Why Wood?
Comfort
Wood is a better insulator than other structural materials. It will
keep your home's interior cooler on hot summer days.
Environmentally Friendly
Wood is the only renewable resource for building. It is the best
building material for maintaining a healthy world, providing a sustainable
resource for future generations while reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Durability
Engineered Wood Systems are stronger and straighter than ever before.
Wood is treated to approved standard which assure a safe and protected framework
for the life of your home. Hawaii's high humidity has no negative effect
over time on a home framed in wood.
Why TPI Certified?
TPI Certification
RE:
ANSI/TPI – 1995 & UBC 1997 - Applicable to Hawaii Building Code
Hawaii’s
applicable building codes include the ANSI / TPI -1995 Standard. All
Contractors may not be aware of this code, and therefore, some contractors
building homes on Military Installations under RCI and Privatization may not be
meeting this building code. Disregarding any building code standard could be a
serious safety issue, especially during a hurricane, and would constitute an
impossible legal position against any action concerning contract or negligence.
The Hawaii
Building Code recognizes the 1997 UBC ANSI / TPI -1995 (with its amendments)
regarding compliance by Truss Manufacturers. I would like to first start with
Chapter 35 of the 1997 UBC which states the following:
1997 UBC CHAPTER 35 – UNIFORM BUILDING CODE
STANDARDS
Section 3501 – UBC STANDARDS
The Uniform Building Code standards referred to
in various parts of this code, which are also listed in Part II of this chapter,
are hereby declared to be part of this code and are referred to in this code as
a “UBC standard.”
SECTION 3502 – ADOPTED STANDARDS
The standards referred to in various parts of the
code, which are listed in Part III of this chapter, are hereby declared to be
part of this code.
SECTION 3503 – STANDARD OF DUTY
The standard of duty established for the
recognized standards listed in Part IV of this chapter is that the design,
construction and quality of materials of buildings and structures be reasonably
safe for life, limb, health, property and public welfare.
SECTION 3504 – RECOGNIZED STANDARDS
The standards listed in Part IV of this chapter
are recognized standards. Compliance with these recognized standards shall
be prima facie evidence of compliance with the standard of duty set forth in
Section 3503.
According to the
Hawaii Building Code, the contractor must meet the 1997 UBC because it has the
contractual duty to build in a manner that creates a “prima facie” level of
compliance with the UBC’s Standard of Duty (Chapter 35, Section 3503- see
above). Disregarding a recognized standard then means that the contractor does
not create a “prima facie” level of compliance (Chapter, 35 Section 3504 – see
above). Prima Facie means “at first instance”. Naturally, compliance with
Sections’ 3501 and 3502 UBC and Adopted Standards in and of itself
creates a prima facie level of compliance. Similarly, Sections 3503 and 3504
simply extend this presumption to Recognized Standards eliminating risk
of liability from the contractors. Section 3503 is the UBC’s standard of duty
applicable for Recognized Standards. Section 3504 states that the UBC’s
level of compliance is presumed met where the builder complies with Section
3504. By complying with Section 3504 and 3503 the contractor under the UBC
mitigates his exposure to risk by following completely all parts, including the
Adopted and Recognized Standards.
We see no
substantive difference between “UBC Standards” and “Adopted Standards” and
violating an adopted standard will violate the Code. Likewise, we see no
substantive difference between “UBC Standards,” “Adopted Standards,” and
“Recognized Standards.” A Code is enacted primarily to set precedents of
compliance resulting in a prima facie case against liability for services
rendered. Depriving a customer of this level of expectation should prove fatal
to any contractor. Any Company not following any of these standards leaves its
customer unreasonably vulnerable to litigation and damages otherwise.
A Recognized
Standard is first set forth and then specifically incorporated by reference. It
is part of the UBC. For example, the UBC 1997 clearly and concisely references
the ANSI/TPI – 1995 multiple times. These Reference(s) from the 1997 UBC are as
follows:
1997 UBC SECTION 2303 –STANDARDS OF QUALITY
5. Design standards
5.2
ANSI/TPI National Design Standard for Metal Plate Connected Wood
Truss Construction
5.3
ANSI/TPI 2 Standard for
Testing Performance for Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses
These are UBC provisions that clearly define ANSI/TPI as UBC
requisite truss design. Accordingly, no other Design standard is given or
reference.
SECTION 2305 – DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
REQUIREMENTS
2305.1
General. The following design
requirements apply.
2305.7
Metal-plate connected wood
trusses SHALL conform to provisions of Division V.
The word “Shall”
does not mean “may”, “could,” “should,” or “ought to.” The language is very
clear that “shall” means “must.”
Below is Division
V in the UBC 1997, in its entirety, referred to by the above Section 2305.7:
1997 UBC Division V – DESIGN STANDARD FOR
METAL PLATE CONNECTED WOOD TRUSS
Based on ANSI/TPI 1-1995, National Design
Standard for Metal Plate Connected
Wood Truss Construction, of the Truss Plate
Institute
SECTION 2321 – METAL PLATE CONNECTED WOOD
TRUSS DESIGN
2321.1 Design and Fabrication.
The design and fabrication of metal plate
connected wood trusses shall be in accordance with the ANSI/TPI 1 -1995.
Once again the
word “Shall” is clearly in the code.
2321.2 Performance.
Full-scale load tests in accordance with
ANSI/TPI2 (see Section 2303, Item 5) may be required at the option of the
building official to provide a means of demonstrating that minimum adequate
performance is obtainable from specific metal connector plates, various lumber
types and grades, a particular truss design and a particular fabrication
procedure. ANSI/TPI 2 provides procedures for testing and evaluating wood
trusses designed in accordance with ANSI/TPI 1.
2321. 3In- plant Inspection.
Each truss manufacturer shall retain an approved agency having no
financial interest in the plant being inspected to make nonscheduled inspections
of truss fabrications and delivery operations. The inspections shall
cover all phases of the truss operation, including lumber storage, handling,
cutting, fixtures, presses or rollers, fabrication bundling and banding,
handling, and delivery.
In this
section the 1997 UBC calls out for 3rd Party inspection system and
once again “Shall” is used making it mandatory.
2321.4 Marking.
Each truss shall be legibly branded, marked or otherwise have permanently
affixed thereto the following information located within 2 feet (610mm) of the
center of the span on the face of the bottom chord:
1)
Identity of the company manufacturing the truss
2)
The design load.
3)
The spacing of trusses.
This section of
the Code, Division V, is completely dedicated to the design of trusses and
that they SHALL be designed in “accordance with” the ANSI/TPI-1995.
In fact the UBC gave it its own page. The wording cannot be clearer or more
direct; to think that the ANSI/TPI does not apply and that any arbitrary
standard may be used is clearly fatal. For example, 1997 UBC Chapter 35,
Section IV is five (5) pages long that list all its Recognized
Standards. These standards include everything from Fire Testing of Foamed
Plastics, Shingles, ASTM Ratings of Metals, ASTM Ratings of Concrete Aggregates,
Rebar, APA Certifications of Plywood, ratings on all types of woods, and on and
on. It would be unthinkable that these “Recognized Standards are not part of
the code .
It is logically
instructive to notice what is not in the code – an alternative standard to the
ANSI/TPI. There is no other recognized standard. ANSI/ TPI are referenced in
all the model codes including project specifications by the Army Corps of
Engineers (see attached).
Recognized
Standards allow meaningful incorporation of products and services into the
Uniform Building Code where appropriate in the absence of direct inspections
by an official of the ICBO. Obviously it is impractical for Building
Inspectors to inspect all products from manufacturers on a project. The
population of Inspectors cannot fully cover all industries concerning Concrete
Plants, Wood Treatment Facilities, Wood Plant, Plywood Manufacturing Plants,
Steel Rolling Plants, etc.; so, therefore, the criteria recognized by the UBC
and incorporated by reference into the Code is necessary. Recognized Standards
in Chapter 35 of the 1997 UBC are clearly code. All products and services which
do not meet Chapter 35 criteria therefore do not meet the STANDARDS OF DUTY as
listed in SECTION 3503 and cannot be considered reasonably safe “for life, limb,
health, property and public welfare”.
In brief, it is
simple to understand that if a Code writes provisions that specify standards,
those provisions are thereby Code. We can think of no other way requirements
are codified than to state references, specifically define those references, and
then assign them a UBC numerical listing and Code Section number. I really
can’t fathom any confusion otherwise.
Hawaii’s
Contractors need to use Truss companies that meet all the requirements of 1997
UBC - including Division V. Truss companies dedicated to Quality by complying
with the ANSI/TPI in regards to the UBC 1997 and IBC 2002 Codes allows their
clients the peace of mind knowing they are meeting the STANDARDS OF DUTY as
stated in SECTION 3503.
Ee: 1997 Uniform Building Code: Chapter 23 Section
2303 “Standards of Quality”, Chapter 23, Division V “DESIGN STANDARDS FOR METAL
PLATE CONNECTED WOOD TRUSS, Chapter 35 (complete Chapter),
| 