The National Institute of Standards and Technology recently submitted a report to Congress outlining steps to improve building functionality after natural disasters.
The report fills a request by Congress for “immediate occupancy (IO)” building codes and performance standards strategies to make more buildings more resilient to a wide variety of hazards. Existing standards and codes focus on reducing the likelihood of significant building damage or collapse, but do not typically address the need to preserve quality of life by keeping buildings habitable and functioning as normally as possible, a NIST official says.
Some of the obstacles to making buildings more functionally resilient after a natural disaster include:
— Convincing communities to invest in IO standards in advance of the event
— Clarifying the costs and benefits
— Influencing and incentivizing private owners to make the necessary investments in their buildings
— Determining special implementation procedures for public buildings since some do not have to comply with local codes
— Dealing with the old structures that tend to house the most at-risk populations
— Determining who is liable for building performance
— Encouraging collaboration in standards development
The report says that “increasing the performance goals for buildings would not be easily achieved, but the advantages may be substantial” and making them a reality “would entail a significant shift in practice for development, construction, and maintenance or retrofit of buildings.”
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jan 30, 2017
Denser development could reduce emissions more than building energy retrofits
More tightly packed cities would cut building emissions significantly, study says.
Codes and Standards | Jan 27, 2017
Calif. legislator proposes statewide solar mandate for new buildings
It would be the first such requirement in the U.S.
Codes and Standards | Jan 25, 2017
Standard baseline for measuring building efficiency needed
EUI could push sustainability through market-driven approach.
Codes and Standards | Jan 23, 2017
Workers, local officials rally for new construction safety law in New York City
The new law would require those who work on 10-story-plus buildings to go through an apprenticeship program.
Codes and Standards | Jan 23, 2017
Prominent Atlanta construction executive faces charges in $1 million bribery scheme
The company has worked on some major projects, including Hartsfield Airport.
Codes and Standards | Jan 20, 2017
New resource lists green incentives by state
USGBC's new Public Policy Library includes tax and energy benchmarking policies.
Codes and Standards | Jan 18, 2017
How green leases benefit owners and tenants
Agreements to spur efficiency upgrades are slowly gaining popularity.
Codes and Standards | Jan 17, 2017
Intl. Code Council looks into code changes for cross-laminated timber structures
Most codes limit CLT structures’ height.
Codes and Standards | Jan 16, 2017
Building codes for existing buildings evaluated in new white paper
The paper examines implementation, enforcement challenges, and changes needed in new code editions.
Codes and Standards | Jan 13, 2017
New BIM guide for owners released
National Institute of Building Sciences releases a manual for developing standard set of BIM documents.