Building Department


Building Department Overview

  • Enact and manage delegated requirements from the Office of the State Architect (OSA), State Buildings Programs (SBP)
  • Enforce International Code Council (ICC) and other OSA adopted codes for all construction projects at Colorado State University 
  • Maintain construction code compliance for the University
  • Provide a central location for reference resources
  • Advise Facilities Management Associate Vice Presidents, SBP Delegate, Project Managers, Operations and others on building code analysis, interpretations, and code applications
  • Ensure compliance with industry standards, specifications, and regulations required for public safety
  • Liaison with State approved third party plan Code Review Agents, Poudre Fire Authority, and other state inspection services

Programming

  • Determine the viability of project scope prior to budgeting
  • Verify the feasibility of program objectives, strategic plans and fiscal resources
  • Formulate analysis & judgment within the context of available guidelines
  • Provide supporting documentation for complex code issues
  • Implement OSHA and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) polices

Design

  • Work with design teams to achieve code compliance through design process
  • Advise on code interpretations, statutory rules, regulations, and modifications
  • Detect, document, and communicate issues of potential code violations during design

Construction Inspections

  • Administer and perform multiple trade inspections during construction
  • Conduct audits of existing buildings for code compliance
  • Facilitate external and internal collaborative problem-solving associated with construction
  • Collaborate with other code enforcement officials to identify, assess, and determine viable solutions to code-related issues
  • Oversee inspection records

Documentation

  • Communicate code requirements for university projects
  • Set organizational policies and objectives
  • Maintain code compliance records for each construction project
  • Submit annual Agency Action Plan for Code Compliance to Office of the State Architect
  • Ensure CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards do not pose conflicts to current codes


Code Administration Program

The Department of Personnel and Administration (DPA)/State Buildings Programs (SBP) is responsible as per Colorado Revised Statue 24-301303 for establishing minimum building codes for all construction by state agencies on state-owned or state lease-purchased properties or facilities. The intent of the SBP code compliance policy is to coordinate the efforts of state personnel responsible for managing construction projects, to ensure compliance with approved building codes and standards, by establishing standardized methods to review construction documents and inspect buildings under construction. Colorado State University has been granted full delegate authority for enforcement of all State Buildings Programs establishes building code policies and procedures. Mike Rush is the State Buildings Program Delegate at the University and Facilities Management has established a Building Department to manage building code compliance for the University.

CSU Facilities Management Building Department

Mike Rush – AIA, CBO
State Buildings Delegate, Chief Building Official
970-491-0080

Becca Mueller – CBO
Building Department Manager, Certified Building Official
970-568-2132

Russ Johnson
ICC Certified Commercial Electrical Inspector
State of Colorado Licensed Master Electrician
970-567-6545

Inspection Request
To request an inspection from the CSU Building Department, click the link above.

Codes, Regulations, and Standards

A current list of the State Buildings Programs approved and adopted building codes can be found here – Building Codes 

CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards can be found here – CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards 

CSU has other requirements for accreditation or funding also see:

  • Animal facilities – AAALAC Standards (Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, Intl)
  • Biosafety level – NIH and CDC guidelines appearing in “Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories” 3rd edition.
  • Radiation – State of Colorado Radiation Rules and Regulations.

Asbestos abatement at CSU is managed by Environmental Health Services and regulated by the Department of Public Health and Environment. The link below will take you to EHS web site for the CSU asbestos program. CSU Asbestos Program The link below will take you to the Department of Public Health and Environments asbestos page with a link to Colorado Regulation 8. Colorado Regulation 8

DORA Licensed Plumbers and Electricians

CSU Building Department Inspectors and authorized inspection agents are required by statute to verify that all plumbers, electricians and their apprentices are licensed by the State of Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). All electricians, plumbers and apprentices are required to provide their state issued license to CSU inspectors or authorized inspecting agent upon request. If proof cannot be given at the time of the request the electrician, plumber or apprentice will not be allowed to stay on the job site until the license is provided to the inspector. These inspections are conducted at random throughout a project. The electricians, plumbers and apprentices are required to always have their licenses with them or readily available.

CSU Code Compliance Processes

Plan Review 

  1. CSU can use the services of SBP Approved Code Review Agents for plan review. CSU Building Department can also conduct in-house plan review with the services of an internal ICC Certified Plans Examiner.
  2. Projects exempt from permit per International Building Code, Section 105.2 will receive a waiver for Code Review.
  3. It is the responsibility of the Design Team or Project Manager to acquire code compliance or a waiver if exempt from permit for all construction projects.
  4. Once code compliance is received, the CSU Building Department will issue a Building Inspection Record (BIR) and permit number. If a waiver is granted on a project, the signed waiver is returned to the Project Manager.
  5. CSU works closely with Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) during the design process. The design documents are submitted to PFA by the Project Manager for review and comment at the Schematic Design (SD), Design Development (DD), and Construction Document (CD) phases. There are often meetings between PFA and CSU/Design team to discuss project scope, design, and code requirements.
  6. CSU Environmental Health Services (EHS) is the delegated health authority on campus. The plans are submitted at SD, DD, and CD to CSU Environmental Health Services for review and comment. For projects having this scope, meetings are typical from inception through final documents.

Construction Inspections

  1. For Capital Construction projects, CSU executes contracts with SBP Approved Code Review Agents for all inspections excluding elevators and boilers, where State inspectors will be used and fire systems, where PFA inspectors will be used.
  2. Inspections for small projects and those not covered by contracted SBP Approved Code Review Agents are conducted with CSU Building Department staff, State Inspectors (Elevators and Boilers), the Design Architect/Engineer, PFA, and EHS. CSU Building Department staffs an internal ICC Certified Electrical Inspector, who can perform electrical inspections upon request. The inspectors and the inspections are managed by Becca Mueller, Building Department Manager for CSU. 
  3. CSU has been recognized and granted authority by both DORA Electrical and Plumbing Boards to issue permits and perform inspections as its own jurisdiction. CSU also has Design Professional Engineers to monitor projects during construction to ensure work is installed as per design.
  4. PFA performs intermediate inspections during construction in conjunction with CSU Facilities Management Fire Systems Group. Final fire protection system inspections and testing are conducted by PFA in coordination with CSU Facilities Management, CSU Emergency Management, and the Project Team.
  5. Annual NFPA inspections of the Fire Alarm and Suppression Systems are conducted by CSU Facilities Management Fire Systems Group in partnership with PFA. Inspection reports are sent to CSU Risk Management for distribution to FM Global, CSU’s insurance carrier, for review.
  6. CSU Emergency Management prioritizes routine evacuation drills based on risk factors in CSU occupied buildings. The following occupancy types are given the highest priority: Resident Halls, Research Buildings and Medical Facilities. Buildings with lower risk factors per the International Fire Code are a lower priority and have less frequent drills due to limited manpower. Evacuation drill records are maintained by the CSU Fire Safety Program Coordinator.
  7. EHS performs intermediate health inspections during construction. Prior to written approval for operation and licensure of the establishment all final inspections must be complete. EHS requires receipt of a completed Retail Establishment License Application, including tax numbers, fees, etc. prior to scheduling to scheduling the opening inspection.
  8. Necessary inspections from the State Boiler Inspector are conducted for new installations, repair or alterations of existing boilers and final installations. Routine inspections are also performed by the State Boiler Inspector and coordinated with the Boiler/Chiller Supervisor within CSU.

Code Compliance Documentation

  1. The CSU Building Department maintains electronic copies of all code compliance documentation by project including Third Party Code Compliance Notifications, internal Code Reviews, Emergency Code Reviews, Inspection Recommendation Forms, Building Inspection Records, Code Modification Requests, internal Inspection Reports, etc. Electronic records are searchable by permit number and/or project number. These records are kept current and are archived at project closeout. Hard copies of all documentation are maintained and archived by the CSU Project Manager.
  2. The CSU Building Department also maintains reference material for all relevant adopted codes for access by any Facilities Management staff.
  3. As per the requirement in the SBP Building Code Compliance policy, the following documents must be submitted with the appropriate transmittal that is included in the policy:
    • Notice of Code Compliance including inspection recommendations or memo from agency stating code review was not required. If the Compliance Notice was contingent on the inclusion of the Construction Documents code review comments (as most are), the agency project manager must certify that the comments were incorporated into the drawings and specifications or provide an explanation for why they weren’t.
    • If alternative methods, modifications, or appeals were approved for this project, detailed documentation must be submitted.
    • Authorization to Bid (non-delegated agencies only)
    • Closeout Documents (non-delegated agencies only)
    • Closing Out Checklist
    • Contract Close Out
    • Building Inspection Record
    • Final Construction Project Application (SC 4.1) with original SC 4.1 and all subsequent revised SC 4.1’s. Attach a written explanation of the utilization of contingency funds and the original project budget request form CC-C for capital construction or CM-03 for controlled maintenance.
    • The individual responsible for coordinating the code compliance documentation and project closeout final SC4.1 for CSU is Shelly Carroll /Project Approval & Submittal Specialist.

Other Health, Life, and Safety

  1. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) shall be provided on all projects where appropriate. Coordination with Environmental Health Services through the University Representative is suggested.
  2. Certification: All on site work shall be supervised by personnel who are certified and licensed by the State of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for removal of friable and non-friable asbestos containing materials. Supervisor shall remain on site during performance of all asbestos containing material abatement processes.
  3. Laws and regulations: All work shall be performed in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, including a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Air Pollution Control Division, Regulation No. 8, Part B, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
  4. Contracts: Asbestos abatement shall be included in the General Contractor’s work. Air monitoring and testing shall be included, but it shall be performed by an independent firm under a contract directly with the General Contractor.