Building departments and the hardworking professionals working within them are the silent defenders of our communities. By overseeing the permitting, inspection and occupancy authorization processes for new construction, renovations and repairs, your local building department plays a vital role in ensuring that projects are built to applicable building safety codes and standards.

A 13-story apartment building has collapsed in Alexandria, Egypt, reported Kamal Tabikha of The National News.

Bigger, better and more fun than ever, the new arts building designed by Svigals + Partners in collaboration with HBRA Architects for the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut, has turned what was a near-catastrophe into an enhanced environment for creativity and friendship for campers aged seven to 15 facing serious illnesses.

Simpson Strong-Tie announced May 11 the successful completion of a series of seismic tests on the tallest building yet subjected to earthquake simulations.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to building and delivering handmade, fully furnished beds to children in need, partnered with KB Home, one of the largest and most recognized homebuilders in the United States, and Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, to give back.

The Structural Insulated Panel Association announced the winners of its annual Building Excellence Awards, an off-site construction awards program that recognizes outstanding residential and commercial projects.

Building Safety Week stresses the importance of occupying safe buildings, as the general public lives, works or plays there. Having buildings that are not up to standard leads to losing lives, property and finances.

RoviSys is pleased to announce the establishment of a new office near Columbus, Ohio, in Dublin. Located at 4789 Rings Road, the office officially opened on Jan. 17 with a celebratory gathering.

The global building thermal insulation market will grow to $35.3 billion by 2027, a CAGR of 4.7 percent from $8 billion in 2022. The use of building thermal insulation has witnessed significant growth because of the increasing requirement for improved heating and cooling comfort and better fire resistance of building thermal insulation materials, such as glass wool, stone wool and plastic foams.

The American Concrete Institute announced the availability of a new series of webinars, the ACI Building Officials Webinar Series, beginning this month. The webinar series will focus on highlighted topics specifically for building officials that have been approved for professional development hours from the International Code Council.