By incorporating sustainability and resilience into home construction, developers are addressing both a cause of climate change—carbon emissions—and one of its effects—stronger storms.
Tag: building codes
After Hurricane Ian, Expect Tougher Building Codes, Increased Resiliency
Under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 50% rule, homes that incur substantial damage — a FEMA standard that kicks in when repair costs reach at least 50% of a property’s market value — must be brought up to current building codes and floodplain regulations.
Surfside Condo’s Pool Deck Had ‘Severe Strength Deficiency,’ Investigators Say
The condo in Surfside, Fla., that collapsed two years ago had a “severe strength deficiency” in its pool deck, with a design that failed to meet building codes and construction that did not follow its original plans, federal investigators said Thursday.
Strong Hurricanes, Stricter Building Codes Changing Florida’s Coastal Communities
Trixie Parkes’ 1976 wood-framed cottage was both her home and her primary source of income, as she rented out two units on the top floor to tourists. However, Hurricane Ian ripped through in late September, destroying most of the first floor and gouging a gaping hole in the walls of the second floor. She lacked… Continue reading Strong Hurricanes, Stricter Building Codes Changing Florida’s Coastal Communities
FEMA to Launch Initiative to Modernize Building Codes in Cat-Resiliency Effort
On this first day of the Atlantic hurricane season, federal officials are launching a new initiative to modernize building codes so that communities can be more resilient to hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, and other extreme weather events that are intensifying due to climate change. Deanne Criswell, the administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and… Continue reading FEMA to Launch Initiative to Modernize Building Codes in Cat-Resiliency Effort
Recent Deadly Tornadoes Sharpen Focus on Building Codes
In towns ravaged by a deadly tornado outbreak earlier this month, the clean-up is painstaking and painful. “They don’t have anything. No belongings left,” said Taylor Powell, a resident of Marshall County, Kentucky. “It’s just gone.” It’s a task made harder by the complete destruction of so many homes and buildings. “I’m not sure what… Continue reading Recent Deadly Tornadoes Sharpen Focus on Building Codes
Fire-Resistant Homes Curb Damage, Minimal Financial Impact on Home Buyers: Research
Homes in wildfire-prone areas around the U.S. could be built to better withstand blazes without increasing the cost of construction, according to a new report. The research released Tuesday was sponsored in part by the insurance industry and marks the first attempt to quantify the expenses associated with building residences that meet stringent flame-resistant criteria.… Continue reading Fire-Resistant Homes Curb Damage, Minimal Financial Impact on Home Buyers: Research
Wildfires in California Blamed on Bad Building Decisions
California’s deadly wildfires have a straightforward solution, experts say: stop building homes in places that are likely to burn — and make homes that already exist in those areas a whole lot tougher. That approach, wildfire and climate policy experts are quick to add, would be expensive and unpopular, especially in a state with both… Continue reading Wildfires in California Blamed on Bad Building Decisions