FEMA’s new flood insurance plan will sharply raise insurance costs for seaside properties

FEMA’s new flood insurance plan will drastically raise the cost of insuring coastal properties.

Called Risk Rating 2.0, the recently released plan is widely believed to more accurately reflect flood risks. But it is also likely to lead to a decreased property values along with higher insurance premiums.

Risk Rating 2.0 is the first major update to the government insurance program’s risk analysis system since the National Flood Insurance Program emerged in the late 1960s. The old system provided a flat risk estimate for an entire floodplain. The new system estimates the individual risk facing each home, incorporating new data about water dynamics and replacement costs.

The old system did not consider the replacement cost of a house, so owners of low-value homes subsidized those with more valuable properties. Homeowners will now pay premiums for the specific flood risk for their home, rather than for their general area.

Major building industry groups the International Code Council (ICC), ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) have agreed to collaborate on the development of Standard 189.1, the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), and the LEED green building program.

| Aug 21, 2014

Performance-based zoning: U.S. cities starting to loosen zoning regulations

Driven by New Urbanism, more than two dozen communities in the U.S. have loosened zoning restrictions in recent years.

| Aug 21, 2014

Meeting to finalize amendments to green property underwriting standard

The National Public Meeting for Resiliency + Infrastructure Consensus Underwriting Standard Amendments will take place September 16, from 9 a.m.-12p.m. at Perkins+Will, 1250 24th St. NW, Washington, DC in the World Wildlife Fund Building.

| Aug 21, 2014

American Iron and Steel Institute revises 14 test standards

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) published 14 revised test standards in its S900-series.

| Aug 14, 2014

Mississippi county rejects adoption of state building code

The county board of supervisors voted unanimously to opt out of the state building code.

| Aug 14, 2014

Boards at odds over North Carolina county’s CM-at-Risk policy

Some local small contractors are not pleased with the school board’s CM-at-Risk policy that was instituted in 2007. The county’s board of commissioners has offered a sympathetic ear to their complaints

| Aug 14, 2014

2014 National Electrical Code now effective in 12 states; 11 more to come online by January

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says that the 2014 edition of the National Electrical Code(NEC) is now effective in 12 states: Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming.