ICC Kicks off Landscape Irrigation Sprinkler Standard Development Effort

Malooly named Chair, Mecham Vice Chair, Task Groups Created

The International Code Council has launched an effort to develop the first ANSI consensus standard for landscape irrigation sprinklers. Known as the Landscape Irrigation Emission Device Standard Committee, or IS-IEDC, the group’s first meeting brought together academics, manufacturers, material providers, water utilities, inspectors, installers, system designers and water efficiency experts. The new standard, ICC-802 Landscape Irrigation Emission Devices, will provide minimum requirements for product performance, design, durability and safety, along with standardized test methods for a wide range of landscape irrigation emission devices, such as sprinklers, sprays, rotors, bubblers, and microirrigation sprays and emitters.

Committee Chair Timothy Malooly is an accomplished industry veteran and owner of Water in Motion, an irrigation design, consulting and water management firm in Minneapolis. He was named the 2008 U.S. EPA WaterSense Irrigation Partner of the Year, and is involved at a leadership level with the Irrigation Association and the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association. He is known as an experienced leader with a strong track record of fostering cooperation and an ability to coach interested parties to produce workable solutions to challenging topics.

“Setting product standards is an important step in codifying the excellent work done to date by the industry’s manufacturers, while establishing a pathway for more innovation,” Malooly said when accepting the position of committee chair. “This standard can only address sprinkler products themselves, but will hopefully help to set a solid foundation for future efforts to address system design and installation practices. I look forward to an effort where all stakeholders can come together and deliver constructive leadership.”

Vice chair Brent Mecham also is an experienced, well-respected industry professional. He is a former water agency water management and conservation specialist, and landscape and irrigation contractor. He is a strong advocate for practical and defensible performance-based outcomes that don’t stifle innovation. Brent currently serves as the Irrigation Association’s Industry Development Director in Falls Church, Va.

“I look forward to working with a group of professionals with diverse interests and expertise to create a standard which will promote efficient irrigation,” Mecham said. “This is an important step to managing resources wisely.”

Specific topics of discussion included:

• Affirmation of the scope of the standard as inclusive of all landscape irrigation emission devices, including sprays, rotors, bubblers, and microirrigation sprays and emitters.
• Development of key definitions for emission devices and landscape for use within the standard, and a classification system for the various types of products to be included in the standard.
• Production of a tentative list of test methods required for various emission devices.
• Creatation of four task groups to begin drafting the detailed text of the standard, including: Sprinkler Test Methods & Design (Michael Dukes, PhD., University of Florida, chair); Microirrigation Test Methods & Design (Brent Mecham, chair); Health, Safety & Product Durability (Lynn Niblock, Iredell County, N.C., chair); and Admin, Definitions, Packaging & Labeling (Travis Tsunemori, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, chair).

The second committee meeting is scheduled for Nov. 9 in San Diego, immediately following the Irrigation Association’s 2011 Irrigation Show. All interested parties are encouraged to attend. The newly appointed task groups will convene on conference calls in between committee meetings. Task groups are open to participation by any interested stakeholders.

The Sprinkler Test Methods & Design and the Microirrigation Test Methods & Design task groups will hold in-person working sessions at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference on Oct. 4 in Las Vegas. For more information or to participate in one or more task groups, contact the respective chair, or ICC staff secretariat, Shawn Martin at smartin@iccsafe.org.

For more information or to be added to the stakeholders list for the project, email the PMG Resource Center at PMGResourceCenter@iccsafe.org or visit the Web page for the standard development effort at http://www.iccsafe.org/IS-IEDC. The Web page contains the committee roster, formal meeting announcements, meeting minutes and other related documents.

The International Code Councilis a member-focused association dedicated to helping the building safety community and construction industry provide safe and sustainable construction through the development of codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes.