flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

New York City releases guide for retrofitting buildings against floods

New York City releases guide for retrofitting buildings against floods

Manual offers ways to modify buildings to adapt to coastal flood risks


By BD+C Staff | October 9, 2014
Rendering: NYC Department of City Planning
Rendering: NYC Department of City Planning

The New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) has released "Retrofitting Buildings for Flood Risk," a comprehensive guide for New York City owners of buildings in flood zones.

Part of the city’s response to widespread flooding as a result of Hurricane Sandy, the manual offers retrofitting strategies that will enable home and property owners to reduce the risk of damage and disruption from coastal flooding.

Recent Congressional legislation reforming the National Flood Insurance Program will increase flood insurance premiums for buildings that are not retrofitted, according to a city press release. These increased premiums will directly impact neighborhood stability and housing affordability, especially for working class New Yorkers, the release says.

The manual contains some simple and low-cost actions New Yorkers living in the flood zone can take now to begin to adapt and protect their homes against flooding.

“Incorporating these improvement will help protect our city’s buildings against potential future extreme climatic events,” says Department of Buildings Commissioner Rick D. Chandler. “The Department of Buildings will provide dedicated plan examiners and inspectors to work with and support home and business owners in redesigning their structures to meet the new federally mandated guidelines.”

(http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/about/pr100814.shtml)

Related Stories

Codes and Standards | Oct 24, 2018

Building design critical to prevent school shootings

Safety must be balanced with welcoming environment.

Codes and Standards | Oct 23, 2018

Codes in Florida Panhandle made buildings vulnerable to Hurricane Michael

Less stringent codes in northern parts of state linked to devastation.

Codes and Standards | Oct 19, 2018

Global Green Tag production certification standard will launch in U.S. at end of year

Australian program recognized by WELL, claims compliance with LE.

Codes and Standards | Oct 18, 2018

Federally-backed rebuilding of public buildings often leaves them vulnerable to future storms

FEMA dollars pay for reconstruction, but local decision-makers ignore climate change impacts.

Codes and Standards | Oct 17, 2018

Philadelphia plumbing code will now allow for more use of plastic pipes in high rises

Of the 50 largest U.S. cities, Philadelphia is one of just six that still require metal pipes.

Codes and Standards | Oct 16, 2018

New Disaster Recovery Reform Act will support adoption of updated building codes

Provides incentives for communities to modernize and enforce codes.

Codes and Standards | Oct 12, 2018

Boston ‘housing emergency’ prompts regional initiative for new residential construction

Mayors of 15 cities set goal of 185,000 new homes by 2030.

Codes and Standards | Oct 11, 2018

On-site staff key to energy benchmarking project for property management company

Manager training, data sharing are critical to meeting 20% utility cost reduction goal.

Codes and Standards | Oct 10, 2018

Interactive heat maps track temperature ranges in U.S. cities

Urban heat island effect can vary by as much as 37°F in the same city.

Codes and Standards | Oct 9, 2018

Power systems will become more decentralized for better disaster resiliency

Businesses, homeowners will control more power-generation capacity.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Resiliency

U.S. is reducing floodplain development in most areas

The perception that the U.S. has not been able to curb development in flood-prone areas is mostly inaccurate, according to new research from climate adaptation experts. A national survey of floodplain development between 2001 and 2019 found that fewer structures were built in floodplains than might be expected if cities were building at random.



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