NEW YORK, Feb. 16, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Israel Berger & Associates, LLC (IBA), a recognized consulting and inspection group specializing in building envelope technologies, is the first Special Inspection Agency to meet the New York City Department of Buildings requirements for accreditation through the International Accreditation Service (IAS) AC291 Special Inspection Agency Accreditation Program.
Israel Berger, President, and Marc Weissbach, Chief Operating Officer of IBA, issued this joint statement: "We commend Walter Martinez, a Principal and Director of Special Inspection, for his efforts in achieving this very important recognition from IAS. The accreditation process conducted by IAS was thorough and rigorous. The process will improve the quality of services we provide to our clients and standardize the level of service that should be expected in our industry. NYC Rule 101 addresses the qualifications and certification of Special Inspection Agencies and their inspectors, and is critical to public safety and protection. This Rule, which has been signed into law, will improve the quality of inspections on construction sites when enforced by the City."
Section 101-06 was signed into law by Mayor Bloomberg on June 30, 2008 recognizing the substantial need for implementation of a qualification and approval process of Special Inspection Agencies. The Building Commissioner, Robert LiMandri, cited the need for change because "controlled inspections" under the existing codes do not go far enough to satisfy the intent of the new building code and therefore Rule 101 was needed: "In fact, many such inspections are performed by technicians working under the supervision of a registered design professional and there are no required qualifications for such technicians."[1] Rule 101 addresses the problem of having inspections performed by those who may not necessarily have the appropriate knowledge to evaluate the installation or material in light of technical standards.
Along with its adoption of the 2003 International Building Code®, the New York City Construction Codes now include a requirement that all Special Inspection agencies must be accredited by IAS or an equivalent accreditation agency by July 2010.
Martinez said, "We're very proud to be the first special inspection agency in New York City to complete the IAS AC291 accreditation process. We began the process in response to the requirements outlined in the New York City Construction Codes and we are committed to support the Department of Buildings' policies."
Over more than 20 years, IBA has built its reputation for independent, third party project representation where IBA technical personnel receive in depth training via higher education, specific courses related to areas of expertise, certifications by independent agencies, and in house training seminars organized by Walter Martinez. The high quality of IBA's existing systems and processes contributed towards becoming the first Special Inspection Agency to meet the IAS accreditation requirements as outlined by the New York City Department of Buildings.
IBA provides services to property owners, architects and construction managers at all stages of design and construction, from conception to completion. In the New York City area, the firm also specializes in Facade Inspection and Safety Program (Local Law 11) service which requires periodic inspections of buildings. Services are provided on all building types including commercial, residential, institutional, educational, religious, and industrial.
IBA is currently performing work on many prestigious projects including several buildings within The World Trade Center redevelopment, Mt. Sinai Hospital, One Bryant Park, and the African Museum.
For more information visit IBA's website at www.ibany.com or call 212.689.5389.
[1] June 30, 2008 NYC DOB Statement of Substantial Need for Earlier Implementation