Streamlining Project to Emphasize Nationwide Outreach and Implementation;

HERNDON, VA – MAY 4, 2000. The Streamlining the Nation’s Building Regulatory Process project, now progressing through its fourth year of operations, will focus on outreach activities in the coming months to promote the adoption and implementation of its 54 model programs. Among these activities is an initiative to enhance the use of information technology in building code enforcement.

The Streamlining project is a nationwide effort of 55 national partners led by the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards, Inc. (NCSBCS) that is reducing the cost and complexity of building regulation while ensuring life safety and affordability. The project collects and reviews proven examples of streamlining programs currently in use and refines them into models for other jurisdictions interested in replicating the successes. Since the project began in September 1996, over 150 case studies from 40 states have been submitted for review. Of these case studies, 54 have been selected for nationwide adoption and implementation as streamlined models (which can be downloaded at http://www.ncsbcs.org/Streamline/catstble.htm).  Additional models are currently under review.

With this broad array of model programs, the Streamlining project now focuses its resources on gaining the adoption and use of models. Through the following outreach initiatives, model implementation will be accomplished:

• State and local level conferences among government, industry, and consumers to build consensus for streamlining initiatives and to remove regulatory barriers;

• Benchmarking processing times for various regulatory phases to give jurisdictions a tool to gauge their own performance;

• Research to determine the effectiveness of streamlined models currently in use, including measurement of actual cost savings enjoyed by all involved stakeholders;

• Consumer-oriented initiatives to get current and future homeowners involved in regulatory streamlining; and

• Promotional initiatives to ensure that as many stakeholders as possible know of the Streamlining project and its efforts that can help them.

Since the project began publicizing its streamlined models, several jurisdictions have implemented them and enjoyed similar successes. The City of San Diego’s Process 2000 system-wide streamlining model was successfully implemented in Savannah, Georgia and Portland, Oregon. And the State of New Jersey’s Rehabilitation Subcode (a model in process) has been implemented by the City of Wilmington, Delaware and is being considered for use by the States of Delaware, Maryland, and Rhode Island. Many more models are expected to be implemented as a result of planned outreach initiatives by the project.

The Streamlining project is also in the preliminary stages of developing a National Forum for Improving Regulatory and Building Construction Processes through Uses of Computer Technology (proposed title). The goal of the forum is to bring together the construction industry, hardware and software suppliers, and state and local building code enforcement personnel to discuss application of information technology to the way we oversee the design and construction of buildings. One of the primary issues to be addressed will be creating an interoperable platform that will dramatically reduce hardware and software compatibility problems that can harm the effectiveness of automation tools. At the conclusion of the national forum, an action agenda will be created to turn the participants’ ideas into real-life solutions to benefit the entire industry. The forum will likely be held in the Washington, D.C. area in January - February 2001.

For more information on the Streamlining project, the proposed National Forum, or any of the other outreach initiatives, please contact Carolyn Fitch at cfitch@ncsbcs.org or by calling (703) 437-0100