Technology Can Save Regulatory Agencies Money.

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BUILDING PERMITS

Use of information technology by regulatory agencies in the building permitting process is enhancing efficiency and providing dollar savings in jurisdictions, regardless of size. But despite the fact that information technology does not have to be expensive, one of the greatest barriers to use of IT is a lack of funding.

These are among the conclusions of a survey on IT and building code administration and enforcement carried out by the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards Inc., Herndon, Va. The undertaking is part of NCSBCS's initiative to streamline the building regulatory process (ENR 8/5/02 p. 11).

Another barrier to regulatory agencies embracing IT for administrative and enforcement programs is a lack of understanding and access to reliable information on IT's potential, says the report.

IT is being used by some jurisdictions for submitting plans and permit applications online; processing permit submissions; plans tracking and review; inspection scheduling and field inspections; contractor licensing; document handling; complaint and enforcement records tracking; and workflow processing.

The Institute for Building Technology and Safety funded the survey. Conclusions were based on responses from 101 large, mid-size and small jurisdictions, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Louisville, Ky., Santa Clara, Calif., and a dozen jurisdictions with populations of 20,000 or less. California, Florida, Maryland, Ohio and Texas also provided data. Of the respondents, 70 reported "increased efficiency and cost savings" and 31 provided input on barriers to their application and use of IT.

The report offers guidance on actions that can be taken to incorporate IT into the agencies various operations. There is also contact information for those regulators that have applied IT to their programs and are willing to offer advice to the uninitiated. The final report on the NCSBCS/Alliance Survey on Savings from the Application of Information Technology to Building Codes Administration and Enforcement Processes is available at the Website www.ncsbcs.org.

Information technology can enhance efficiency of building department programs and save money.