Garcetti’s plan to make buildings more resilient to earthquakes would also apply to daycare centers and private schools. The proposal comes after the recently published Resilient Los Angeles report said steel buildings constructed from the early 1970s through 1994 were susceptible to earthquake damage because of welding techniques, the inspection process, the filler metal used in the welds and the configuration of the connection between vertical columns and horizontal beams.
According to a U.S. Geological Survey study, there are five steel buildings in Southern California that could collapse in a major earthquake, potentially causing hundreds of deaths and injuries. Steel buildings once were considered to be among the most resistant to earthquakes, but about 25 “steel moment frame” buildings fractured after the magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake in 1994.
The Resilient Los Angeles report also argues for stronger minimum earthquake standards for all new construction. Los Angeles already has some of California’s strongest earthquake retrofit laws that apply to brick buildings, concrete-frame structures, and wood-frame apartments.
Related Stories
| Jun 27, 2013
California legislators make push for prevailing wage law
California lawmakers introduced new legislation that would cut off state construction funds from charter cities that don’t mandate the equivalent of union-scale wages on public-works projects. Of the 482 cities in California, 121 are charter cities.
| Jun 27, 2013
Thermal, solar control designs can impact cooling loads by 200%, heating loads by 30%
Underestimating thermal bridging can greatly undermine a building’s performance contributing to heating load variances of up to 30% and cooling load variances of up to 200%, says the MMM Group.
| Jun 27, 2013
U.S. Conference of Mayors passes new sustainability resolutions
The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) passed a slate of sustainability resolutions that renew its commitment to local green building and clean energy efforts.
| Jun 19, 2013
NSF Sustainability begins verifying EPDs that can be used for LEED V4
NSF Sustainability has verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for nylon carpet styles and colors manufactured by Mannington Commercial and for J+J Flooring Group’s Kinetex® flooring product and Invision brand modular styles that use eKo® backing. Â
| Jun 19, 2013
Florida is latest battleground over LEED standards centered on certified wood
A nationwide battle over forest certification standards continues to be played out nationally and in Florida with legislation passed this month.Â
| Jun 19, 2013
Construction site safety improved in 2011
On-the-job construction fatalities dropped from 802 in 2010 to 781 in 2011, and recordable injuries fell from 4.7 per 100 workers in 2008 to 3.9 per 100 in 2011, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.Â
| Jun 19, 2013
New York City considers new construction standards for hospitals, multifamily buildings
Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration has proposed new building codes for hospitals and multifamily dwellings in New York City to help them be more resilient in the event of severe weather resulting from climate change. Â
| Jun 12, 2013
Green Globes update complies with federal sustainability standards
The Green Building Initiative has updated its green building certification program to comply with the U.S. government’s standards for sustainability in federal buildings.Â
| Jun 12, 2013
Green Globes update complies with sustainability standards
The Green Building Initiative has updated its green building certification program to comply with the U.S. government’s standards for sustainability in federal buildings.
| May 31, 2013
OSHA will propose to extend crane operator certification compliance date
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says it will propose to extend the compliance date for the crane operator certification requirement by three years to Nov. 10, 2017.
