Bradley named to R.I. Code Consistency Council

Leonard R. Bradley Jr. was recently appointed by Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee to the R.I. Code Consistency Council, which is tasked with examining the fire, building, elevator and other related state codes for consistency. The council is expected to present its findings and recommendations to the Senate housing and municipal government committee by March 31.
Bradley, currently serves as vice president at DiPrete Engineering and has more than 25 years of engineering and design experience in New England. He holds a B.A. in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Rhode Island.
In addition to his new appointment, He is also involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers, International Council for Shopping Centers, Rhode Island Consultant Engineers and Urban Land Institute.

PBN: What progress has the council made so far on its evaluation of the state’s building codes? Is that where it hoped to be?
BRADLEY: The council has just begun the process of evaluating the state’s various codes and has had two meetings to date. The purpose of this council is to examine codes that overlap, conflict or may be inconsistent. The council will then examine these codes and make recommendations to resolve the conflict or inconsistency. We still have much work ahead of us. My role on the council, as the appointed environmental engineer, will be to focus on the state codes that pertain to the environmental regulatory codes of the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, Coastal Resource Management Council, R.I. Department of Transportation and Rhode Island Department of Health.

PBN: Is there any concern about how streamlining building codes will affect the safety of the structures, like in historic buildings?
BRADLEY: Safety is always one of our highest priorities. My goal, while on council, is to make the state’s codes easier to navigate and interpret by eliminating the conflicts and inconsistencies that currently exist. This will improve the safety requirements for building structures within the state of Rhode Island by eliminating confusing or antiquated codes. Building codes will still require the protection of the health and safety of the residences and business of the state of Rhode Island. I do not envision any safety requirements being relaxed as part of the code revision recommendations the commission will ultimately suggest to the legislature.
PBN: What has been the most innovative building project(s) DiPrete has engineered in the state recently?
BRADLEY: There are a number of innovative projects which DiPrete Engineering has been fortunate to work on. Kettle Point is an especially exciting project for Rhode Island, as this property is a former petroleum storage facility which will be transformed into a new residential development within the city of East Providence’s Waterfront District. The project was designed using innovative stormwater design techniques to treat and manage stormwater runoff and contribute to improving the water quality of the Providence River. •

No posts to display