The Supreme Court recently ruled that Georgia may not copyright its entire official code, which includes both the state’s laws and annotations interpreting them.
The ruling pertained to a case filed by the state objecting to Public.Resource.Org’s initiative to put the entire code online. The group aims to make government materials more accessible.
The state sued for copyright infringement, claiming that the laws were public property, but that the annotations that provide updates to statutes were not. A commission created by the legislature was the author of the annotations, so the annotations could not be copyrighted, according to Chief Justice John Roberts.
Roberts wrote that the annotations often offered important guidance. Other entities such as UpCodes are trying to simplify compliance with building codes. UpCodes is creating AI for code checking in Revit, and what it describes as “the first modern search engine for building codes.” State copyrights of codes complicate this effort.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | May 15, 2018
Blast testing of loaded mass timber structures yields positive results
Four tests covered a spectrum of blast loads.
Codes and Standards | May 14, 2018
Maryland makes general contractors liable for failure of subs to pay employees
GCs could have to pay for up to three times the wages owed.
Codes and Standards | May 10, 2018
Data collection, machine learning boost building efficiency
Sensors, software algorithms squeeze out waste.
Codes and Standards | May 9, 2018
OSHA and state safety agencies write more than 100 silica citations in 6 months
Actions tending to come with investigation of other site conditions.
Codes and Standards | May 8, 2018
Powerhouse coalition builds energy positive buildings
The goal: build buildings that provide more power than they cost to build, run, and demolish.
Codes and Standards | May 7, 2018
Plan advances in Los Angeles for Climate Emergency Mobilization Department
Would oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the city.
Codes and Standards | May 3, 2018
Data collection, machine learning boost building efficiency
Sensors, software algorithms squeeze out waste.
Codes and Standards | May 2, 2018
Energy Department releases Updated EnergyPlus and OpenStudio building energy modeling tools
The tools can now accept input in epJSON format.
Codes and Standards | May 1, 2018
ASHRAE publishes new energy simulation-aided design standard
Requires building energy modeling during schematic design.
Codes and Standards | Apr 30, 2018
CALGreen projects pre-approved for streamlined LEED v4 requirements
Reduces need to run additional energy models.