One of the ways the OAA helps support members is through collaborative relationships with others in the industry and their respective industry organizations. The design and construction industry is a team effort, and the work the Association’s members do is part of the web of relationships and efforts to bring a project to fruition. One example is the group known as Engineers, Architects, Building Officials (EABO).
EABO is a joint liaison group comprising the OAA, the Ontario Building Officials Association (OBOA), Large Municipality Chief Building Officials (LMCBO), the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Ontario (ACEC-Ontario), and the Building Department of the City of Toronto (Toronto Building). In place since 1993, it works to find common positions and establish industry standard practices related to the execution and delivery of design and construction work relative to buildings industry while recognizing the various specific roles and responsibilities.
EABO focuses on three priorities:
- Consistency in Forms and Approaches;
- Professional Coordination; and
- Forged Seals/Seal Authentication. (You can watch an EABO webinar on this topic on the ACEC website.)
The group is currently working on the development of a customizable, industry-standard checklist form—“Required Occupancy Documents’’—that helps identify expected documents to have a municipality grant occupancy. Stand by for more information!