New tallest tower west of the Mississippi built to stringent seismic standards

The soon-to-open Wilshire Grand, at 1,100 feet, is now the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.

The 73-floor structure was built to stringent seismic standards, as it rests near the San Andreas Fault. The building has bracing in three places to ensure it won’t collapse, and the foundations had to be fortified beyond the typical skyscraper.

Steel supports can help to absorb seismic energy. The tower reportedly can sway 17 inches without buckling. The structure includes a fireman’s elevator in the concrete core that’s surrounded by 2 to 4 feet of concrete.

The $1.1 billion Wilshire Grand dominates the skyline and includes Spire 73, touted as “tallest open-air bar” in the Western Hemisphere.

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.