Rosemont, Ill. – The Code Study & Development Committee of S.E. Michigan was founded by John Nussbaum back around 1990.

Nussbaum was executive director of the Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Contractors Association of Southeastern Michigan. He had a lot of contacts in the plumbing and mechanical industry.

Nussbaum gathered many plumbing industry professionals including engineers, designers, contractors, inspectors, manufacturer’s reps, manufacturers, testing labs, and citizens to serve on a Consensus Committee. They review the proposed code change submittals, which helps ASPE prepare its comments for presentation at the code change hearings through testimony from selected representatives on the committee.

When Nussbaum started this committee, it was an opportunity for industry professionals to help participate in a local forum. The meetings run like code hearings with a moderator leading discussion in order to formulate a position on behalf of the committee for review and discussion at the code hearings.

Barry Pines of C&R Plumbing is the president and Ron George is serving as vice president from the 2015 code change cycle.

Many members of this committee have been selected over the years to serve on the IPC, IRC, IMC and IFGC code committees and interpretation committees.

The Code Committee generally meets two times before the code hearings to review proposed code changes for a three-year code change cycle. The code committee also meets to plan for hosting one or two code update training sessions after the new code is adopted in Michigan. So in a three-year code change cycle the commitment is anywhere between three to six meetings, and if selected to represent the committee at the code hearings, it includes a trip for a few days to the code hearings.

The committee earns money through the sale of codebooks. They purchase them at wholesale price from the International Code Council and sell them at retail price.Those in need of a codebook should contact John Nussbaum at (313) 341-7661. (ext. 211).

In the last six years the committee has not met as often as they did in the past. The committee would like to elect a new Board of Directors and maybe add a couple of people to the board as directors to help ease the workload. Election would include a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and two or three directors. Attendees will get to review the code changes and hear the arguments for and against these changes. This is a very educational process and it gives participants a good foundation for understanding of code changes.

The committee is hoping to revamp March 27th at 8 a.m. at the Plumbing Industry Training Center located at 1911 Ring Drive in Troy, Michigan.

The committee welcomes all participants. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

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