Changes to the Florida Building Code and new floodplain maps will mean buildings in the state will have to be built at higher elevations.
Nonresidential buildings will have to be built at 9.5 feet, two feet higher than current requirements. Houses will have to be built at 8.5 feet, a foot higher than what is currently required.
The state building code is expected to incorporate the changes in December after adoption by the Florida Legislature. In Palm Beach, new FEMA maps and changes to the town’s flood ordinances and zoning code must be adopted by early October for the town to remain eligible for federal funds through the National Flood Insurance Program.
Palm Beach officials recently indicated that businesses and residents who have secured building permits but have not yet started construction may build to the higher elevation without facing a penalty.
Related Stories
Sponsored | Designers | Oct 18, 2017
Universal design principles: Part 2
The CDC targets the bathroom as the most dangerous room in the house. Architects can use principles of Universal Design (UD) to reduce these hazards.
Giants 400 | Oct 17, 2017
Top 110 office architecture firms
Gensler, Jacobs, and HOK top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest office sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Oct 16, 2017
Data center market forecast: Clearly cloudy
Look for mission-critical construction to double in the next few years.
Resiliency | Oct 13, 2017
Resiliency takes center stage in new projects around the country
Projects like these, where resilience is central to their design and construction, are becoming more commonplace.
Architects | Oct 11, 2017
Architects to policymakers: Buildings are infrastructure, too
Left out of this ongoing national debate over infrastructure are the nation’s other public buildings: the libraries, community centers, courthouses, community college buildings, affordable housing developments, and justice facilities.
Giants 400 | Oct 11, 2017
Top 25 data center architecture firms
Jacobs, Corgan, and Gensler top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest data center sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 9, 2017
6 new products for the multifamily construction market
Bamboo wall panels, an adaptable prep sink, and a two-tiered bike parking system are among the product innovations geared for multifamily buildings.
AEC Tech | Oct 6, 2017
How professional bias can sabotage industry transformation
Professional bias can take the form of change-resistant thinking that can keep transformational or innovative ambitions at bay. Tech consultant Nate Miller presents three kinds of bias that often emerge when a professional is confronted with new technology.
Giants 400 | Oct 6, 2017
Top 90 K-12 architecture firms
Stantec, DLR Group, and PBK top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Oct 5, 2017
On wings of gold: Alternative financing schemes are propelling the high-flyin’ air terminals sector
The $4 billion renovation of New York City’s LaGuardia Airport is the first major U.S. aviation project delivered using a public-private partnership (P3) model.
