CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Joseph Bowie (Vela); Robert Thornton-V Chair (Alter, R); Alex Ramirez (Kelly), Kyle Smith (Pool), Bobbi Joe Foster (Ellis) Bill Harris(Alter), Robert Butler(Watson), Stephen Cox (Madison) REGULAR CALLED MEETING MECHANICAL AND PLUMBING BOARD Tuesday October 24 @ 9:30 AM- IN PERSON PERMITTING DEVELOPMENT CENTER/ 1st FLOOR, CONF RM 1401-1402 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DR AUSTIN, TEXAS Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register, contact rick.arzola@austintexas.gov Joseph Cooper(Fuentes), Ramon Perez(Velasquez), Mark Mapes(Qadri) AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES- DISCUSSION 1. Approve the Minutes from Regular Called Meeting from August 22, 2023 2. Appendix L-Water Heater requirements- Uniform Plumbing Code 3. Appendix M Water Saving Calculator- Uniform Plumbing Code 4. Parking Garage Exhaust-Ventilation-Uniform Mechanical Code 5. Shower Pans- Uniform Plumbing Code 6. Update on Legionellosis Prevention- Uniform Plumbing Code DISCUSSION AND ACTION 7. 2024 Board Schedule FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Rick Arzola at Development Services Department, Building Inspections, at (512) 974-2417, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information of the Mechanical and Plumbing Board, please contact Rick Arzola at 512-974-2417
Appendix L The highlighted code sections below were requested to be included in the 2023 Uniform Plumbing Code amendments. City staff are not in support of adding these amendments, these sections pertain to water heater requirements for the purpose of establishing means of conserving water and energy. Energy conservation requirements for water heating already exist in the energy code in sections and subsections of C404 & R403.5 duplication and amending both codes would only add additional confusion and increase our amendments when our goal is to return to model code as much as possible for the purpose of consistency and is preferred by the majority of stakeholders. For over a number of years Austin Water has established a comprehensive plan for water conservation and will continue to do so, Appendix L is not a part of the plan at this time, this appendix is intended to encourage sustainable practices and not creating requirements. Water Heater Requirements L 101.1 Applicability. The purpose of this appendix is to provide a comprehensive set of technically sound provisions that encourage sustainable practices and works towards enhancing the design and construction of plumbing systems that result in a positive long-term environmental impact. This appendix is not intended to circumvent the health, safety, and general welfare requirements of this code. L 501.0 Water Heating Design, Equipment, and Installation. L 501.1 Scope. The provisions of this section shall establish the means of conserving potable and non-potable water and energy associated with the generation and use of hot water in a building. This includes provisions for the hot water distribution system, which is the portion of the potable water distribution system between a water heating device and the plumbing fixtures, including dedicated return piping and appurtenances to the water heating device in a recirculation system. L 503.0 Service Hot Water – Other Than Low-Rise Residential Buildings. L 503.1 General. The service hot water, other than single family houses, multifamily structures of three stories or fewer above grade, and modular houses shall comply with this section. L 503.1.1 New Buildings. Service water-heating systems and equipment shall comply with the requirements of this section as described in Section L 503.2. [ASHRAE 90.1:7.1.1.1] L 503.3.1 Load Calculations. Service water-heating system design loads for the purpose of sizing systems and equipment shall be determined in accordance with manufacturer’s published sizing guidelines or generally accepted engineering standards and handbooks acceptable to the adopting …
DATE: POLICY MEMO NO.: XXXXXXX RELATED DEPT. & DIVISION: Development Service Department & Austin Public Health TOPIC: Disinfection and Flushing of Building Portable Water Systems DECISION MAKER: Todd Wilcox (Building Official) Desmar Walkes (Austin-Travis County Health Authority) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ SUMMARY: To implement an existing requirement to provide proof of disinfection and flushing of building potable water systems in Group I-1 facilities. For the purpose of controlling any potential contamination of legionella growth. CODE SECTIONS: 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), 2021 International Building Code (IBC) • 308.3 Institutional Group I-2, International Building Code • 609.10 Disinfection of Potable Water System, Uniform Plumbing Code • ASHRAE 188-2018 Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems • ASHRAE Guideline 12- 2000 Minimizing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems • N 105 Disinfection / excluding ultraviolet method, Uniform Plumbing Code Policy: Provide disinfection and flushing of building potable water systems in new nursing homes and hospitals as per the requirements of 609.10 Uniform Plumbing Code or other industry standards as approved by the Building Official with proof of disinfection and flushing within 3 weeks of the certificate of occupancy being issued. A temporary certificate of occupancy will not be affected. For the purpose of this requirement beneficial occupancy shall mean within 3 weeks before a certificate of occupancy is issued in order to establish a timeline. Responsible for Compliance: Building owner or designated representative. Affected Institutional Group I-1: New nursing homes and hospitals. DSD Responsibility: DSD Commercial plumbing Inspections shall be responsible for collecting proof of compliance before final plumbing inspection is finalized. When Required: Proof of compliance will be required before receiving certificate of occupancy. How to achieve compliance: The latest addition of the following standards and code sections, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188, ASHRAE Guideline 12, Section 609.10 of the Uniform Plumbing Code or Appendix N of the Uniform Plumbing Code. excluding the ultraviolet method in Appendix N. Definition ANSI/ ASHRAE Standard 188. beneficial occupancy- stage of construction when all or part of a building is to be occupied for the purpose for which it was constructed, whether before or after completion.
Enclosed Parking Garage The code amendment proposal is to remove “10 ft. above a public way discharge location” limitation for class 2 air, specifically enclosed garages in section 502.2.1 Environmental, Class 1, and Class 2 Air Ducts. • • The 2015, 2021 and 2024 UMC are requiring the 10 ft. above a public way. The 2021 and the 2024 IMC do not have this limitation. Staff agrees that the garage ventilation systems in enclosed parking garages should terminate in accordance with the provisions of section 502.2.1. Staff agrees to not create a code amendment, since ducts routinely convey exhaust products containing carbon monoxide, smoke, soot, water vapor and particles of rubber from tires. Since garage ventilation systems may also be required to dissipate fumes from vehicular fuel spills, staff recommends that garage ventilation systems should be regarded as ducts conveying flammable vapors, although is agreeable to treat as environmental air per model code. The location of blowers at lower levels would also create a nuisance with the volume of air directed at pedestrians. 502.2.1 Environmental, Class 1, and Class 2 Air Ducts. Environmental, Class 1, and Class 2 air duct exhaust shall terminate not less than 3 feet (914 mm) from a property line, 10 feet (3048 mm) above a public way, 3 feet (914 mm) from openings into the building and the minimum separation distance from ventilation system outdoor air intakes determined in accordance with Section 402.4.1. The discharge of dryer exhaust ducts shall not terminate over a public way or over an area where condensate or vapor could create a nuisance or hazard. UMC Codes Administration The phrase, “the discharge of environmental exhaust ducts shall not be directed onto a public walkway” is proposed to be limited to only dryer exhaust, which is the only Class 1 or 2 exhaust composed of near-saturated air. This air can condense in cold weather and drip onto the public way and potentially freeze in cold climates, creating a hazard. The words “directed onto” are revised to “terminate over” since the hazard can exist even if the air is discharged horizontally, and the limitation was expanded to include any area where condensation may be a hazard using the wording from Section 8.2.8.3 for condensing appliance vents. Other Type 1 and 2 exhaust are addressed by the requirements earlier in the section requiring that discharge be at least “10 feet (3048 mm) above …
