways.
While the voltage and ampere requirement of the product itself is a known characteristic, the characteristic 0f the wiring pathway — voltage, ampere, grounding, short circuit, disconnect and control — is relatively more complicated and worthy of our attention. Articles 426-427 of the National Electrical Code is the relevant part of the NEC
Free Access 2023 National Electrical Code
Insight into the ideas running through technical committee deliberations is provided by a review of Panel 17 transcripts:
2023 NEC Panel 17 Public Input Report (633 pages)
2023 NEC Panel 17 Public Comment Report (190 pages)
We hold Articles 427 in the middle of our priority ranking for the 2023 NEC. We find that the more difficult issues for this technology is the determination of which trade specifies these systems — architectural, electrical, or mechanical; covered in previous posts. Instead, most of our time will be spent getting IEEE consensus products in step with it, specifically ANSI/IEEE 515 and IEEE 844/CSA 293.
Comments on the Second Draft of the 2026 NEC will be received until April 18th.
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We collaborate with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facility Committee which meets online 4 times per month in European and American time zones. Since a great deal of the technical basis for the NEC originates with the IEEE we will also collaborate with IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee 18 whose members are charged by the IEEE Standards Association to coordinate NFPA and IEEE consensus products.
Issue: [19-151]
Category: Electrical, Energy
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Kane Howard, Jose Meijer
LEARN MORE:
Industrial electroheating and electromagnetic processing
The global standards for heat tracing systems are developed by IEC Technical Committee 27. The scope of work for this committee is reproduced below:
Standardization in the field of industrial equipment and installations intended for electroheating, electromagnetic processing of materials and electroheat based treatment technologies Note: The scope of interest covers industrial installations with the use of the following equipment: – equipment for direct and indirect resistance heating; – equipment for electric resistance trace heating; – equipment for induction heating; – equipment using the effect of EM forces on materials; – equipment for arc heating, including submerged arc heating; – equipment for electroslag remelting; – equipment for plasma heating; – equipment for microwave heating; – equipment for dielectric heating; – equipment for electron beam heating; – equipment for laser heating; – equipment for infrared radiation heating. The list presents typical examples of equipment and its applications and is not exhaustive.
CLICK HERE for the link to the TC 27 Strategic Business Plan
Titles in this committee’s bibliography appears to be stable. As with all IEC titles, they are relatively narrow in scope compared with the titles promulgated by most US standards developing organizations. Our interest lies primarily in the application of this technology within and around education community buildings.
While heat tracing generally goes un-noticed it is an essential part of cold weather safety. It is wise to keep pace with its evolution with innovation in materials and controls with the lead.
We maintain this committee’s work on the standing agenda of our seasonal Snow & Ice colloquia; along with US standards developed by UL, IEEE, NEMA, NFPA, ICC, ASHRAE and a few others. We also collaborate with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee on this topic. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Issue [18-332]
Category: Electrical
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Lorne Clark, Jim Harvey
Bucolia 300
Why the “Arbor” in Ann Arbor Michigan?
Other Ways of Knowing Climate Change
Anglo-americká vysoká škola, z.ú. Czech Republic
Today we walk through literature governing the safety and sustainability of the open space features of education community estates. Unlike the titles for the building envelope, which are known to most design professionals and contractors, the standards for grounds and landscaping are widely scattered; many of them occupational safety related; created, administered and enforced by units of government.
During the fair seasons we examine the moment in landscape, garden, tree and water literature. We also track titles about the reclamation of building roofs for permeable surfaces and gardens.
During the winter months in the northern hemisphere we include snow and ice management; while covering summer month technologies for southern hemisphere (and vice-versa). Snowfalls in the southern hemisphere are mainly contained to the highlands and mountain ranges, which are almost exclusively in Victoria and Southern New South Wales, as well as the mountains in Tasmania. Winter does not pose as much of a cost burden to education facilities in the southern hemisphere as it does in the northern hemisphere.
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Landscape standards refer to guidelines or regulations that specify the requirements for the design, installation, and maintenance of outdoor spaces such as parks, gardens, streetscapes, and public spaces. Landscape standards typically cover various aspects of landscape design, including vegetation selection, planting arrangements, irrigation systems, hardscape materials, and lighting. These standards may be set by government agencies at the federal, state, or local level, or by professional organizations such as the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Landscape standards aim to ensure that outdoor spaces are safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing while also promoting sustainability and environmental protection. Landscape standards may also address issues such as accessibility for people with disabilities, water conservation, stormwater management, and erosion control. They may vary depending on the specific location, climate, and intended use of the outdoor space. Compliance with landscape standards may be required for approval of development projects, public funding, or other permits. |
Father Marquette Catholic Academy | Marquette County Michigan
We track the standards catalog of two ANSI-accredited standards developers:
Tree Care Industry Association
Additional practice titles applicable to accessory systems:
ASABE/ICC 802 Landscape Irrigation Sprinkler and Emitter Standard
National Electrical Code: Article 411 Low-Voltage Lighting
National Electrical Code: Article 225: Outside Branch Circuits and Feeders
Illumination Engineering Society (Lighting Library)
Land F/X: Landscape Lighting, Codes, Guidelines and Techniques
OSHA Landscape and Horticultural Services
As a cross-cutting subject involving soil and water and sun many other standards developers, and all levels of government, produce best practice literature for today’s topic. We’ll have a look at what’s moving among those.
To join us use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
Nothing evokes the ancestral blood memory of a man quite like a photo of a peasant girl with goats pic.twitter.com/2hSTF5CcW6
— miss white (@cinecitta2030) July 13, 2025
Heat Tracing
“Street in Røros in Winter” 1903 Harald Sohlberg
The National Electrical Contractors Association best practice catalog features a suite of titles (National Electrical Installation Standards to meet the intent of the National Electrical Code (NEC); particularly where the NEC asserts that an installation be constructed in a “neat and workmanlike manner”. As anyone who has had to reckon with the subjectivity of the local electrical inspector knows, the determination of “neat and workmanlike” can be mighty subjective. The NECA documents are used by construction owners, specifiers, contractors and electricians to clearly illustrate the performance and workmanship standards essential for different types of electrical construction. Because the NEC is intended to be primarily a wiring safety standard, the NEIS suite is referenced throughout the National Electrical Code. Electrical shop foremen and front line electricians take note.
NECA Standards and Publication Development Home Page
One of the NECA products that may be of interest to facility managers and risk management units in the education industry this time of year is NECA 202-2013 Standard for Installing and Maintaining Industrial Heat Tracing Systems. About half of the United States deals with snow and ice half the year.
NECA 202 details procedures for the installation, testing, and documentation of electrical freeze protection and process heat tracing systems. Heat tracing cable types covered by this publication include: self-regulating, constant wattage, and zone heating cables and mineral insulated heating cables. 2 is approved as an American National Standard. The 2013 edition is the current edition and will likely need revisiting/revision/reaffirmation as an American national standard soon.
The technical literature that keeps pipes breaking and roofs failing is complicated space. A common conundrum in the construction industry is which discipline (architectural, mechanical or electrical) should specify application of this technology; especially in value-engineering negotiations when each discipline is trying to reduce its unit costs. Control and communication system add another layer of complexity. Several consensus standards occupy this technology; cross referencing one another and leaving gaps
ASCE 7-10 Snow Load Provisions
UL 515 Standard for Electrical Resistance Trace Heating for Commercial Applications
IEC 62395 Electrical resistance trace heating systems for industrial and commercial applications
National Electrical Code Article 427
There are codes and standards developed by ASTM International, the International Code Council and ASHRAE International that set the standard of care for pipe insulation for energy conservation purposes but we will deal with the interdependence of standard of care set by those documents in a separate post. Organizations such as FM Global typically derive their customer recommendations from consensus standards developers.
Because heat tracing is a cross-disciplinary technology we maintain it on the standing agenda of several colloquia: Power, Water, Bucolia, Snow & Ice and Mechanical See our CALENDAR for the next meeting; open to everyone. You may obtain an electronic copy of this standard from neis@necanet.org. Communicate directly with Aga Golriz, (301) 215-4549, Aga.golriz@necanet.org.
Participation by the public in reviewing other titles in the NEIS bibliography is welcomed and begins at the page linked below:
Issue: [19-24]
Category: Architectural, Electrical, Facility Management, Mechanical, Risk Management,
Colleagues: Eric Albert, Mike Anthony, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben, Larry Spielvogel
More
RESEARCHGATE: HEAT-TRACING OF PIPING SYSTEMS TYPES OF HEAT-TRACING SYSTEMS
With some 36 million square feet under management — and one of the largest campuses in the United States exposed to extreme low temperatures — building industry professionals at the University of Michigan have some experience managing the competing requirements of safety and economy in heat tracing technology.
Kim DelPizzo
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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/njrDAbSpwB pic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
— USPTO (@uspto) July 13, 2023
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