International Code Council’s Involvement in CIB’s Annual Water Supply and Drainage Symposium

Every year, the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) hosts a seminar on Water Supply and Drainage (W062). These seminars are organized by a planning group chaired by W062 Coordinator, Dr. Lynne Jack from Heriot-Watt University in the United Kingdom and bring together researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers. They aim to discuss innovations, challenges and best practices in the design, construction and management of water supply and drainage systems.

CIB, dedicated to providing a global network for international exchange and cooperation in building and construction research and innovation, facilitates these gatherings. This global network supports an improved building process and enhanced performance of the built environment.

While details for the 2024 seminar have not been released, it is scheduled to be held in Northampton, UK.

Topics addressed in the W062 Work Program are:

• Calculation and layout methodologies: peak flow calculation etc.
• Hydraulics related to pressure piping and gravity drainage (including rainwater drainage)
• Materials behavior: pathology (corrosion), use of plastic pipes etc.
• Maintenance and renovation
• Economy of resources: water conservation, recycling of water, hot water production and distribution etc.
• Environmental aspects: individual wastewater treatment
• Health and safety: water quality at tap, Legionella etc.
• Testing of piping installations and sanitary appliances (WC’s etc.)
• New product developments
• Implementation of research results in standards and regulations
• Information and electronics in plumbing systems: leak detection, demotics, etc.

2023 W062 Water Supply and Drainage Symposium

International Code Council staff, members of the ICC 815 Standard Committee and researchers from the University of Miami attended the 2023 CIB W062 Water Supply and Drainage Symposium that was held from August 29 – 31 in Leuven, Belgium.

The trip was a valuable opportunity to learn about the latest methods in pipe sizing for water supply and drainage systems from around the world, network with leading innovators and academia within the building safety industry and introduce what the Code Council is doing with ICC Standards 815 and 825 to the world stage. This is just one area where the Code Council is participating in Plumbing, Mechanical, and Fuel Gas (PMG) global initiatives.

During the symposium, a total of 37 papers were presented in the categories of pipe sizing, drainage, health and hygiene, energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction and water conservation. Some of the papers were presented by the following:

• Tom Roberts, Code Council Director of PMG Global and former member of the Australian Building Codes Board, presented a paper on pipe sizing research in Australia.
• John Lansing, ICC 815 Committee member, presented a paper on international design requirements for single-stack drainage systems.
• Frank Schmidt, ICC 815 Interested Party member, presented a paper on the underestimated risk factors for domestic water hygiene because of climate change.
• Matt Sigler, Code Council PMG Executive Director, gave a brief introduction about the Code Council, the organization’s engagement with international stakeholders in developing global standards including ICC 815 and ICC 825, and invited attendees to a Q&A session hosted by ICC Standard 815 Committee Chair, Gary Klein.

The symposium was hosted by Buildwise which provided tours of its building materials testing laboratory in Limelette and the Buildwise main office in Zaventem.

The Limelette laboratory tests many types of building components, including roof drains, and includes an acoustic chamber for sound testing. During the tours, demonstrations were held to show how artificial intelligence (AI) is used at construction sites to improve safety and better manage the construction process. The Buildwise main office was designed for sustainability and uses a geothermal system for cooling and heating (replacing a gas boiler), and uses automatic blinds to minimize energy consumption in the summer.

Testing Drainage Systems for High-Rise Buildings

Prior to the CIB W062 symposium, the United States contingency toured the High-Rise Drainage Laboratory in Northampton, UK. The 418 ft. tall laboratory was initially built to test elevators but has since been converted for multiple uses, one of which is a drainage test facility for tall buildings.

The facility can test drainage systems representing a 40-floor building. The space within the building also allows different drainage solutions to be compared, and for current code recommendations to be tested, for the demands of high-rise buildings.

The testing tower is managed by Aliaxis Corporation and overseen by Aliaxis Technical Director, Steve White, who gave attendees a tour and basic overview of the laboratory’s capabilities.  

Dr. Michael Gormley, Professor of Public Health and Environmental Engineering at Heriot-Watt University and a leading researcher at the laboratory, demonstrated some of the testing and concerns associated with tall building drainage systems.

The Code Council is actively looking for opportunities to partner with academic institutions such as Heriot-Watt University as we work towards the development ICC 815 and ICC 825, and future PMG-related solutions.

Learn more about the Code Council’s PMG support and available resources here.