in Building Design and Construction
(Committee E-6 Supplement to E380)
ASTM SI 10
(2002) American National Standard for Use
of the International System of Units (SI):
The Modern Metric System
1.2
GENERAL
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NOTE: The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 (P.L.
94-168) designated the metric (SI) system as the
preferred system of measurements in the United
States. The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act
of 1988 (P.L. 100-418) amended the 1975 Act (P.L.
94-168) to include a requirement for each Federal
agency "to the extent economically feasible ..., use
the metric system of measurement..., except to the
extent that such use is impractical or is likely to
cause significant inefficiencies...".
Executive Order 12770 of July 25, 1991, Metric Usage
in Federal Government Programs, assigned certain
responsibilities to the Department of Commerce and
to the Executive Branch departments and agencies
toward implementation of P.L. 94-168 and P.L.
100-418. The Executive Order requires use of the
metric system of measurement in Federal Government
procurements, grants, and other business related
activities "to the extent economically feasible" and
further states that "Metric usage shall not be
required to the extent that such use is impractical
or is likely to cause significant inefficiencies or
loss of markets to United States firms".
Public Law 104-289 of October 11, 1996, Savings in
Construction Act of 1996 (110 Stat. 3411) states
that "a Federal agency may require that
specifications for the acquisition of structures or
systems of concrete masonry be expressed under the
metric system of measurement, but may not
incorporate specifications, that can only be
satisfied by hard-metric versions of concrete
masonry units, .. unless.. 1) hard-metric
specifications are necessary in a contract for the
repair or replacement of parts .. in existence or
under construction upon the effective date of the
Savings in Construction Act of 1996; or 2) the
following 2 criteria are met: (A) the application
requires hard-metric concrete masonry units to
coordinate dimensionally into 100 millimeter
building modules; and (B) the total installed price
of hard-metric concrete masonry units is estimated
to be equal to or less than the total installed
price of using non-hard-metric concrete masonry
units." The Savings in Construction Act of 1996
also contains similar requirements for recessed
SECTION 01415
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