After the roof collapsed at the Thumper Pond Resort water park in Ottertail, Minn., last month, Minnesota media has highlighted the fact that many areas of the state do not enforce the state building code.
The roof collapse occurred around midnight on April 14 when the park was closed. There were no injuries. There were no high winds, snow, or other obvious causes indicating why the roof on the 10-year-old water park collapsed.
Many Minnesota governments outside the seven-county metro area that includes Minneapolis don't enforce the state building code, according to MPR News. That law requires inspections throughout a new construction process. But just 21 of the 87 Minnesota counties enforce it, according to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
Licensed contractors are required to build according to the state building code to construct a commercial or lodging facility in a remote area, but most of these projects proceed without a building official to provide oversight. Rural governments say they can’t afford to provide that service.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Oct 19, 2017
IAPMO seeks proposals for 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, Uniform Mechanical Code
The deadline is March 16, 2018.
Codes and Standards | Oct 18, 2017
States impacted by hurricanes are improving their energy efficiency policies
Florida, Texas, rise in ACEEE state energy efficiency scorecard.
Codes and Standards | Oct 17, 2017
Updated versions of EnergyPlus and OpenStudio building energy modeling tools released
Open-source apps include enhancements for urban-scale modeling.
Codes and Standards | Oct 16, 2017
New, comprehensive insurance exhibit released in AIA 2017 contract document updates
Will allow AIA to make updates more frequently as insurance market changes.
Codes and Standards | Oct 12, 2017
New AIA contract document designates responsibilities for sustainable projects
Roles of architects, contractors outlined in E204–2017.
Codes and Standards | Oct 11, 2017
Data, transparency are keys to next steps in green building, says USGBC chief
Monitoring and comparing performance are critical to advancing sustainability goals.
Codes and Standards | Oct 10, 2017
New guidelines for quality control on application of membrane roof systems released
NRCA document provides guidance for on-site evaluation.
Codes and Standards | Oct 9, 2017
New app calculates maximum allowable heights for building occupancy types, classes of construction
The app streamlines compliance on various types of construction.
Codes and Standards | Oct 5, 2017
California lawmakers pass bill that requires GCs to pay wages of sub employees if subs fail to pay
The measure will go into effect in January if the governor signs it.
Codes and Standards | Oct 4, 2017
Ambitious but realistic increase in clean energy would cut GHG emissions by 80% in the U.S.
NRDC report says goal can be achieved with existing tools.