Remote building inspections beneficial for rural governments

Image of GettyImages-1414568310.jpg

NACo Partner Resource

This blog post is sponsored by NACo partner IBTS.

Learn how leveraging technology can streamline building inspections, improve productivity, and tackle staffing challenges in rural areas.

The Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) is a national, nonprofit professional services organization providing on-call, third-party building department support for local governments. In this post, IBTS shares some of its findings from a recent white paper describing its experiences with remote building inspections pilot program. IBTS is seeking to establish a steering committee to further evaluate remote inspections for local governments. For more information, visit www.ibts.org/remote.

Many county building departments across the U.S. are faced with the unenviable challenge of managing inspections—which are crucial to the safety and economic wellbeing of their county—with limited staff, budget and resources. It is not uncommon for counties to face backlogs of months, creating frustrated residents, business owners and developers. This can have a compounding effect, leading to staff departures and reduced development as well as creating possible safety hazards as structures go uninspected.

Remote building inspections (also called remote video inspections) may benefit many counties facing these challenges. A remote building inspection uses video conferencing to allow an offsite inspector to provide direction to and receive live video from an onsite counterpart. The counterpart may be the contractor, county staff, or another technician onsite.

In our recent work piloting remote inspections for several communities in Nebraska, we have seen how this approach can have a significant benefit for counties by allowing inspectors to spend more time conducting inspections and less time in their vehicles.

Remote inspections can be especially useful for rural counties, which may have limited building department staff responsible for covering large geographic areas. By eliminating dozens of hours of travel time between jobsites each week, inspectors can conduct many more inspections, which streamlines scheduling, reduces delays, and improves productivity—all without a corresponding increase in labor or other costs.

Counties may also find that staffing issues are easier to manage with remote inspections, allowing them to better address gaps when inspectors resign or retire, and more easily accommodate inspectors recovering from injuries or who have other accessibility issues. With building inspectors recognized as aging workforce, remote inspections can provide an opportunity for older inspectors to continue using their expertise with less time on the jobsite.

As with any new process, counties should carefully evaluate potential roadblocks, such as connectivity limitations or resistance to change among staff, contractors, or other stakeholders. Our recent white paper provides recommendations for identifying and planning for these, as well as other considerations and best practices for getting started with remote inspections.

Join the Remote Building Inspections Steering Committee

IBTS is establishing a Steering Committee to continue exploring the use of remote inspections for local governments. If you are interested and/or have experiences to share, please join us to explore these topics in more detail over the next few months. Please visit our website to learn more or sign up.

Post Sponsor

Image of IBTS_logo.png
Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS)

Stories from our partners

NACo partners with the private sector on solutions.

Together, we are highlighting innovative solutions for counties, as we work with our federal, state, local and private sector partners to build healthy, safe and vibrant communities.

View all stories

Prevent
News

Empowering Communities: How County Leaders are Tackling the Opioid Crisis Head-On

Forward-thinking county leaders are implementing year-round strategies to prevent overdoses, educate communities about the importance of proper drug disposal and connect residents with local resources for support.

Tech
News

County collaboration is key to overcoming the cybersecurity talent shortage

In the United States, citizens depend on county governments to deliver many of the nation’s most critical services. These organizations play a crucial role in ensuring overall community well-being by managing essential services such as law enforcement, public health, infrastructure maintenance, and emergency response.

AGA
News

DTE Energy bringing natural gas, opportunity to Tri-County Region in Northern Michigan

Residents of Benzie, Manistee and Wexford counties in Michigan can breathe a sigh of relief this winter as natural gas becomes available in the region for the first time leading to significant savings, increased comfort and improved reliability.

Windmill
News

Building Resilience Against Climate Change – Insights from Tidal Basin

Carlos J. Castillo, President of Federal Services at Tidal Basin, emphasized the critical role of emergency management in local climate resilience at the 2024 NACo Legislative Conference and Annual Conference.

Telecommunications
News

Investing Over $100 Billion in American Infrastructure

AT&T has invested over $140 billion in the past five years to enhance American connectivity, focusing on expanding its role as the nation's largest fiber internet provider and improving its reliable 5G network, which now serves nearly 290 million people.

Computer servers
News

Building Networks for the Next Century, Not the Last One

AT&T emphasizes its nearly 150-year history of innovation and connectivity as it transitions from traditional copper landlines to modern fiber and wireless technologies, highlighting the importance of adapting to current consumer demands and technological advancements.

Home construction
News

Travis County Develops 2,000 Units of Housing to Address Homelessness

This post is sponsored by our partners at Guidehouse. Through Guidehouse's comprehensive support, Travis County is on track to successfully create over 2,000 units of affordable, supportive housing by 2027.

Picnic
News

Feeding kids during the summer requires county officials

The introduction of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program marks a pivotal shift in addressing childhood hunger, especially during the summer when school meals are unavailable. This nationwide initiative, offering substantial grocery benefits, promises transformative support for over 29 million children, with a significant impact on communities facing systemic inequalities.

Programmers
News

Why customer-centric strategy is vital for digital service adoption

The importance of a customer-centric strategy in digital service adoption for county governments is emphasized, highlighting the need for thoughtful design, clear communication, and multi-channel engagement to meet user expectations and improve customer experience.

EMS
News

Fighting opioid addiction – one life at a time

The opioid crisis, a major national issue, saw a 55% increase in drug overdose deaths from 2019 to 2022, with 75% involving opioids. Effective strategies to combat this include integrated care, policy enhancement, and technology, focusing on whole-person care and intervention opportunities to save lives.

Building facade
News

Planning for the post-American Rescue Plan Act future

Guidehouse outlines strategies for state and local governments to sustain programs after the end of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) funding. It emphasizes the need for reassessing constituent needs, measuring program impact, and considering fiscal implications to ensure long-term viability and effective resource allocation for programs initially funded by SLFRF.

Group with hands in
News

How voluntary benefits can help improve your employee benefit package

Voluntary benefits, tailored to diverse employee needs and often at reduced costs, are proving essential in enhancing employer benefit packages, attracting, and retaining talent, and addressing specific wellbeing issues across different age and income groups.

Deterra
News

A countywide opioid misuse prevention campaign is easier to implement than you think

The Deterra Household Mailing Campaign delivers educational tools and deactivation pouches directly to homes. To save lives by tackling the opioid crisis.

Fire danger sign
News

From prevention to resilience: Strategies in wildfire mitigation

Explore a multifaceted approach to wildfire mitigation with Tidal Basin. From creating defensible spaces to early detection systems, discover strategies fostering resilient communities, protecting lives & property. Urgent action is crucial amidst rising wildfire risks. Learn more at TidalBasinGroup.com. 

Related News

AI Capitol Hill
Advocacy

NACo Publishes 2025 AI Policy Priorities Primer

On December 4, NACo published its Key AI Policy Priorities for Counties for the 119th Congress, building on the policy platform proposals voted on and passed at NACo’s 2024 Annual Conference.

Image of Telecom-towers.jpg
Advocacy

NACo Legal Advocacy: McLaughlin Chiropractic Associates, Inc. V. McKesson Corporation

McLaughlin Chiropractic Associates, Inc. V. McKesson Corporation could make it more difficult for counties to challenge FCC orders, many of which have taken steps to preempt and curtail local authority by limiting counties’ abilities to manage their own right of way and assess fair market value permitting and impact fees on providers seeking to construct, modify or extend telecommunications infrastructure in their communities. 

Venango County, Pa. Commissioner Chip Abamovic looks on as Cedric Group’s Meredith Whitehead discusses identifying partnerships in rural counties that have helped business owners recruit and retain skilled workers. Photo by Devin Zagar
County News

Facing changing landscape, Venango County, Pa. empowers next generation for economic success

NACo's Rural Leaders for Economic Mobility program participants saw how Venango County, Pa. fosters partnerships with local nonprofits, small businesses and school districts to align the needs of its communities.