WHY TRUST UES
Uniform Evaluation Service exists to assist you
At UES, we understand the diverse needs of Code Officials, Consumers, and Design-Build professionals. Our mission is to provide unparalleled services that support you in achieving excellence in your building projects.
Backed by our accreditation from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under ISO/IEC 17065, we ensure that every building product, material, and design that bears our mark of conformity meets the highest standards of quality and workmanship.
Choice, choices … how can you be sure you made the right one? While nobody should be making decisions for you, Uniform ES reports can help you make an informed decision in one place where it really counts — your home.
A UES report simplifies the difficult task of verifying which products have been recommended for code approval. Only the local code official can actually approve anything, but IAPMO’s Uniform Evaluation Service is a trusted provider of independent third party product reviews.
As consumers, we expect everything we touch to be certified to a standard. From the cars we drive to the food we eat, everything is tested and retested and then marked as compliant before we can purchase it. The same mentality applies to the building of our homes, businesses and schools. Someone is looking out for our well being.
A typical house has more than 1,000 different types of building products in it. These products range from things as seemingly simple as wood, nails and metal framing connectors to electrical plugs, heating/air conditioning units and garage door openers. Just about every one of these components has a standard that has been agreed upon by industry and regulators that designates the size, composition, performance and how that one product has to work together within the system that is called a home, school or place of work.
Uniform Evaluation Reports alerts the person from your building and safety jurisdiction that the products being installed in your home have been tested and evaluated to the rules/laws that regulate building construction. If you ever walk down the aisles of a lumber yard or a home improvement retailer, you see these little symbols on the products or packaging that are similar to what you see on your appliances, but these marks cover the things that are embedded inside your walls. The typical consumer household appliances are only designed to last for a few years; the infrastructure hidden under/behind/within your floors, walls and roof are designed with a much longer lifespan in mind.
There is a misconception that the government keeps track of “certifying” building products. In reality, it is a collaboration of government, manufacturers and independent third-party evaluators that confirm that the correct questions have been asked and answered by the manufacturer. We as consumers assume the products meet the building product standards, but Uniform Evaluation Reports provide a detailed assessment of a product’s compliance.
Uniform Evaluation Reports provide consistency in product certification. Homebuilders, tradespeople and building owners all want consistency in the products used in construction. You have heard that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link; the same applies to a building, as all the products must be uniformly constructed to work.
Uniform Evaluation Reports ask the right tough questions of manufacturers. It is a global marketplace, so whether the products are manufactured domestically or overseas all products must be tested and verified to meet the standards.
Uniform Evaluation Reports provide tools for the building inspector, so he can approve your construction with confidence. We work with the building professionals because what you don’t see is just as important at what you can see when it comes to building and system interaction.
You want experts evaluating the specific products used in the building to ask the manufacturer the right questions and make sure they have the right answers for compliance.
No, it can’t. Only the local code official can make a final determination of code acceptance. The UES report does, however, tabulate the evidence in support of approval and provides that information in a concise manner. A code official can then use the report as the basis for a decision for acceptance.
Our current UES reports are posted on our Evaluation Reports Directory (click to go directly to the directory). Outdated reports are removed from the Website, so if the report is not shown in the directory it is obsolete.
It saves you money by speeding new technologies to the market place. It also saves you money by shortening the approval process. On the flip side, suppose a non-recognized technology is purchased; how much time will you spend getting the local code official to accept it? Could you have rather used that time for productive pursuits?
| Pre 1990 | ICC to 2007 | Post 2007 |
| Codes were regionally developed | Three code groups merged to form ICC | IAPMO’s Uniform ES enters market |
| Evaluation Reports | Evaluation Reports | Evaluation Reports |
| BOCA Building Officials and Code Administrators (Northern US) | ICC-ES | ICC-ES |
| ICBO International Council of Building Officials (Western US) | IAPMO’s Uniform-ES | |
| NES National Evaluation Service Nation Wide | ||
| SBCCI Southern Building Code Congress International (Southern US) | ||
No.
Lots. You can see which of the manufacturer’s products are specifically recognized and if there are any special installation requirements or specific areas of recognition. Lots of other great pertinent information is summarized in each report.
Code officials are in a uniquely difficult situation. Imagine if you will a building department in the year 2013. All such departments have been “downsized” due to the unfortunate downturn in construction. The staff is so small; everyone is working to 115 percent capacity as it is. Suddenly and without warning construction begins to pick up. Does this lack of staff liberate you from your sworn duty to protect the public? No it doesn’t. Obviously, you want to do an exceptional job or you would not be reading this.
So, there you are with half the staff you had back in 2006 and a rapidly increasing workload. Your employees are stressed; your customers (the public) begin to be discontent. Citizens complain to their elected officials — your bosses. Elected officials then put pressure on you, raising your stress level. What can possibly help? The Uniform Evaluation Service exists to assist you in leveraging departmental resources.
On the other hand, imagine if your jurisdiction was just a stick in the mud and didn’t allow building innovation because there isn’t enough staff available. Where would the new construction go?
- A Uniform Evaluation Report provides condensed information: A quick review of the UER briefs the code official for upcoming discussions before they happen. This allows a great exchange of ideas between the building professionals and the jurisdiction.
- A Uniform Evaluation Report provides convenience: The code official only has to look in one place to find all relevant test data summarized. Unlike a listing, a Uniform Evaluation Report addresses all the requirements for code acceptance, even in different codes or standards.
- Uniform Evaluation Report allows leveraging of resources: Let us assume that each Evaluation Report has about one week of engineering hours. Imagine if your staff had to spend 40 or more hours reviewing test reports on each innovative product. Some years might see 300 new products introduced to the market place. Each department would require 10 fold employees to do the work. Evaluating just 100 new products, at 40 hours each, requires almost two additional employees at a cost of perhaps $100,000. It could be argued that each department using Uniform Evaluation Service frees two staff members to do other important work. Using UES can enhance a customer’s counter experience and satisfaction.
- Provides a tool to simplify permit issuance
- The Uniform Evaluation Service strives for excellent customer service. Give us a call and we are confident you will be pleased.
True, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials is the parent organization of the Uniform Evaluation Service who issues Uniform Evaluation Reports. Plumbers, yes, but we are also much more. Remember that IAPMO also issues the Uniform Mechanical Code. As a code official, you often rely on your mechanical inspector to look over all the systems the other inspectors won’t do —- for instance, grease hood duct systems, and shafts and dampers. Shafts and dampers are integral to the safe operation of all buildings required to maintain specific floor-to-floor fire separation. Floor-to-floor fire separation allows the existing concepts to function, protects life and property. With this much responsibility, expanding into the building component arena is a natural fit for IAPMO. Industry asked us to enter the building component arena about five years ago to provide an option to the industry stakeholders.
| Pre 1990 | ICC to 2007 | Post 2007 |
| Codes were regionally developed | Three code groups merged to form ICC | IAPMO’s Uniform ES enters market |
| Evaluation Reports | Evaluation Reports | Evaluation Reports |
| BOCA Building Officials and Code Administrators (Northern US) | ICC-ES | ICC-ES |
| ICBO International Council of Building Officials (Western US) | IAPMO’s Uniform-ES | |
| NES National Evaluation Service Nation Wide | ||
| SBCCI Southern Building Code Congress International (Southern US) | ||
- 75 years of product certification
- 85 years of code development
- Trusted by code officials, architects, engineers
- Referenced code requirements and or acceptance criteria
- Technical data evaluation
- QA system evaluation
- Use of recognized laboratories
- Prepared by registered design professionals or recognized laboratories
- Reviewed by registered design professionals
- Comments resolved
- Recommendation to staff/committee
- ES Technical Director review and recommendation to committee
- Technical committee approves
- Annual re-examination
- Initial audit
- Surveillance audits
- Continuous compliance
- Ensures consistency of production
- ISO/IEC 17025-ILAC-R&T recognition
- Test equipment
- Calibrations practices
- Staff qualifications
- Documentation
- Record keeping
- Reporting practices
- Ensures quality test reports
Here is a quick tabulation of current qualification (Equivalent qualifications)
|
Uniform ES
|
Other Guys
|
Lately some have been making a fuss about 2015 IBC Section 1703. The following is a summary of the code requirements and how IAPMO’s Uniform ES satisfies them:
1703.1.1 Independence - Requires:
- objective, competent and independent
- disclose possible conflicts of interest
IAPMO qualifies because it is objective, competent and independent. Further, conflicts of interests are disclosed
1703.1.2 Equipment:
Equipment Adequate and Calibrated
IAPMO qualifies because it actually has an in-house ISO 17025 certified test lab. To be used as substantiating data, third party labs must also be ISO 17025 certified.
Here is SEAOC’s opinion
SEAOC 2011 CONVENTION PROCEEDINGS
Title: An Evaluation of Current Practices Related to the Development and Implementation of Acceptance Criteria and Product Evaluation Reports (Mark A. Moore, Chair; SEAOC Evaluation Reports Committee)
Page 1: “…. Furthermore, while ICC-ES and IAPMO ES are the prominent ER Providers, there are several other organizations that provide reports.
Evaluation Criteria
- Will use existing criteria where possible — avoid costs associated with re-inventing the wheel
- Evaluation Criteria for Public Comment — allow public input to reach a good solution
- Policy and Procedures — Discuss the criteria meeting how it works. Comments collected. Use the SOP
Minimum QA Requirements
- Show the inspection list — we don’t require you to give us a copy of your quality manual.
Complaint Procedure — exists should you need one.
- Assures
- Performance
- Consistency
- Reusable Specification
- Level Playing Field for Growth
Plan Review Services also available for Building Departments
- Use noted experts to review plans and provide solutions — when your staff is too busy we can help with the overload
Design-Builders make their living on good choices. Their reputation depends on it. The architects and engineers must make great material selections; contractors must select alternatives that will be accepted by local code departments. How can a design/build team know the products have been independently evaluated to code requirements? They can look for the Uniform Evaluation Service (UES) mark and check the listing page on our Website. There they can download a concise document that includes all pertinent information relevant to code acceptance. Yes, UES is a tool for the code officials, as well as design professionals and builders. UES reports provide concise information to these professionals on product specifics as they relate to code approval. This report and the information it contains is independently verified by a trusted third party.
IAPMO’s Uniform Evaluation Service provides confidence within the design/build team that the products selected satisfy code requirements.
Good question. Let us answer it in several ways:
We try to make it easy to check our listings with our report directory. The search engine will easily check to see which products are recognized in a category.
You win and minimize potential problems. It reminds us of the Dilbert cartoon where the boss asked Dilbert to list all “unforeseen potential problems.” Of course, if they could be listed then they would not be unforeseen. No one can foretell the future. An evaluation report is not a guarantee. Wouldn’t you rather go into any potential disagreement with the code official armed with a trusted code report than without one?
Selection of UES-recognized products provides concise verified information on product specifics as they relate to code approval. This report and the information it contains is independently verified by a trusted third party, IAPMO’s Uniform Evaluation Service, and provides confidence to the design/build team that the products selected satisfy code requirements.
Suppose the product you specify is not recognized in an evaluation report. The code official could ask for the information to be given to him for review. Sometimes a dedicated engineer might need a week, or more, to review a complicated product. An evaluation report is not a guarantee — only the code official can rule on code compliance — but you can minimize potential problems. How much would a stop work order cost your company during the review time? Can you afford a loss of profit? Even if you have an issue, it is usually quickly resolved, without weeks of delay for the jurisdiction to perform the review.
SEAOC 2011 CONVENTION PROCEEDINGS
Title: An Evaluation of Current Practices Related to the Development and Implementation of Acceptance Criteria and Product Evaluation Reports
Mark A. Moore, Chair
SEAOC Evaluation Reports Committee
Page 1: “…. Furthermore, while ICC-ES and IAPMO ES are the prominent ER Providers, there are several other organizations that provide reports.
Here is a quick tabulation of current qualification (Equivalent qualifications)
|
Uniform ES
|
Other Guys
|
Just how does UES satisfy 2015 IBC Section 1703. The following is a summary of the code requirements and how IAPMO’s Uniform ES satisfies them:
1703.1.1 Independence - Requires:
- objective, competent and independent
- disclose possible conflicts of interest
IAPMO qualifies because it is objective, competent and independent. Further, conflicts of interests are disclosed
1703.1.2 Equipment:
Equipment Adequate and Calibrated
IAPMO qualifies because it actually has an in-house ISO 17025 certified test lab. To be used as substantiating data, third party labs must also be ISO 17025 certified.
The Uniform Evaluation Report helps the code official know the product has undergone the highest levels of third party scrutiny available. It also documents that the product undergoes IAPMO’s continuous compliance inspection program. All the relevant code compliance information is summarized in the report to assist you in selection and the code official in verifying code acceptability. Although an evaluation report is not a guarantee, those products without such a report risk having to supply pertinent information to each code official. How much does down time cost during construction? Is it worth risking a stop work order for you to select a non-recognized product? It’s your reputation on the line with every decision.