The U.S. Congress recently passed the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) and the Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act.
The legislation supports the adoption and implementation of modern building codes, and will provide nearly $1.7 billion for communities struck by natural disasters in 2018. Pre-disaster mitigation grant funding is expected to quadruple. Communities that adopt and enforce modern codes would be more competitive applicants for that funding.
“Pre-disaster mitigation starts with the codes,” said International Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO, in a news release. “The funds provided through the DRRA for updated building codes, adoption and implementation are essential for protecting our families, our lives and our investments.”
The legislation would also aid communities that—for lack of resources—have not updated their codes to more recent editions or are not enforcing the codes they have in place. For the first time, pre-disaster mitigation grants can be used for modern code adoption and enforcement.
Related Stories
| Dec 4, 2013
Meet the 'world's greenest building': One Angel Square
The 500,000 sf, 14-story One Angel Square in Manchester, England, is being promoted as "the most environmentally-friendly building in the world."
| Dec 3, 2013
Architects urge government to reform design-build contracting process
Current federal contracting laws are discouraging talented architects from competing for federal contracts, depriving government and, by inference, taxpayers of the best design expertise available, according to AIA testimony presented today on Capitol Hill.
| Nov 27, 2013
ASHRAE data center standard open for public review
Standard 90.4P, Energy Standard for Data Centers and Telecommunications Buildings, is being developed in response to requests to recognize the energy performance profiles unique to data centers.
| Nov 27, 2013
Ohio legislators move to ban use of LEED on public construction
Two Ohio state senators have introduced legislation that seeks to ban the use of LEED in public construction.
| Nov 27, 2013
ASTM issues revised standard on phase I environmental site assessments
ASTM has issued revised standard ASTM E1527-13 that governs phase I environmental site assessments.
| Nov 27, 2013
Vancouver, B.C., bans doorknobs in building code update
The goal of making it easier for people to age in place led to amendments to Vancouver, B.C.’s building code including banning doorknobs in favor of lever handles.
| Nov 22, 2013
Kieran Timberlake, PE International develop BIM tool for green building life cycle assessment
Kieran Timberlake and PE International have developed Tally, an analysis tool to help BIM users keep better score of their projects’ complete environmental footprints.
| Nov 20, 2013
WDMA receives final approval on code amendments
The Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) was granted final approval of several amendments it proposed to the 2015 editions of the International Residential Code (IRC), International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and International Existing Building Code (IEBC).
| Nov 20, 2013
Safe Jobs Act would provide more protection for New York City construction workers
Legislation that would require safety training for construction workers on public projects in New York City has been introduced to the City Council.
| Nov 20, 2013
Boston officials grapple with impact of new FEMA flood maps
New federal maps for Boston significantly expand the number of homes and businesses in areas considered at high risk of flooding, a change that could force thousands of property owners to purchase expensive insurance and complicate redevelopment along the city’s waterfront.