Permit Streamlining:
Architects in A Leadership Role –
Robert Wible, Fiatech Senior Project Manager
AIA Annual Convention, Denver, CO
June 19, 2013
The Streamlining Landscape
from a National Perspective
Robert Wible
Possible video clips to be interspersed in presentation TBD
National Perspective
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Current Status
The Need
Traditional Barriers to Streamlining
Picture Different Today
Success Stories – Lessons You Can Apply
Tools You Can Use
Fiatech
- Created by Owner Companies
- Includes Members and Partners that represent
broad range of industry stakeholders.
Fiatech’s Members are united by a common goal
“…….make a step change improvement in productivity
and efficiency in the design, procurement,
engineering, construction, and maintenance of
capital assets.”
Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
An Overview – State of Permit
Streamlining Across the U.S.
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Forces at work
1990’s thru 2005
Impact of the Great Recession
Development of Technologies 90’s to now:
- ePermitting Software – Internal & Web-based
- Mobile inspection technologies / IVR
- Digital Signatures & Seals
- Electronic Plan Review Technologies
- U.S. Local Codes in the Cloud
Regulatory Streamlining & Use of IT
Thru Start of Recession
• Nationwide, only 10% of 40,000 jurisdictions,
adopting and enforcing building codes, use IT
– Only 2% allow electronic submission of plans
– less than 1% do reviews
– Less than 4% use mobile
inspection technology
• Near total lack of interoperability of building
data within same
jurisdiction
• Virtually none between
jurisdictions
• Yet even with recession
IT application growing………
Technologies mature – Sample savings:
Has this ever happened to you?
• The Nightmare!
Has this ever happened to you?
• Clear normal zoning approval process only to
get stopped by Council Member – whole new
round of public hearings?
• Permit application process so cumbersome
owner has to get extension on bank loan for
project?
• Building completed but in final inspection
have to tear down one floor of building?
• Etc……
Real Case Studies –
Problems/Solutions
• War in Oregon
• Beginning and Not Beginning with the end in
mind
• Relocate pizza parlor across the street takes 24
meetings?
• Who knows what the building regulations are?
• Et. al.
Testimonial – Chicago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-n84G1GYfQ
Mayor made streamlining the building permit
process a priority.
Other Streamlining Savings
• Streamlining Regulations & Processes
• Adding IT:
- Savings from ePermitting
- Savings from ePlan Review –Time & Green
- Savings from Mobile Field Inspection
Technologies
- Savings by bundling all together and
spreading across multiple agencies
Traditional Barriers to Streamlining
• Top 10 Reasons Why Jurisdictions Don’t
Streamline and Use IT
Top Ten Reasons Why
• #10 – Horror Stories – neighbors that have
tried & failed
• # 9 – Lack of information on Benefits, Reliable
ROI data
• # 8 – Lack of information on “What is available
and what really works.” (e.g. – ePlan review,
remote inspection tech.)
Top Ten Reasons
• # 7 – Lack of Interoperable Software keeping
complexity & cost of interagency use high
• # 6 –“This Data is Mine!” Information is
power
• # 5 – Lack of Support from Stakeholders /
Customers for I.T.
• #4 – Lack of Technical Support / trained staff
within jurisdiction to install & maintain
Top Ten Reasons
• #3 –“Fear Of Change” by Staff & Clients
– Both perceived & real, and a history of I.T. being
applied before business process has been
streamlined
• #2 – Lack Of Funding, both perceived & real
– Funds being diverted for other uses by
jurisdiction’s elected/administrative officials
And the # 1 Reason • SHEER INERTIA
• Bodies at Rest Stay at
Rest
Picture Different Today –The Perfect
Storm
• Elected Officials paying attention as their
jurisdictions are desperate to generate jobs,
add to tax base, to recover
• Land use & building department staffs cut to
bare bones
• Regulatory streamlining practices &
technologies are proven out – No beta tests
Picture Different Today
• Disasters proving benefit of more effective &
efficient regulatory systems to protect from
and then speed recovery - Andrew / Loma
Prieta / Katrina / SuperStorm Sandy/ & ???
Success Stories Have These Items In
Common
• 1 – Collaboration – Construction & Govt Officials
• 2 – Jurisdiction conducts Self-Assessment
• 3 – Do study, gather examples, visit other
jurisdictions that have successfully put in place
• 4 – Start with streamline regs and processes Start
Small and Grow – Expanded to more complex
issues
• 5 – Stakeholders involved from Start to Finish
What Successful Jurisdictions Have in
Common
• 6 – Worked closely with internal stakeholders
– affected staff to transition from old to new
system
• 7 –Put IT in place after regs and process
transformation
• 8 – Put IT in incrementally & expand across
system & between agencies
• 9 – Construction Community trained along
with staff in new technologies
Overcoming These Barriers
• Involving the Stakeholders from Start to Finish
- The Salem Story
• HUD Guide – “Guide to More Effective &
Efficient Building Regulatory Processes
Through Information Technology” - HUDuser
and www.natlpartnerstreamline.org
Other Tools You Can Use
• Streamlining Tool Kit – Fiatech/AIA/BOMA/…
Fiatech Regulatory Streamlining Initiative –
A Step Change Improvement in the Review Process
ePlan Review
Guideline
for
Replicable
Buildings
DIG-SIGs
AutoCodes
“U.S. Local
Codes in the
Cloud”
Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
U.S. Local Codes in the Cloud
Objective:
Create an up to-date,
cloud-based library with the
local building codes and
standards of U.S. States
and Local Jurisdictions.
Incorporate 5,000 jurisdictions in 18-24 months.
Reduce design errors and plan preparation and review
time by making local codes, amendments, standards &
other documents available from the Cloud.
Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
New Digital Signatures & Seals Projects
- Survey & Best Practices Guide for Using
Digital Signatures & Seals
- Jurisdiction Guide to Adoption &
Recognition of Digital Seals
Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
More Information on Fiatech Web Site
Fiatech Regulatory Streamlining
Contact
Bob Wible
Senior Project Director, Fiatech
Wible@fiatech.org
703-568-2323
http://fiatech.org/
Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.