AUSTIN, TEXAS – May 5, 2018 – In a significant boost for the container structures industry, the International Code Council’s Evaluation Service (ICC ES) gave Falcon Structures confirmation that its quality management system can provide shipping containers compliant with the provisions of AC462. The confirmation, evidenced in Evaluation Service Report (ESR) 4163, will now outline guidance to code officials faced with approving containers for use as building materials, dramatically streamlining the permitting process for structures that incorporate Falcon’s containers.
ESR 4163 makes Falcon Structures the first in-house modified shipping container manufacturer using code compliant containers. Stephen Shang, Falcon Structures’ CEO and co-founder, is eager to see his customers’ container-based structures approved more quickly thanks to provisions established in AC462.
“We’re proud to lead the way for the shipping container-based building industry. Confirming our containers are compliant with AC462 is a win for our customers and for the entire industry. Our compliance with AC462 will significantly expedite the coding and permitting process for our customers, and hopefully pave the path for other container-based structures suppliers,” said Shang.
Until as recently as 2016, code officials struggled with permitting container structures because they would have to make an individual decision about the structure’s safety based on the provisions outlined in ICC’s Alternative Means and Methods Section. Officials often found themselves in the uncomfortable position of making a decision about an unfamiliar building material, and developers worried whether their buildings would be approved at all.
The growing demand for guidance led the ICC to introduce AC462, a means of inspecting and approving shipping containers as safe building materials. Initially, the industry was confused by AC462 and whether it was possible for any company to receive an ESR. Falcon Structures undertook the task of evaluating how their company could meet the criteria as a test case, and more broadly how the industry could do so as well.
Through much of last year, Falcon Structures also worked extensively with the Modular Building Institute (MBI) and the ICC to create informative resources about containers. Today, the MBI sees AC462 as a key step in their larger mission to expand the use of off-site construction.
“Obtaining an evaluation report from the ICC-ES is the most predictable and accepted path towards compliance,” said MBI executive director Tom Hardiman. “We’re pleased to see MBI member Falcon Structures lead the effort for container compliance by being one of the first companies to receive this report.”
The National Portable Storage Association (NPSA), a trade association for companies that works with shipping containers for storage or building, also considers Falcon Structures’ ESR as a victory for the container industry as a whole.
“The National Portable Storage Association (NPSA) congratulates Falcon Structures for receiving its Evaluation Service Report (ESR) from the ICC. As we see a continuous increase in the use of ISO shipping containers as buildings, and modified building structures, the NPSA and its members remain committed to their safe use and compliance with local and state code officials,” said Mark DePasquale, CEO of the NPSA.
For Falcon Structures, reaching AC462 compliance meant expanding their existing quality control management system to include thorough documentation and precise standards.
“The ICC-ES was great to work with. The rigor of meeting their standards strengthened our quality management system and, in my opinion, improved our overall efficiency as a company,” said Brian Dieringer, Falcon Structures’ co-founder, and executive vice president of products.
The industry anticipates confidence in coding container structures will grow as more companies achieve AC462 compliance, and customers see the coding process expedited. With rigorous quality control in place and ESR in hand, Falcon Structures is now poised to lead an expansion in shipping container-building.
