flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Florida state building professionals call for mandatory high-rise building inspections

Codes and Standards

Florida state building professionals call for mandatory high-rise building inspections

Group recommendation comes in wake of Surfside condo collapse.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | November 9, 2021
Miami skyline

Courtesy Pixabay

The Surfside Working Group, a coalition of seven Florida engineering and building professional associations, has recommended that the state impose mandatory building inspections for aging high-rise buildings.

The group was formed following the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium buildings in Surfside. The 12-story building collapsed in a matter of seconds, killing 98.

The building needed costly repairs, but no statewide inspection laws or building code requires structural and safety re-inspections for aging high-rises. The panel’s recommendation is for all Florida buildings greater than 2,000 sf with more than 10 occupants to have mandatory structural inspections. Recertification would be required after 30 years, and every 10 years thereafter.

If the building is close to saltwater, it would have to be inspected after 20 years with re-inspections every seven years. The report is now in the hands of state lawmakers, but they are not obligated to act on it. The panel is hopeful, though, that the report will spur action.

Related Stories

| Dec 29, 2011

NRCA offers program on new fall-protection requirements

The National Roofing Contractors Association's (NRCA's) program "Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z" will be held Feb. 21 during the organization's 125th Annual Convention.

| Dec 29, 2011

Decision not to fireproof the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub criticized

Some criticized the decision, reasoning that the structure could be a terrorist target.

| Dec 29, 2011

Seismic safety in question at thousands of California public schools

California regulators responsible for enforcing earthquake safety laws have failed to certify more than 16,000 construction projects in California public schools, increasing the risk that some projects may be unsafe, according to a state audit report.

| Dec 29, 2011

GreenWizard offers cloud-based LEED credit management, assessment

The company recently began offering companies the ability to run assessments for design credits, in addition to traditional product-specific LEED credits.

| Dec 22, 2011

Federal home weatherization program has impacted 6.8 million homes

More than 6.8 million homes have been weatherized using federal, state, utility, and other funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

| Dec 22, 2011

Group developing BIM data standards

A collaboration among Georgia Tech’s Digital Building Lab, the Precast Concrete Institute, the American Concrete Institute, and the American Institute of Steel Construction aims to develop global standards for transportation of three-dimensional digital models among fabricator, architecture, engineering, and construction groups.

| Dec 22, 2011

New green code spells out thermal requirement for roof retrofits

The 2012 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) includes a straightforward approach to minimum thermal requirements for roof and wall systems.

| Dec 22, 2011

AGC’s safety conference Jan. 11-13 in San Antonio

The Associated General Contractors of America’s national meeting for safety and health professionals will take place Jan. 11-13, 2012 in San Antonio, TX.

| Dec 22, 2011

Proposed New York City zoning revamp encourages rooftop solar and wind energy

New zoning regulation proposals to make it easier for building owners in New York City to make their structures more sustainable have entered the public approval process.

| Dec 15, 2011

Dayton, Ohio schools saving $2.6 million annually by building to LEED

On average, green schools save about $100,000 a year on operating costs, including energy and water savings.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Government Buildings

OSHA’s proposed heat standard published in Federal Register

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a proposed standard addressing heat illness in outdoor and indoor settings in the Federal Register. The proposed rule would require employers to evaluate workplaces and implement controls to mitigate exposure to heat through engineering and administrative controls, training, effective communication, and other measures.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021

Â