Hey you!
One thing about me is that I swear like a sailor. I kind of try not to, but I think it may just be part of my molecular make-up. At some point I’m sure it won’t faze you, but I’m hoping we’re not there yet and the title caught your attention.
Because this is an important post that we all need to pay attention to.
A nation-wide survey has been developed “to collect information to identify key factors relating to the introduction of a performance-based compliance path into the National Building Code of Canada (NBC)”.
I know the Code development process can be slow and painful, but it’s the system we have to work with. And if you’re reading this post, I’m assuming you have an interest in the Codes…and so you should have an interest (even if teeny-tiny) in the development of them.
Right now, building design can meet Acceptable Solutions (prescriptive requirements) or Alternative Solutions. Alternative Solutions are what replaced what was previously known as ‘equivalencies’….and are one of the most mis-understood concepts among the design community. A post that gives a deeper-dive into Alternative Solutions is needed, and we will share it out once the right Villager comes along!
To simplify alternative solutions, a code change request was recently submitted to the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes to transition the NBC to a full performance-based structure and is expected to:
- Provide quantitative performance targets for the existing Acceptable Solution requirements.
- Facilitate compliance of innovative designs.
- Transition the Code from Objective- to performance-based as originally intended during the development of the Objective-Based framework.
What the survey is digging deep into is your experience with using the current Alternative Solution system and gauging your interest in the NBC becoming more “performance-based”.
Long story short, please fill out the survey before December 13th, and remember what the wise Dr. Seuss once said “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot. Nothing is going to get better. It’s not!”
Below is further information and the original email I received about the survey:
Le français suit
Good afternoon,
Natural Resources Canada has commissioned Senez Consulting to conduct a nation-wide survey to collect information to identify key factors relating to the introduction of a performance-based compliance path into the National Building Code of Canada (NBC).
This survey has been sent to you as a key stakeholder in the application of the Building Code to the design and construction of buildings and is designed to gauge stakeholder interest in transitioning the NBC to become more performance-based and to gain insight on your experiences with the current objective-based format of the NBC. Please feel free to share the survey with any of your contacts who may be interested.
The survey can be found here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BQ38RHM
The deadline to participate in the survey is December 13th, 2021. It will take approximately 25-30 minutes to complete.
Survey responses will be anonymous, unless you are interested in participating in future activities around performance-based codes.
Thank you for your participation.
Bonjour,
Ressources naturelles Canada a demandé à Senez Consulting de mener une enquête à l’échelle du pays pour recueillir des renseignements pour déterminer les principaux facteurs concernant l’introduction d’une voie de conformité axée sur le rendement dans le Code national du bâtiment du Canada (CNB).
Cette enquête vous a été envoyée en tant qu’intervenant clé dans l’application du Code du bâtiment dans la conception et la construction de bâtiments et est conçu pour mesurer l’intérêt des intervenants dans la transition du CNB pour qu’il soit davantage axé sur le rendement et pour nous informer de vos expériences avec le format actuel axé sur les objectifs du CNB. N’hésitez pas à partager l’enquête avec des contacts qui pourraient être intéressés.
L’enquête se trouve ici https://fr.surveymonkey.com/r/BQVVWXZ
L’échéance pour participer à l’enquête est le 13 décembre 2021. Il vous faudra environ 25 à 30 minutes pour y répondre.
Les réponses à l’enquête sont anonymes, à moins que vous souhaitiez participer à des activités futures concernant les codes axés sur le rendement.
Merci de votre participation.
2 Responses
The human race is not yet ready for performance-based codes. This requires a high degree of ethics and professionalism. There are enough “professionals” that lack sufficient ethics and/or knowledge to make the process inappropriate.
Although part of me agrees with your comment Doug (because I have first hand seen a big lack of ethics in the field)…a bigger part of me has faith in the human race and that we can rise together to a place of more accountability and professionalism! Thoughts?