With new technologies and environmental challenges emerging at a faster rate than ever before, SMACNA-Western Washington’s code and technical committee has the responsibility of sifting through these changes on behalf of members to educate them on the key components of each new issue.
“Whether it’s new code language or new equipment, material, or installation innovations, our group reviews and interprets these new ideas to help our members keep current on what’s changing and how it might affect their business,” says Peter Boileau, chairperson of SMACNA-WW’s technical committee. “In a sense, we are trying to raise the awareness flag for this type of issue for all our SMACNA partners so they don’t have to discover this information independently—and potentially too late in the execution of their projects.”
Boileau joined the committee because he was inspired by the work of the SMACNA-Western Washington leadership group.
“In my 30 plus years in this industry, I have rarely experienced a group that is not only focused on helping everyone equally, but also providing that help in an encouraging and fun way on every issue they touch,” he says. “It’s the positive energy and can-do attitude of this group that inspired me to get involved.”
Boileau brings a wide range of experience to the group as a licensed mechanical engineer who has designed all types of mechanical systems. He has also worked for general contractors providing mechanical coordination on both commercial and industrial projects, and has spent more than 20 years as a mechanical contractor, estimating and managing both design and construction projects.
The technical committee’s objective in providing value to the membership is to enhance members’ understanding of both code and technical issues as they effect the sheet metal industry.
“Our building and energy codes are continually changing to improve life safety, comfort, and energy efficiency in the buildings we build,” Boileau says. “The technology we use to build our projects is also continually changing, and it’s our responsibility to keep our members up to date, knowledgeable, and competitive as these changes occur.”
Over the years, the committee, which was founded more than two decades ago and currently has 13 members, has been challenged by interpreting new code language, especially the recent updates to the International Mechanical Code. This latest code addition is more complex to understand, as there is a significant reorganization of code topics, as well as revisions to code language.
“The committee spent months combing through the new code section by section to gain a consensus in understanding how the code language and organization changed,” Boileau says. “We have published our interpretations of these significant changes in past Sheet Metal Journal – Western Washington articles.”
The main goal of the technical committee is to stay in front of evolving codes and technology (including new products and methods to build the industry’s work) to help SMACNA-WW members be prepared and minimize disruptions to their business.
“The code committee is made up of a healthy mix of construction professionals who administer and build our work, plus plan reviewers and building inspectors to provide input on how they interpret industry changes and code revisions,” Boileau says. “This mix makes for enjoyable committee meetings with lots of lively discussions from different perspectives.” ▪
