Technical regulation enforcement system

Abstract

A system presented herein, called COMPATH™, incorporates computer technology, computer software and the world wide web to expedite and improve regulation compliance levels, logistics, and communications. Building departments and other regulation enforcement agencies have been historically overtaxed in their ability to systematically enforce regulations such as building codes and ordinances, and lack the means to consistently and effectively communicate with stakeholders. As the number and complexity of these building code regulations have expanded, enforcement agencies continue to lag in their ability to enforce them. The impacts of this lack of capability have been manifested in damage from catastrophic storms and earthquakes and in poor energy code compliance in buildings. Damage from numerous events has been found by forensics studies to be attributable to lax code enforcement.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method to provide efficiency and accountability during an inspector visit of a construction site, the method comprising:
 receiving a selection of a jurisdiction having regulations governing construction practices;   receiving from a designer plans for a structure, wherein the plans include one or more elements typically inspected upon construction by the jurisdiction;   matching the regulations to structural elements within the plans that are targets for inspection;   prioritizing areas of construction based on the plans for inspection during an inspection visit by an inspector;   displaying a user interface to the inspector with an indication of the prioritized areas; and   receiving from the inspector input indicating that one or more elements of construction comply or do not comply with the matched regulations, wherein the preceding steps are performed by at least one processor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each regulation includes a hyperlink to a descriptive section and stock explanation of one or more conditions for compliance with the regulation, and wherein regulations may include local ordinances, model building codes, model building standards, statutes, state codes, federal agency regulations, state agency regulations, federal building codes, other types of specifications. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising automatically scheduling a route of transit for the inspector to visit multiple construction sites that the inspector is assigned to inspect. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein prioritizing areas for inspection comprises providing a graphical interface that includes each inspection location, in which each location further includes both general requirements applicable to all areas of the building, and requirements that are system selected to apply only at the specific location where the inspector currently is located to provide a visual roadmap of the inspector's location in the building and how he proceeds through each building location to complete the inspection. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising storing an inspector profile that includes one or more areas of expertise of the inspector, and assigning an inspector to inspect the construction site based on comparing the stored areas of expertise and the plans for the construction site. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising generating a report upon completion of inspection for delivery to one or more contractors. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a user interface to one or more contractors that allows viewing areas inspected by the inspector and specific reasons for compliance or noncompliance of the areas inspected. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein prioritizing areas for inspection comprises examining a history of items failing inspection for similar projects as the construction site and prioritizing those areas most likely to be noncompliant. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein prioritizing areas for inspection comprises accessing a stored indication of areas of expertise of the inspector and prioritizing those areas of the construction site that include elements most closely matching the inspector's areas of expertise. 
     
     
         10 . A computer system for facilitating building inspections and providing prioritization and accountability to the inspection process, the system comprising:
 a processor and memory configured to execute software instructions embodied within the following components;   a portable networked device that can be carried by an inspector for a jurisdiction during inspections of construction sites;   a plan input component for receiving plans from a person associated with a construction site, wherein the plan includes one or more elements typically inspected upon construction by the jurisdiction to verify compliance with statutory building codes;   a contractor interface for displaying inspection information to one or more contractors associated with the construction site, wherein the inspection information includes specific indications of one or more elements of the construction site that were flagged for remediation during a recent inspection;   an inspector interface for displaying prioritization and scheduling information to an inspector that indicates a schedule for the inspector to visit multiple inspection job sites for inspection and prioritized elements of each construction site on which the inspector is to focus;   an inspection code store that contains statutory building code information for the jurisdiction for comparison with building plans and for generating reports indicating noncompliant elements of a job site; and   a prioritization and scheduling component that manages a set of inspectors, construction sites to be inspected, and elements within each construction site for inspection, wherein the component determines a schedule for each inspector for each day of scheduled inspections, wherein the component prioritizes elements within each construction site on which an inspector inspecting that site should focus.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the inspection code store further contains one or more exception policies that indicate modifications by a local building code jurisdiction to a building code used across multiple jurisdictions. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the inspector interface is a web-based interface accessible via a network connection of the portable networked device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the plan input component is used by a designer to input plans and specifications, reflecting code and other regulation compliance, related to a particular construction site, and wherein the system provides feedback to the designer indicating one or more potential problem areas of the plans. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the prioritization and scheduling component provides a driving route to each inspector that indicates an automatically determined order and route for visiting each construction site assigned to each inspector. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the portable networked device includes one or more devices selected from the group consisting of a smartphone, a tablet computer, and a laptop computer carried by the inspector and wherein the portable networked device runs an application that implements the system. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the contractor interface component includes a reference with each element flagged for remediation to a specific building code provision associated with a cause for failure of the element to pass inspection. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the inspector interface component includes stock text associated with each element and potential code violation from which the inspector can select for inclusion in an inspection report. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for controlling a computer system to schedule inspector schedules in a jurisdiction, wherein the instructions, upon execution, cause a processor to perform actions comprising:
 receiving requests to inspect multiple construction sites in a jurisdiction;   receiving a list of available inspectors employed by the jurisdiction to inspect construction sites for compliance with local building codes;   determining an assignment of construction sites to inspectors that matches at least one inspector to each construction site that has requested an inspection;   scheduling each inspector's daily schedule to indicate which of the multiple construction sites each inspector should be present at during a time period; and   during a visit to a construction site, providing the inspector with a prioritized list in a user interface of elements within the construction site on which the inspector should focus during the visit.   
     
     
         19 . The medium of  claim 18  wherein the list of available inspectors includes an indication of one or more areas of expertise of each inspector and wherein determining an assignment matches inspectors to construction sites based on the indicated areas of expertise. 
     
     
         20 . The medium of  claim 18  wherein the list of available inspectors includes an indication of one or more geographical areas within the jurisdiction to which each inspector is assigned.